Articles
Report on the January GOGCC Worship and Prayer Gathering at IPR Cape Cod Church
by The GOGCC team on January 31, 2023
Dear friends, Last Wednesday people across churches, denominations, ethnic groups, and generations gathered as one body and one family to exalt the Lord together and pray in one accord for our beloved Cape Cod! The gathering started by reading Exodus 15:11 and opening in prayer. “Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?" (Exodus 15:11) This was followed by a powerful, anointed,extended time of worship led by Pastor Marcelo Franco and one of the IPR worship teams. Pastor Marcelo Pretti shared an excellent edifying word.
The central theme of the message was the necessity of keeping the fire on the altar of our hearts burning. The main passage read was Leviticus 6:8-13 with an emphasis on verse 13: “Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.” This section speaks of the commandment to Aaron and his sons regarding the law of the burnt offering (v. 9). This was an offering that was considered a pleasing aroma to the Lord (1:9). The worshiper, through the act of offering the animal was declaring that in the same way, this animal is given completely on the altar of the Lord, I also give myself entirely on this altar. All of this was a shadow of Christ’s offering as a living sacrifice bringing a pleasing aroma to God; He is our burnt offering (Eph. 5:2).
Verse 13 says: “Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.” It’s interesting to think that the One who kindled the fire first was God Himself (see Lev. 8:23-24). God is the One who started the fire, but it was the priest's and Levite’s job to keep the fire burning all night. Ultimately, fire symbolically represents the presence and glory of God.
John the Baptist once said that when Jesus arrived on the scene, He would baptize His people with the Holy Spirit and fire (Mt. 3:11; At. 1:4-8). In Acts 2, the Lord was the One who filled the Church with fire for the first time, but it’s our responsibility to keep the fire burning and spreading it to others. Today we are this altar with the fire kindled by the Lord Himself; we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and must offer our lives as a living sacrifice (1 Cor. 3:16; 1 Pet. 2:5; Rom. 12:1).
As the priesthood of God (1 Pet. 2:5), it’s our responsibility to keep this fire burning and spread it to those around us. Once the spiritual coldness of Cape Cod comes in contact with the fire of the Church, then it will begin to melt. The Church on Cape Cod must understand that God has given us the mission to go and preach the Gospel to all people and that He didn’t say we would do it alone. God not only sent us, but He gave us the power (dunamis) to go and declare His message (Mk. 16:15-18). The Church needs to take a position in the spiritual realm and understand God's fire that has been given to us. When we understand what we carry and bring it to those around us, then the spiritual ice of Cape Cod will melt.GOGCC Monthly Worship and Prayer Gathering Wednesday 2/15/23 7- 8:30 pm New Life Christian Miniteries International 58 Corporation Street Hyannis,MA 02601 Here is the Facebook event page. Join us and invite your friends! We look forward to seeing you there! Blessings, The Glory of God on Cape Cod team
Pastor Pretti then prayed and invited the people present to respond in prayer, and many came forward and we spent time in corporate prayer mingled with worship. Newton Jordao, one of the young leaders of IPR Church facilitated a time of different pastors leading us in heartfelt anointed prayer for revival Cape Cod. We closed the gathering in worship, and Bishop Donovan Kerr invited us to next month's gathering which he is hosting: