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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