Frenemies: What to Do with Them

 

 

 

Luke 23:34

 

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

 

This passage almost perfectly sums up Who Jesus is.  He is the Savior, dying for the sins of the people who torment Him.  He is the Lover of our souls, loving them enough to pray for them even as they heaped pain and suffering upon him.  He is the loving Son, honoring his Father and standing as a go-between between for God and man.  He is a man stripped of worldly treasures and honor.

Jesus went through all of that for you.  And for me.  He loves us so much! He is such a great example to us of how to pray for our enemies, and how to intercede for those who are deceived by the devil.

Much of our world is lost and undone without Jesus.  It is easy to look at them and become angry.  It is easy to judge and blame them, but not so easy to love and pray for them.  Especially when they are mistreating us.  But that is our mandate.  Loving the unlovely.

 

Dear Lord, thank you for the example that You are.  Help me to show your love to others.  Inspire me to pray for others and stand in the gap.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

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Just Government

    

 

 

Isa 9:6

 

6 For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

NKJV 

 

Are you a fan of government?  On the national level?  The state level?  The local level?  If you are like me, there are people you think are doing a decent job, and others...well, not so much!  Regardless of how they are doing, or who it is, I must confess a blanket distrust of the government.  Why?  Because it is built on politicians who tell you what you want to hear to get your vote.  I am sure there are exceptions, but that is my typical feeling.

 

NEVER have I looked at a president or other governmental official and called them, "Wonderful, Counselor,  or Prince of Peace." Those titles are reserved for Jesus alone.  He is the only one worthy of those accolades and the only one truly just to lead us.  There is a day coming that King Jesus will be in charge. There will no longer be fear in the land.  There will be no oppression.  No lack.  No dread disease.  His government will be just, righteous, holy and fair.  He will be the ONE we can truly put our confidence in.

 

Until that time, we must pray for our leaders.  Pray like never before.  Decisions are being made on a global level that could be ripped from the very pages of the Bible. If we want America to stand, then we must pray.  We must repent on behalf of the people who have scoffed at God's laws and rebelled against Truth.  We must pray that God will deal with the hearts of our leaders and protect our military.  As Christians, we must stand in the gap and form a hedge of protection around our nation.  The Bible is full of examples of how God responds to His repentant children when they call on His Name. 

 

Until Jesus is crowned King and Ruler of this World, we have a job to do!  Criticizing, blaming and making fun does not change anything.  Prayer changes things!

  Dear God, I intercede on behalf of our President, Congressmen, Senators, Governors, judges and all elected officials.  Turn their hearts to You.  Reveal your direction and plan to them.  Protect our country and military, O Lord, I pray.  Forgive us for our sinfulness and rebellion. We need you in America, Dear Lord!  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

 

 

 

Who’s Banging on the Door?

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”  Matthew 7:7

 

I had spent days mulling over a problem that needed a solution.  I thought of this option and I thought of that option. I carefully measured the result should I go in one direction or the other. I came up with no answers.  I was frustrated.  And then it hit me. I have worried over it for days, but not once did I pray about it!

Have you ever been guilty of that?  Wishing rather than asking, seeking and knocking?  I am pleased to report that after praying about it, my first attempt to correct the problem met with success.  It was fixed in under a minute- and I had spent hours trying to resolve it myself.

It is important that we ask everything in accordance with God’s will and His Word.  But once we know that we are OK in those areas, we should turn loose and ask and keep on asking.  Seek and keep on seeking.  Knock and keep on knocking.  Why?  Because the door will be opened to you.

God is not nearly as impressed with our efforts as we might think.  I think God is fine with a dependent personality type- so long as it is Him we are depending on.

Dear Lord, thank you that you invite us to ask, seek, and knock.  Lord, help me be aware when I get out of faith and into the works of the flesh.  I ask these things in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

What’s Love Got to Do With It?

“Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.  And this is his command:  to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.”

I John 4:21-23

Getting our prayers answered depends on so many factors!  It is not just about saying the right prayer, at the right time and in the right position. We have to pray according to His will.  We have to make sure that our hearts are not condemned because of sin.  If we have unconfessed sin in our hearts, that can cancel out the effectiveness of our prayers.  But not doing wrong is just one part of getting our prayers answered.

Doing right is also a big part of getting our prayers answered.  So often we think of our relationship with God as being something between us and Him.  But a lot of it has to do with our relationship with others.  According to today’s passage we can have confidence and receive the answer to our prayer when we obey his commands and please him.  Doing so involves loving one another as he commanded.

This is not a teaching that I have heard very much in my life in regards to answered prayer, but makes perfect sense.  How can I expect God to bring healing to my body while I am rude to the slow clerk at the grocery store?  How can I expect God to hear me when I am angry and unforgiving toward a fellow Christian?

It is always a good practice to pray for forgiveness and to pray to forgive prior to bringing our petitions or requests to God.  We must do heart maintenance often to get rid of all the things that creep into our hearts on a regular basis.  Anger, unforgiveness, spite, resentment, revenge… these are all poison to our heart and to our prayer life.

Dear Lord, help me to walk in love toward others today.  Show me where I am falling short so that I can please you and so that you will be able to hear and answer my prayers.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri

The American Gift

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”  James 1:17

 Happy Independence Day!  As you gather with your family today, whether it be at the beach, by the lake or on your patio, take time to appreciate the gift of freedom we enjoy here in America.

Many people say that America is no longer a Christian nation, and in fact, there are many convincing proofs of that.  But as Christians, we must recognize that the freedom we enjoy here is a gift from God.  And as such, it is a sacred trust to be treasured and protected.

As we recall those that made the ultimate sacrifice for us to be “one nation under God”, let us answer the call to pray for America.  Let the church in America rise and be salt and light, God’s hand extended in this nation.  And let us be ever grateful for God’s perfect gift of liberty. 

Thank you Lord, for the freedoms we enjoy in America.  Thank you that it is still my right to worship you.  Thank you for granting us so many gifts in the form of our nation.  Help us be faithful stewards and people who are willing to stand in the gap and pray for our nation.  Bless our leaders and turn their hearts and the hearts of our people back to you.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Sherri