Manariwa

“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify Yah in this matter.

For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of Yah; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of Yah? Now

‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved,
Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?'”

-1 Pet.4:15-18

This piece aims not to put down or diminish the good works done by mainstream denominational preachers and groups in their respective ministries and services to society. It simply presents an objective, relevant and practical discussion of what many active believers perceive to be their role in society as servants of the Anointed Savior and King of Heaven. For whatever value it may add or generate, may it rather develop even greater discernment and inspiration in the shared duty to preach the True Gospel, to seek the lost and to build up the Kingdom of Yah.

Prayer Breakfast or Agape

A group of pastors and government officials attended the 49th Philippine National Prayer Breakfast (PNPB) at the Heroes Hall in Malacañan Palace in Manila on November 18, 2024 with the president as special guest. The noble goal of the PNPB Foundation is to unite Christian professionals and leaders in the task of influencing people through the Gospel of Yahusha Masshiak. The practice or tradition of “breaking bread” mirrors the love-feasts which the disciples held in their humble homes in the first-century. Begun by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1953, the conference is held in over 170 countries, showing its vast influence in the halls of world governance. Trump himself, in a recent Prayer Breakfast after his election as 47th US president, encouraged people to read the Bible to “make America pray again”.

The head pastor of the largest mega-church in the country gave the keynote speech, or more precisely, a sermon. Understandably, the subject matter of the sermon was prayer; and, without question, the message was excellent and delivered with passion. The many speeches of encouragement to pray — including that of the president’s — were well-given and, most likely, well-received. It is a lesson every person, believer or not, must learn and constantly relearn and, more so, practice.

However, the question comes to mind: Was it the best sermon or lesson for the time, the place and the audience? Perhaps, not. Here is why:

At one time in the early days of the apostles’ apprenticeship, they asked Yahusha to teach them how to pray. In reality, it happened when a disciple — not all but just one — saw Him after He had prayed at a certain secluded place by Himself, perhaps, the whole night, as His custom was. Or, it could have been Peter asking for the whole group. Also, this was after He had sent 70 of them on a mission to the villages to preach, to heal and to drive away demons before the Master entered the town. (Luke 11: 1-4)

Now, if you are a beginner or a new student under the Master, such a lesson would be vital and appropriate. In fact, in seminaries and churches, no one is sent out to teach others or even face real demons without having so much as learned the basics of prayer and meditation — let alone, spiritual warfare. The question may have been more to do with the nuances and depths of a mature prayer, one that engages with more challenging issues and struggles, whether personal in nature or not.  

The Context Comes First

First of all, since many often make textual sermons (those based on bible passages) without fully appreciating the context, the disciple in the story may have been intrigued as to why the Lord would spend the whole night alone praying. His question, more likely, sought to address a need to know “what” to pray for and not “how” to pray, although how not to fall asleep when praying would have been valuable as well. Yet, the Lord, essentially, taught the simplest form or structure of prayer which is now used or repeated as a blanket formula suitable for all needs, in all occasions and at all places.

Yes, the “Lord’s Prayer” encapsulates all of our human material and spiritual needs and aspirations; for it is the perfect and powerful prayer model. The acronym ACTS, in fact, outlines its essential structure: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Salvation. Every proper prayer, as we are told, must contain all these 4 ingredients. Supported and propelled by a sincere faith in a humbled heart, any prayer of that kind will surely reach Heaven’s glorious throne and find a place in the heart of Yah.

A Fresh and Relevant Prayer

Secondly, the question may have also sought Yahusha’s advice on how to make prayer fresh and relevant. Certainly, the Lord was not repeating the same prayer He taught us throughout an entire evening praying alone. Or even sticking to his own prayer outline and structure as a default format to pray for other existing matters or needs of the day or week. His prayer in Gethsemane, long and personal, is hardly often taught or ever used as prime example on how to pray. (John 17) This is the real “Lord’s Prayer”; for it expresses the culmination of His own life’s mission and His soul’s deepest intentions for humans for all Eternity. Moreover, it looks more like prophetic utterance than a personal prayer. Yah intended for us to see and hear this prayer ourselves.

Was Yahusha, perhaps, interceding for His disciples while they were out preaching, healing and driving out demons in the villages? Remember, they still did not have a proper lesson on prayer when they were sent out. Yet, they came back rejoicing that the demons had obeyed them! It appears they were not the ones driving demons away but the Lord Himself through His prayers and His anointing power working in the lives of the disciples – that is, His very name and authority which the demons greatly feared. (Luke 10:17-20) The main point is: The Masshiak’s Prayer — which contains His Powerful Will — can make our life and work become His handiwork alone, not our own handiwork, as we sometimes assume. When we say the same prayer or any other prayer, we merely echo His Will and Power and, thus, acknowledge His Presence through Ruach living in our hearts. –

Who would not wish to have that ability that the disciples had to send the demons living around our neighborhood scampering out of sight and never to return? Online alone, we see so many wicked spirits sowing fear, intrigue and lies; and we often fail to silence them. Instead, we engage in a word war with them and end up feeling frustrated and defeated. Believers no longer wear the mantle of authority from Yah; perhaps, because we fail to realize He prays and works for us still, and, like Elijah, we, therefore, feel abandoned and also cower inside our caves. The powers of darkness have practically overrun all the corners of the globe and have established strongholds and forts which we find difficult to demolish even with the word of Yah we proclaim. And so, oftentimes, many believers compromise. Nations are overwhelmed and societies within fall one-by one to become slaves of the ruling prince of darkness. Has the Lord deserted His Kingdom on Earth? Have believers completely failed in their mission and have unknowingly ceded the world to the enemy? It may seem that way.

Perhaps, it is not our prayers alone that lack power but our whole life and spiritual outlook. The Lord is the Sole Source of Power and Truth, not our prayers or our plans and programs. Indeed, He continues to intercede, but only for those who truly submit to His leading. More often than not, humans lead the Lord around where they feel they can use Him for their many corrupt and selfish schemes and caprices. In addition, our ignorance prevents us from attaining genuine victory.

Truth is the Foundation of All Wisdom

Thirdly, the question may have also sought to ask the Lord for help to pray sincerely and according to the Truth. The prayer was taught at a time when the Kingdom had not yet been established: Let Your Kingdom come! (Luke 11:2) YOUR KINGDOM COME is in the imperative or request form, as it is a prayer after all. Hence, His intended will was not yet done on Earth as He would eventually do when He would sit on the throne. That is to mean, until that set time when He would have finished His purposes for Creation by raising citizens in His Kingdom by the life-giving Ruach, which He finally did on Pentecost Day. Hence, those who teach this prayer and leave out this vital truth spread fake Good News or a discounted message.

For the Kingdom is not in Heaven but in us. Yes, He rules in Heaven over angels and all humans, dead or alive; but the Kingdom He prayed for and established was intended for humans to inhabit and rule in upon the Earth. It is a Kingdom of prophets, priests and kings which already exists and reigns till the time when His final victory will be achieved and proclaimed. Meanwhile, we have a battle to fight. So, why do we still pray for the Kingdom to come if we are the Kingdom itself already? Truth suffers neglect even among those supposed to deliver the Truth.

Certainly, the disciple may not have had these assumed thoughts we cite and was simply asking how to say a basic prayer he could also teach to others. Not the prayer itself but the “way to pray” in order to be heard and be answered according to one’s request. And it seems so obvious that that was the essence of the prayer taught to him: general needs and requests that matter from day-to-day, as well as for Eternity. Short and sweet! It is a prayer we can easily memorize and repeat when we feel the need.

Making Prayer a Niche Ministry

Many today refer to a “prayer life” or “prayer habit” to highlight the importance and purpose of prayer in a believer’s life and growth. Moreover. we have come up with such titles as “prayer warriors” to describe those assigned specific jobs to intercede for those in need of prayers. Everything evolves, including the way we pursue our service as stewards of the Word. And praying is certainly an essential part of discipleship; nevertheless, it is not a menial or easy task but, oftentimes, a grueling and draining endeavor, as the Lord Himself experienced when He prayed in the Garden and perspired blood. But should we give it so much weight and emphasis that we have to build “prayer houses” all over or hold “prayer meetings” at the drop of a hat or for political and other mundane motives?

What did the Lord say about praying in your closet or room? Or about praying all night long in a secluded place and not in the planned and orchestrated, mass-produced “ministries of organized churches”‘? Sophistication and controlled order belong to centralized and well-financed religious groups or faith-systems, not in the simplicity of faith and sacrifice. Why do people feel the need to assemble or congregate believers in a defined, limited space, when the Kingdom (let alone the King Himself) can never be contained in any temple, cathedral or gymnasium where they can be fed the same prepared, pre-ordered or pre-programmed diet from the Gospel, as supposed? For certain, one does not need to wear a flowing robe to pray in a closet. It is cheap and simple; but it does the job.

The Audience Matters as Much as the Message

Finally, what about the audience? All sermons — that is, messages intended for believers in an assembly — in the past were delivered inside synagogues, assemblies or churches. There may have been kings and princes in attendance, as during that time when Paul was arrested and and given the chance to testify to King Agrippa. (Acts 26) Eventually, sermons became special speeches robed in light and crowned with honor by being given high on a pulpit and in front of a hushed, captive audience. The desire to ask or discuss a point is often not in the program. It is the testimony of a so-called “expert witness in court” and often taken as gospel truth. Usually, listeners submit themselves to its (and sadly, it seems, to the messenger’s) authority and veracity, as if it were the word of Yah itself and must be eaten and digested fully to nourish one’s life.

But is it? Even the Bible itself we must “search” and “meditate upon” in order to unravel the Truth and for us to do the will of Yah. When the Lord taught, people knew and felt His authority, even if He was a lowly and unrecognized, itinerant teacher who walked the streets and marketplaces of the Judean villages. He entered homes and dined with sinners and healed the sick. Yes, all the sick, the blind, the lame and mute – without exception — and also raised the dead! His work was not limited to teaching but was all-encompassing, addressing all of life’s issues and needs. His authority included His supremacy over wicked spirits wreaking havoc in the lives of people. When He Himself faced kings and rulers, He spoke to them accordingly and pricked their consciences as guardians over thousands of souls – hence, as people who shared His honored role as a steward and benefactor of the masses. (Acts 26) Like a silent sheep before its sacrificial death or a martyr answering his interrogator, but not defending himself but even incriminating himself by saying truthful, “blasphemous” statements. His authority, without any doubt, drew power from the Truth He was proclaiming.

How to Deal with Rulers

So, how do you then speak to a king or a president? Do you treat him as just another would-be convert or potential member of your denomination? As an unbeliever or as a babe in the Lord? We go back then to the question: Was the lesson on prayer the best and most relevant lesson before a nation’s leader, even during a “Prayer Breakfast”? Perhaps not. For almost a month had passed since a demon-possessed pretender to the president’s seat had spewed vile, violent and poisonous words against the person, position and family of the nation’s leader — threatening to slash his neck and exhume his father’s body. (A worse meltdown would occur less than a week after the Prayer Breakfast.) Would not a lesson on driving out demons or waging spiritual warfare have been more appropriate?

But no, most preachers consider people who do not have actual or formal training or direct involvement in church ministry as spiritually, or at least, theologically inferior or unqualified. Hence, a lesson on prayer is the most diplomatic and politically-correct choice, considering the circumstances. In polite circles, breakfasts or banquets are designed for non-controversial matters, not stressful issues about worldly or underworldly affairs. Besides, our national leaders may not seem that spiritually-savvy to hear lessons on waging warfare against demonic or psychopathic enemies. Which reminds us of that chaotic movie scene when the Titanic stood on its end before it sank. The people were weeping and fervently praying the “Lord’s Prayer”.

Yes, that time on film and in real life, the same prayer was recited during such a dire and tragic moment. Perhaps, teaching people to pray when there is so much political, economic, social and spiritual chaos is the best salve we need today. And it is, without any doubt. But so can be a lesson on courage, endurance, faith and invincibility, as often expressed by David in his psalms. Psalm 91 comes to mind. A king’s legacy to another king, it would seem. What a simple prayer for spiritual guidance can do, a valiant psalm on ultimate victory over wicked spiritual powers can likewise accomplish. It is not a mere matter of choice but a matter of timing, expediency and relevance. In fact, aside from uniting and praying as a group, the National Prayer Breakfast also seeks to “debate” important issues that affect nations.

Know What Your Leader Truly Is if You Also Want to Succeed

President Bongbong Marcos is a mature and strong believer. His sojourn through decades of national, familial and personal training and exposure within local and global geopolitics has qualified him to become an astute, mature, intelligent and well-equipped leader of a nation that has been prepared by Heaven to lead the world to the ultimate fulfillment of the plan of salvation which started with the blessings that Noah left through his great-great-great-great-grandsons Havilah, Sheba, Ophir and Tarshish. Would not the president, as well as the whole nation, have been more enlightened and honored to know he is leading the nation to the fulfillment of the Lord’s prophecy that “the queen of Sheba will rise in judgment”? (Matt. 12:38-42)

Well, when our preachers do not even know or accept (or are they simply shy to deal with the issue in front of other believers?) the real meaning of certain prophecies about Ophir, what can we expect from them? I still pray they will open their minds to Ruach Who holds all the mysteries of life and history. Cong. Dan Fernandez of Laguna had diligently dug up our lost history and took the courage to deliver a privilege speech in Congress suggesting that we must acknowledge and even desire to change our country’s name to that of the Land of Gold, Ophir — or to Havilah or Sheba, perhaps. Did any of the church groups rise up to loudly support the speech and the call? Is it an issue and undertaking not as vital and pressing as praying or evangelizing with respect to our national patrimony and ancient legacy? On the contrary, it must become part of our fervent prayers and our efforts to teach and reach out to our fellow-citizens.

If we just preach to our leaders as if we were teaching unlearned or unconverted people, we lose our focus and taste. We must treat them as fellow warriors in the Kingdom who also possess talents and duties as highly-qualified servants in high places in the governance of the land, just as Joseph was in Egypt or Daniel was in Babylon. They were prophets who read and practiced the Word. The Gospel and the work of the Kingdom is for all, not just for teachers or preachers. Serving and worshipping Yah happens at any time and any place in a humble believer’s life and work, not just in the assembly of people to fulfill or partake of their obligation to attend formal “worship service”. But read scriptures and you see people living and worshiping naturally and organically in their daily, uncomplicated lives. What we eat and what we believe will surely get us sick in so many ways, if it is artificial, devitalized and incomplete.    

Compromising Away the Ministry

Finally, the main reason immorality and corruption have remained rampant and unmitigated within the halls of our institutions (including churches), it is because we have compromised too much with the ways of the world. In fact, the servants of Yah who should be the first to address the need for justice and mercy in society are the ones who often remain silent and complacent in the face of so much injustice, corruption and violence. Where were they when the whole world languished in the darkness during the planned-demonic lockdown and a virtual medical martial-law was imposed? Do we hear them cry out for justice while thousands die from vaccine-induced cancer, myocarditis and pneumonia? We have surrendered the task of seeking justice for the poor and the oppressed to our institutions, which are, oftentimes, the first to compromise and give in to bribery and manipulation. Yes, we have the Supreme Court and the International Court of Justice today; but we forget that the ancient prophets were the Lord’s direct dispensers of Divine Justice. For that is how it should be.

Yahusha Masshial is not King of kings for nothing. No, today, we have made Him into nothing but a titular king while we reign in His place, whether we talk about secular or non-secular fields. Look for the palaces, mansions and monoliths that house our many leaders and there you will find these wealthy and self-important rulers of thousands, dispensing both spiritual and worldly wisdom, as well as controlling immense wealth and influence to pursue their misguided and wasteful aims. Yes, the kingdoms of this world have been judged already.

To compromise your faith and your life to gain part of the worldly gains available is too great a temptation for many of us to overcome. That is the root of all the evil see today. Yet, Masshiak built no temple or tiny chapel during His ministry. In fact, He destroyed the Temple in Yerushalem 37 years after He said He would. Why? Because Ruach will no longer make His home in structures of some but in hearts of flesh. When will we learn this truth? Thus, He called only 12 disciples to be His friends and followers to spread His living message. He gave them everything they needed, except power and money which Solomon had in abundance. Yet His glory and might far exceeds those of Solomon or any other king. The same glory and power, He gives to His disciples as His co-heirs and co-rulers.   

Prayer is a Warrior’s Pre-Battle Meal, Preaching and Practicing the Word is the Battle

Our leaders need prayers and also need to learn to pray before they can manage their affairs with dignity and confidence. But what we need more today is for every believer (great or small) to be a prophet, priest and king (a leader) who will pursue the work that Yahusha gave to all the early disciples when He walked among the lowly and the poor and when He talked to the oppressed masses about the glory that awaited them in the place where He was going and where the Father would prepare a majestic city where they will see Him and the Father face-to-face. Not everyone will face a king or a president in one’s lifetime. But we can all have the great privilege of seeing Yah in New Yerushalem when we shall have overcome and destroyed the enemy through the King of Kings and Prince of Peace in the Great and Final Battle against dark spiritual forces. So, are you fighting in that Great Battle or in a proxy war orchestrated by mercenaries and power-hungry rulers of the small, earthly kingdoms who weaken you by distracting your attention to the fleeting and comfortable things of this world? 

Remember again: The disciples still did not know how to properly pray when they already received the abilities to heal the sick and drive away demons. For they knew where divine power came from — not from prayers or from sermons but from the Authority and Word of Yahusha Masshiak. As warriors of the Kingdom, we only need one weapon — the Word of Yah. We will explain fully why and how we can harness the Word in this Great Final Battle.