Heal Our Nation

We have so many blessings, but we have taken them for granted.  We’ve become spoiled and many have a sense of entitlement.  We are a generation of entitlements.  Everything we need is at our finger tips.  We expect to get what we want and then we want more and more.  We are never satisfied.  We think of ourselves and not others.  We treat others not the way we want to be treated, but the opposite.  It’s all about us.  We are far from humble.  We judge.  We complain.  We want everything and want to work for it as little as possible.  We’ve lost our moral compass.

So what can we do to change?  We can admit our selfishness, greed, pride and arrogance.  We can pray for wisdom and guidance.  It’s hard sometimes to know just exactly how to pray for our country.  Our hearts deeply ache for what is going on in American right now – and around the world.  We pray and pray, but it seems God isn’t listening to us.  God is faithful and He does hear our prayers.  He is waiting for us to surrender to Him and to love others as He loves.  We need to trust Him.  He knows what’s going on and He has a plan.  He can use evil and turn it into good.

Dear Father in heaven,
We call out to You in desperation.  We are under attack.  Our nation is in trouble.  We need You to heal our nation.  We need healing spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.  Calm the hearts and minds of all people.  Impress upon our hearts to be fair and just to all no matter race, status, background, or religion.  Show us how to bring change where change is needed without mobs and riots.

Convict our thoughts and turn them to Jesus.  Help us to do what pleases Him instead of what pleases our own desires.  Send revival before it’s too late.  Please bring unity to our world.  Please continue to hold our nation in the palm of Your hand.  Protect and restore us.  Bless your people and this nation.

Help believers be an example and a blessing to non-believers.  We pray for wisdom and guidance.  Pour out Your Spirit on our world.  Help us to discern between good and evil.  Fill our hearts with gratitude and thankfulness.

We ask that you purge our land from this coronavirus.  Remove the fear and replace it with faith.

Bring morality back and help us obey your laws and not our own evil desires.

We pray for our President and our leaders in government that they act fairly and obediently.  We pray that Your power will flow in their lives.  We pray for Your protection on all our law enforcement officers as well as our military.  Give them wisdom, protection and good judgment as they carry out their jobs.

In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

God says He will hear us, if we humble ourselves and seek Him.  Then He will restore peace to our land.

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, than I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Join me here next time. -- I encourage you to trust in and have faith in Jesus.

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A Good Father

What is a father?  The dictionary gives several definitions:  a man who has begotten a child, a male parent, a founder, a producer, an author, to accept responsibility for, to care for or look after someone, someone deserving respect or reverence.  But a father is much more than this.

Father’s Day is coming up and it’s time to reflect on the importance of fatherhood.  Everyone needs a father figure.  The role of a mother in the family is well known, but the role of the father in especially important.  Fathers bring strength and stability to the home.  All families need fathers.  Our society is in moral decay.  Kids need both mothers and fathers to train and set examples for their children.  Our kids are exposed to so much filth and violence on TV and the internet.  You’ve heard to saying, “garbage in, garbage out”.  That is exactly right.  What goes in our brains influences what comes out good or bad behavior.

You don’t need a Ph. D. in child psychology to figure it out.  We all are influenced by who we spend time with and where we spend it.  What would you rather see your kids influenced by?  Would you want them to be influenced by TV, computer games, friends or by you?  The best way to be a good influence is by taking time to be with them and for them to be with you and with the family.  Taking them to Sunday School and church is good, but that’s only a few hours a week.

It starts in the home.  It starts with God’s Word.

There are several Scriptures for raising your children.  Eph. 6:4 – “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”  How do you do that?  Study the Bible together.  2 Tim. 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

We as Christians want our children to grow up to love God and others and to obey His Word.  It’s a process, but your goal should be to have them keep their focus on God.  Teach them to be obedience and that disobedience displeases you and it displeases God.  We want them to develop a godly character and godly qualities.  Heb. 12:10 tells us that God disciplines or trains us so we may share His holiness.  Parents must do the same. 

They should be taught moral purity.  They need to learn how to deal with trials with the right attitude.  They need to learn to be thankful in all things.  They need to learn not to be selfish.  They need to learn biblical love not worldly love.  They need to learn how to solve conflicts God’s way.  They need to learn certain skills to be able to function as adults.  They need to learn respect and responsibilities.

Tips on how to be a good father:

Love your children as God loves you.  Love them in spite of their shortcomings. 

Give them hugs and kisses.  Never withhold your love from them. 

Be patient with them as God is patient with you.

Be their protector and provider.

Be a dad that disciplines.

Spend time with them.

Play with them and read to them.

Love their mom.

Teach them godly ways.

Pray for them.

Take them to church.

Teach them about Jesus.

Be an example.  They will learn far more from your actions than from what you say.  You don’t have to be perfect.  You will make mistakes.  Just, be a good example and the authority figure in your home.  You have a responsibility!

Have a Happy Father’s Day!

Join me here next time. -- I encourage you to trust in and have faith in Jesus.

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God is not fair!

Does it make you mad when it seems God is unfair?  Does it seem that the guy whose sin is very obvious gets away with it?  Why does God let people get away with being mean and unkind to others?  How about the gal who can eat anything she wants and never gains a pound?  Is that fair? 

Jesus told a story of a man who owned a vineyard.  He hired workers in the morning and agreed to pay them a day’s wage.  The same thing happened at noon and again later in the day.  At the end of the day he ordered his foreman to pay all the workers, beginning with those hired last.  They received a day’s full wage.  All the workers received the same pay. 

Those who had worked all day grumbled saying it wasn’t fair because they had worked more than the others and should receive more.  The owner said he had not been unfair because they had agreed to work for the wage.  He said as the owner he had the right to pay them what he wanted.

God doesn’t operate on the merit system.  He deals with us according to His free grace.  “For it is by his grace you are saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9.

God is no respecter of persons and does not show favoritism (Acts 10:34; Colossians 3:35).  It’s a good thing He is not fair.  Your status, race, wealth, or background doesn’t matter to God.  He will save all who call upon Him and will judge all who deny Him.  Before you wish God would be fair remember if He was fair, you would get what you really deserve.  God is just, but merciful.  Instead of giving you what you deserve, He extends His mercy over and over.

We are so blessed, but don’t deserve any of His blessings.  Because of our sins, we deserve judgment and condemnation.  So be very glad God isn’t fair.

When we see others who are blessed more or differently than us, we say that’s unfair.  God knows each of us and He knows what we need.  He doesn’t give us ‘one size fits all’ blessings.  He molds each of us with His personalized care for our good and for His glory.  We need to be thankful for the blessings He give us and for the blessings He gives to others.

God is love and He is not fair, but He is good and just.  It isn’t fair that Jesus endured rejection that should have been ours or that He suffered on the cross on our behalf.  It’s not fair that we received the grace of God.  If He was fair, we would all receive what we’ve earned and deserved – DEATH.

Do you struggle with fairness?

What right do you have to question how and why God uses what He created?

Will you trust God to do whatever is right?

Principle:  God is not fair, but He is always right.

Join me here next time. -- I encourage you to trust in and have faith in Jesus.

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Faith vs. Fear

This is a time in our world when many people have a lot of fear – fear of the coronavirus, fear our finances won’t hold out, fear of losing our job, fear we will lose our business.  This virus makes us have a fear of helplessness.  Not only do we fear the coronavirus and how it affects us and our family, but all kinds of fears invade our minds.  Maybe it’s fear of public speaking, fear of heights, fear of rejection, fear of flying, fear of crossing bridges, fear of elevators, fear of water, etc. 

Fear is very common to us all from time to time, but we want the world to think that we have our lives under control and fear isn’t an issue.  It’s something we really don’t discuss not even with our friends.  If you let it, it can dig down deep in your life and then dominate you.  It shows up in all kinds of ways.  It can show in your behavior.  It can show up by you lying, making excuses, and even in denial.  It shows up as anxiety, nervousness, worry, stress, tension, bad attitude, and even in our health.  It impacts your thinking and decision making.  We all have or have had some kind of fear.

Fear is opposite from faith.  Hebrews 11:1 describes faith.  “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Hope can’t be separated from faith, because without hope, there can be no faith.  Fear is lacking faith and denying the hope God’s gives you.  When you grow in faith, fear leaves you.

Jesus knew we would be afraid and we would doubt.  He said “Fear not” over and over again.  But sometime fear is a good thing.  Courage is not the absence of fear; it’s the will to persevere in the face of fear.  It is a feeling and it will pass if we realized what it is.  We need to remember that Jesus is with us and is on our side protecting us always.  We can’t run from fear.  We must deal with it.  “If God is for us, who can be against us?” – Romans 8:31.  We must trust in what He said.  We can use the weapons He has given us – His Word, talking with Him in prayer, our church, Christian friends who are there for us and who encourage us along the way.

God doesn’t want us to walk in fear.  He tells us in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything…”  He goes on to say, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellence or praiseworthy - think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:8-9. 

Isaiah 41:10 – “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.  “Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

God doesn’t condemn us for our fear, but He wants to free us from it.  He gives us the power to overcome fear.  We can arm ourselves with God’s armor found in Ephesians 6:10-18.

Faith and fear cannot exist together.  Faith can deliver us from fear and worry because it’s the opposite of unbelief.  Faith is a gift from God.  It is an absolute belief that God is constantly working behind the scenes in all areas of our lives no matter our circumstances. 

What can you do to rid yourself of fear?  You need to have faith and trust in God, because He is sovereign and in control.  So take your eyes off yourself and answer fear with the truth of God’s Word.  Let faith take the place of your fear.  Romans 10:17 – “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ.”  Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”  When you are not in constant intimacy with God, that’s when fear and panic can take hold.  If you give God only crumbs of your time and attention, your faith can weaken.  When you walk close with God and trust Him daily in all situations, your fears will be conquered.  So stay in His Word and stay in communication with God through prayer.  Then trust Him and your fears will disappear.  God’s got this!

What fears do you have in your life?

Do your fears cause you shame?

Do your fears lead you to doubt your faith?

What do you do at the first sign of fear?

Do you turn to God in prayer?

                                    Faith vs. Fear

                        While fear cowers, faith stands.

                        While fear frets, faith prays.

                        While fear looks within, faith looks to Jesus.

                        While fear despairs, faith hopes.

Principle:  Fear cripples, but faith sets us free.

Prayer to Fight Fear with Faith

Dear Father,

We live in a chaotic time right now.  You know my struggles and that my mind is limited and weak.  I confess that I sometime look at my situation with fear.  Help me to fight back against this fear with faith in your Word and your truth.  Calm my thoughts and my emotions.  Help me stay focused on you and not on my fear.  Help me not to be anxious about anything.  Give me strength to be thankful for my blessings and not grumble.  Thank you, Lord, for who you are and that you are in control and I am not.  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.                                                                            

Join me here next time. -- I encourage you to trust in and have faith in Jesus.

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