Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The Joy of Heaven

What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it?

And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulder, rejoicing.

And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.'

Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Luke 15:4-7

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Please pray with us

Our nation is facing a dark time of the soul. Traditional principles of society are challenged by politicians and power seekers who would lead us into a valley of darkness. They remold our society from the ancient path to something which suits them.

For our sake God delays His judgment, but His judgment surely comes. God is not surprised by any of this. God has made a way for us. Do not turn aside from doing what is good. The good will endure forever. What we do now will persist into eternity.

God wills to have compassion on us. Seek God and you shall find purpose for your life.

~~~~~~~~

Dear God,

You are our father, our creator our protector, the origin of our morals and our strength of common ethics.

Please center our nation on you. Center us on you in the name of Your anointed Jesus.

Please take this country’s heart back to yourself. Please restore us to the liberty and common justice which flow only from loving you.

We are pressured and driven by a relentless and uncaring government. Make it so your people can rejoice in you.

We know that prosperity is from God and no one else. Please bless us in the prosperity of strength, mind and spirit in the love of your Truth.

Taxation is theft if it is used to transfer income from one person to another. How can our society be moral if we steal? Please God, stop this government from stealing.

Abortion of pregnancy is infanticide. How can we be moral if we murder the weakest among us? Please God, turn the hearts of the mothers to their children. Stop the infanticide.

Please God, we have been mislead. Please make it so that we escape the consequences of our error. Please discredit the lies and deliver us from the power of false witness.

Thank you for hearing our prayer, and taking away the burden of worry. Let our lives glorify your name, grant our requests in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

Thank you Father, for hearing our prayer.

~~~~~~~~

I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech. Show Your marvelous loving-kindness by Your right hand.... Psalm 17:6-7a

Monday, July 18, 2011

Fast and Pray

From the Book of Joel
"Sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God; and cry to the LORD.
"Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.
"Is not the food cut off before our eyes, joy and gladness from the house of our God?"
Joel 1:14-16

Monday, December 27, 2010

Prayer - How we talk with God

God offers Himself for communication and communing. He made himself approachable this way for everyone who will ask. From this we develop three things: We learn to trust God; we learn to be patient; we learn to listen for His reply.

God loves us -- He gives us His love. We can save ourselves a lot of heartache if we surrender our lives to the God Who loves us. We can honor Him by prayer and obedience. So let us make our intercessions and requests.

God is Creator and Provider of all things. Certainly, conforming to His likeness is a wise way to live our lives.

So let us pray.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Father - Please Change the Hearts and Minds of Our Citizens.

Dear Father,
How our hearts long to see every nation throughout the earth praise Your holy and wonderful name.

The loving-kindness You have shown us is beyond measure, and we desire for people everywhere to know Your eternal provision of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Lord, please make the United States of America a light to the nations and an example of the Savior's love and grace.

May people not only know political freedom because of our country, but may they also come to understand the spiritual freedom from sin that You have so graciously provided for us.

Thank You for hearing our prayers and bringing revival to people all over the world.

In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us; and the faithfulness of the LORD endures for ever.
Praise the LORD!

Psalm 117

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Confession Need Happen Only Once

In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 7 verses 36 through 50, Jesus tells the woman she is forgiven even though it is not clear from the story that she confessed her sin. Her tears made a convincing demonstration of her need for God's love and redemption.

She connected to God's love.

When we repent, we are transformed by God's redeeming love. Strangely, we could turn back to sinning without losing our redemption; God's gift of forgiveness is eternal. Although we are all sinners, and we will sin, nevertheless we will work to avoid sin. One sign of the transformation is that what hurts the heart of God also hurts us. We feel pain if we sin. We have seen the love God has for us. It breaks our hearts to hurt the God who loves us so much.

If you need to see a sign in yourself that you are saved, I think this may be it. How much do you hurt when you sin? Does your heart ache for the pain you caused the Creator? If you can answer this, then you know.


From Gospel of Luke:

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house, and took his place at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

The rest of the story

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner."
And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "What is it, Teacher?"
"A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?"
Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."

Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?"
And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Luke 7:36-50 (RSV)

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Pray for Us.

And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.

Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophesying, but test everything; hold fast what is good, abstain from every form of evil.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

(1 Thessalonians, 5:14-24)

Monday, August 9, 2010

Revive Us Again

LORD, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you covered all their sin.

You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.

Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us!
Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,
and grant us your salvation.

Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.
Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
that glory may dwell in our land.

Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
and righteousness looks down from the sky.
Yes, the LORD will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him
and make his footsteps a way.

from Psalm 85 (ESV)

Sunday, August 1, 2010

You shall remember God

Beware lest you say in your heart,
'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.'

You shall remember the LORD your God,
for it is he who gives you power to get wealth;
that he may confirm his covenant which he swore to your fathers,
as at this day.

And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you this day that you shall surely perish.

Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.


Deuteronomy 8:17-20 (RSV)

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

They shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for calamity; for they are the seed of the blessed of Yahweh, and their offspring with them.

It shall happen that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
Isa 65:21-24 (WEB)




Teach us Lord, to watch and pray
To live for you each day
To lean on you, so we don't stray
Teach us Lord, to watch and pray