The Message! Part 4/Build up the Breach/ Part 1B

The darkness is so intense in our world that evil runs remnant. Wickedness is out of control. We know by the Word that evil men will grow worse. 2 Tim. 3:10, “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;”

God's promise of victory and protection has always been to the obedient. This is a universal principle first received by the Jews and then the Church. In recent years through a gradual process of letting the Truth slip away the churches have opened the door for carnal ideals and man made theology. In a calculated effort to assimilate people into their congregations, compromise has been the rule of the day. The result has been growing the numbers of church participation at the cost of loosing God's favor and anointing. Many churches have become powerless and ineffective. Satan has taken advantage of this powerlessness replacing what should have been the anointing of the Holy Ghost with the power of the darkness of this world.

Have you ever thought seriously about why our world is in the condition that it is in? I have asked myself that question many times over the course of the past few months. This is what I believe has happened. In physics we are taught “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” This is referred to as Newton's third law of motion. There is also a principle called the “principle of causation.” It is defined as the operation or relation of a cause and its effect. I want to use Newton's law of motion

to evaluate the cause and effect of the world's present crisis. Example: When United States military withdrew from Iraq, that action created a reaction. The withdrawal of the United States military created

a vacuum: a situation created when an important person or thing has gone and has not been replaced. The enemy rushed into that void. They increased their offensive thrust and over time their ranks grew and they captured resources which were supposed to be used by the Iraqi military forces. The Iraqi forces ran from the battlefield stripping their uniforms off as they ran and leaving behind the assets that the U.S. military had left for them to use to defend their country. Consequently, the world is experiencing the escalation and rise of the strongest, largest and most violent force of anti-Christian behavior in this modern age in the form of radical Islam. We call them ISIS but they are simply the most visible. They require our attention because they are so violent. But the spirit of anti-Christ (anti-Christian behavior) has invaded every nation, every state, every city and every community in the world.

Anti-Christian behavior

As a result of the terror created by these violent jehad's, tens of thousands of people have left their country. There is a lot being said about the refugees streaming out of Syria and Iraq. There is much controversy about allowing them to come to the United States. This country accepts thousands of immigrants every year. The U.S. government contracts agencies through the UN to do the vetting, place and settle these people. These agencies are discriminating against Christians. Their excuse is that they are more difficult to place and since they get about $4000 for each person the Muslims are easy money. Go to my Facebook page and read article: Scandal, US Christian Groups are prioritizing Muslim refugees over Christian ones.

Getting back to Newton's “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” When Christian churches all over the world began to let the Truth slip away, it created a void, a vacuum. This vacuum was not only created in the churches spiritual structure but also in the lives of individuals. And that void screams out to be filled. Why? Because an important person or thing has gone and has not been replaced. The Person gone is the Holy Spirit and the thing gone is Truth. Satan rushes in to replace Truth and Righteousness with Deception and Sin. Over a period of time Satan has gradually slipped into the churches and undermined the power and authority that belongs to the Body of Christ. Just as the Iraqi army fled in the onslaught of ISIS many churches and individuals have given in to the pressures of society and embraced unholy alliances with the forces of darkness in our world. The Iraqi military stripped their uniforms from their body as they ran from the enemy. Their uniforms identified them. They ran from the battlefield leaving behind valuable assets given to them by the U.S. to assist them in defeating that very enemy.

Many people who once stood for Bible principles and righteous behavior, run when confronting the societal pressures of our day. The most pressing issue is the doctrine of inclusion which demands embracing all people, all lifestyles and manner of behavior. In so doing they are removing their covering of Holiness, Divine protection and Divine intervention. They no longer wear the whole armor of God. Eph. 6:10, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”

In many ways these fallen souls are like the Iraqi soldier as he stands in his underwear before his countrymen. These so called Christians stand naked before God and in this present spiritual battle. The assets that Jesus gave for the victory of the Body of Christ are no longer available to them. Why? Because they have stripped off their uniform, no longer desiring to be identified with Christ's army. Therefore, they stand powerless in face of overwhelming darkness.

The more men depend on the carnal man for guidance, the less room there is for the Holy Spirit. Many churches have forced the Spirit of God out of their affairs creating a vacuum that Satan cheerfully fills. Lack of the Spirit means a lack of light. Lack of light means increased darkness. (black hole)

But not all churches have given up their role in the Body of Christ. There is a remnant of true believers who are seeking for God's intervention into the affairs of men. God is answering their prayers. God is moving where believers are submissive and obedient. They access and God delivers the “dunamis” of Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” This is the promise!

This is the fulfillment! Acts 2:1, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Strong's Concordance

one accord – Homothumadon

Definition

with one mind, with one accord, with one passion A unique Greek word, used 10 of its 12 New Testament occurrences in the Book of Acts, helps us understand the uniqueness of the Christian community. Homothumadon is a compound of two words meaning to "rush along" and "in unison". The image is almost musical; a number of notes are sounded which, while different, harmonize in pitch and tone. As the instruments of a great concert under the direction of a concert master, so the Holy Spirit blends together the lives of members of Christ's church.

Let the Church be the Church of the Bible. Let us stand up in the power of the Holy Spirit and finish the assignment Christ has given us! 

The Message! Part 4/Build up the Breach/ Part 1A

Explanation: For the purpose of my sharing today, I will refer to the secular church as churches. I will refer to the Church of Jesus Christ as the Body of Christ. When I am addressing churches, I am referring to the physical churches we see. When I am addressing the Body of Christ, I am referring to the invisible church made up of all believers.

Beginning of Sorrows

Matt. 24:5, “5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

Mark 13:, “And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: 6For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 7And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.”

First we must look at the context of these verses in relation to the immediate application. Christ was probably alluding to the immediate future when many of the circumstances would occur and also at the end of the coming age. We can conclude that these scriptures were partially fulfilled when the Romans destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem in AD 70. The Jews were scattered to every corner of the world and only began to return to their homeland in 1948. Since that time, God has been bringing them home. Since the events of last weekend, the French Jews are going back to Israel.

“The tribulations and calamities which preceded and accompanied the overthrow of Jewish polity are a sign and warning of the great and universal woes which shall hearld the day of judgment...” Pulpit Comm. The reference here is to the Day of the Lord.

There appears to be a consensus among the sources that I consulted that this phrase “beginning of sorrows” is referring to the first half of the 70^th week of Daniel's 70 weeks of years (Daniel 9). Then, we must conclude that the reference is to the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation period.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(8) The beginning of sorrows.—The words mean strictly, the beginning of travail pangs...St. Paul speaks of the whole creation as “travailing in pain together” (Romans 8:22). So a time of national suffering and perplexity is one in which “the children are come to the birth...”

Romans 8:18, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”

At one point in my encounter with the Lord, He said to me that “this judgment is as natural a breathing.” My impression was that it will happen whether we think about it or not. In light of these scriptures in Matthew and Mark, I am convinced that the Holy Spirit is connecting the “natural as breathing” to the birthing process. The term “beginning of sorrows” is associated with child birth and literally means the beginning of travail pangs. If that is correct, we can conclude that the judgment we are seeing (which is the result of sowing sinful seeds) and will see in the immediate future is a prelude to the birthing process which will bring forth a new Israel reborn, a new kingdom (the implementation of the literal Kingdom of God) and a new world (new heaven and earth).

The Rapture will be a sudden event.

Rev. 3:3, “3Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” Jesus was speaking to the Church at Sardis, the Body of Christ at Sardis. (read Rev. 3:1-6).

We find numerous other references advocating for a sudden Rapture. Matt. 24:42, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

Matt. 24:40, “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

The Body of Christ will be ready. (the Bride of Christ will be looking for and anxiously awaiting the Bride Groom)

The Body of Christ is made up of all believers. Therefore the Body of Christ is composed of individuals across denominational divides and from different local churches. For example: When the Rapture occurs all true believers from everywhere (even the heavenlies) will be caught away regardless of church affiliation. The Body of Christ will be ready. The Holy Spirit will make sure of that.

The purging prior to the appearance of the Bride Groom will insure that the Bride has made Herself ready. Eph. 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Through the Word and the Spirit, the Bride of Christ will be ready.

The unbeliever will not be ready. (Parable of the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins Matt. 25:1-13)

Having had the opportunity to receive the truth and subsequently rejecting the truth, the unbeliever walks in darkness. This includes secular churches. I am talking about those groups and individuals who

fail to embrace Biblical Truth. Those who generate their own carnal doctrine to appease their followers and bring in the money. The sad thing about these groups is that they provide a centralized government and structure for deception. Paul describes the perilous times of the last days in a litany of ills in 2 Tim. 3:1-5. He especially addresses religious apostasy. Give special attention to v. 5, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” He is addressing those professing Christianity but describing them as resembling Christian service but without the spiritual dynamic of the Holy Ghost.

What is Paul's solution to Timothy's challenge? 2 Tim. 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” If they turn away from the Truth, they are unbelievers. The unbelievers, who are without the discernment of the Word or the Spirit, will walk in carnality and will not be ready. They will not be able to discern the times. The conditions in the world prior to the Rapture will so closely mirror the conditions immediately after the Rapture IE the beginning of the Tribulation, the carnal mind will not realize when it takes places except to know that a lot of people are missing. The transition for the saints will be seamless but for those left behind conditions will grow progressive worse until the consummation of all things at the second Advent of Christ. Christ will return with the saints, set His feet upon the Mount of Olives and set up His Millennial Kingdom. Revelation is so important in our walk with God. He is giving us a preview of what is to come!

(continued to part 1B)

The Message! part 3/Harvest/Dressed for Battle part 3

This is war, a spiritual war. Eph. 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” We are not fighting flesh and blood but against spirits and against the very ruler of the darkness of this world. But there is hope. His name is Jesus. God will give the victory to those who are willing to go with Him. The Devil is already defeated. When Jesus embraced the role of His sacrifice, He declared in a deafening shout on the cross at Calvary. Luke 23:34, “...Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” The battle is won because we are forgiven and the enemy has nothing to hold over our heads. We are redeemed by the blood of the precious Lamb of God.

There is power is the blood of His sacrifice. Power to march into the enemy's domain, the places he has hidden the souls of the lost, hopeless, lifeless, imprisoned bodies of human kind. The power and light of Jesus Christ will reach into these deep dark crevices of life and set the captive free.

However, somebody must deliver the message. Someone has to invade this realm of darkness in the power of Christ and declare freedom to these imprisoned souls. Are you ready to be used of God in such a mighty endeavor? Let us go together! My prayer is that God will ignite a fire in the Body of Christ. A fire that will become a raging, consuming fire of God so that we burn so hot and so bright that the darkness cannot stay where we go.

The demoniac recognized Jesus when He encountered them. His presence demands the reverence and fear of Almighty God. Mark 5:6, “But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.”

There is coming a time in the future when all creation will bow at the feet of Christ. All creation will declare true reverence to Him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But I am convinced that Christ Jesus wants to use the Body of Christ to attain the fulfillment of His miraculous power.

Mark 16:17, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

John 14:12, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

I am convinced that the Lord Jesus wants to use the Body of Christ to march into Satan's house, the very seat and throne of his rule and rescue perishing souls.

Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

These are the words that Jesus read in the Temple and declared “...This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Luke 4:21. That was the scope of Jesus' ministry as prophesied by Isaiah. That was the authority of His mantel. He gave that authority to the Church as He commissioned Her to complete His ministry. He passed His mantel of authority to His Body. Let us embrace His command and go in the power and the authority of His Spirit.

The Message! part 3/Harvest/Dressed for Battle part 2

We are free but free for what purpose? We are free so that we can lead others free. Jesus came to set the captives free. As His Holy Spirit indwells us, we are free to be the visible evidence of the delivering power of God. We are free to be a God living, God breathing, miraculous working possession of God. We belong to Him. There is no power of hell that can defeat an obedient child of God. We are free in God to restore what the enemy has stolen.

The army of Christ is rising up. Rising up in the mantel of Jesus Christ. That mantel being the manifest presence of Christ in the Holy Ghost. If you have received since you believed, you carry the mantel of Christ. I feel the urging of the Spirit calling upon the Body of Christ to rise up in the power of that mantel and do His work. What is that work? To preach the gospel for the salvation of souls. If we will accept the commission, then we have a promise. The gates of hell cannot prevail against the Body of Christ. Why because we are covered in Christ's mantel. We are filled with His Holy Spirit!

Matt. 16:17, “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Matt. 28:18, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

The Devil is a roaring lion (a wild animal) seeking to devour and destroy everything and everyone that would proclaim salvation and freedom in Jesus Christ. The power of God Almighty will break the chains of sin, disobedience and rebellion. We are His servants. We stand where He stands by His power. We will do His work and break through the enemy's fortresses. We will go into the enemy's domain and rescue the perishing in the NAME of JESUS, the CHRIST, the SON of the LIVING GOD! Let us go together. Does the Devil hold any of your precious treasures? Let us mount up with renewed strength, renewed inspiration and restored victory.

Isaiah 40:28, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. 29He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (continued on part 3)

The Message! part 3/Harvest/Dressed for Battle part 1

We live in a fallen world, broken by sin and disobedience. What the world is experiencing now and will experience in the immediate future is the result of sowing the seeds of sin. We are reaping and will reap according to our obedience to God or the lack thereof. Consequently the upheaval and chaos is the judgment of God. God's judgment is perfect. If we sow seeds of sin, we will reap a reward for sin. If we sow righteous seed, we will reap a righteous reward.

There is a second element to this judgment. It is harvest. My impression is that as the Body of Christ our focus should be on the coming judgment as it relates to the Harvest. God is pressing us into the harvest. We can allow the events taking place in our world to cause us to shrink back into a defensive posture or through prayer mount up to launch an offensive thrust into the harvest. We can utilize the impending sentence of judgment as a tool to motivate believers and nonbelievers alike. This judgment can motivate believers to enter into intercessory prayer, be empowered by the ever abiding presence of the Holy Ghost and to become actively engaged in the harvest. This judgment can motivate nonbelievers to make the decision about their eternal destiny. It is repent and come to Jesus Christ or suffer the consequences.

God has given us another day. We must walk with Him today just as we did yesterday. He wants us to continue in His awesome presence. We must stay the course and push forward. I feel the Holy Spirit calling for a new spiritual offensive. The Body of Christ is being attacked as never before in our lifetime. It is time to take the fight to the enemy. I have always heard “the best defense is a good offense.” Will we dare to enter the enemy's camp. Will we dare to take back what the enemy has stolen. We must! I feel compelled to do that very thing.

As Spirit filled believers we stand in the power of God. Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The word “power” in the Greek is dunamis and is defined as strength, power, ability, inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature. The power Jesus promised is the inherent power of the Holy Ghost. His very nature is power. 

 

Satan has invaded our house and has stolen precious treasures that belong to us. He has taken our health, our relationships, our time, our talents and abilities, our finances, our family members both physical and spiritual and most anything that he wants. We must stop him! We must take back what he has stolen!

By the power (dunamis-ability/can) of the Holy Spirit (pneuma-breath of God) We are loosed. Acts 2:2, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” With the power and might of a great wind, the Holy Spirit filled the house. By the power of Almighty God the door of Satan's prison springs open and we are free. I am reminded of Paul and Silas in Acts 16:26, “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed” KJV. Several of the other translations read that the earthquake was so violent that the doors flew open and the chains were loosed and fell off. The Spirit of God that possesses our mortal body has broken the chains and opened the barred doors. Thank God we are free! (continued to part 2)

Transgender Jesus? by Myra Boozer

After Bill preached Sunday I asked a question , just as most Ministers wives probably do...Did you have to say, that some are calling God a "her"? Just makes one to shiver...His answer was a strong Yes, I did...In his message about the End Time Harvest, Bill spoke of being dressed for battle, having the covering, the mantel that Christ left for believers, which is the Holy Spirit... As he was explaining about Acts 1:8, " But he shall receive power after the Holy Ghost is come upon you..," he spoke of the word dunamis-strength power, ability...Also pneuma-spirit, the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son...never referred to as a depersonalized force... In other words never called IT...God the Father is always Him, Christ, Messiah, Son of God, always Him, and the Holy Spirit, called Him.. AND NOT HER !! as some are now referring to God, as a" Her".. Now I understand why Bill said Yes! as he did... JUST READ THIS POST...transgender is a word that is so foreign to me... hard for my mind to accept...But my mind and spirit could not believe how far that people would go to think and do such blasphemous (profane speech, writing, or action concerning God or sacred things)...Get ready for Battle! The battle for your MIND, Soul, Spirit, and your body...THE GREAT FALLING AWAY HAS BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE BUT MANY ARE BEING DECEIVED BY SUCH THING AS THIS...1 Thess. 2:3, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"...1 Tim. 4:1, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"... never have we lived in a day such as this...a day of Great Perversion...TIME TO PRAY....See article at charismanews.com/opinion/watchman-on-the-wall/53159-blasphemous-transgender-jesus-pushes-gospel-according-to-jezebel

Can We Pray? Can We Go?

James 5:16, "... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

Father God, Lord Jesus Christ, today we do here and now accept your challenge to pray in travailing prayer for a world that is lost and broken. We desire the Spirit of prayer to intercede. Open our spiritual eyes and ears so we can see and hear the cries of the lost, beaten and infirmed. Teach us to understand what they are facing. Guide us to see and hear them as you do. Give us the compassion and love that you have for them so that we are inspired to join in their redemption. Lift us up in the power of Your Word being fully dressed in faith to lead the captives free. Anoint us with your power that we may speak to the mountains before us and they will be moved into the sea. Let us see the prison doors spring open at the mighty thrust of Your Presence. Help us to run into the battle with such passion that others are seized with the same fervor. I can hear the sound of mighty armies engaged on the battlefield. Can we pray? Can we go?