Sunday Musing: If my people

I normally post the Sunday Musing on WIXY's Gone Bananas, but today I feel the need to post this musing here, the blog I have neglected entirely too much.

If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 Amplified Bible

I wrote a musing a couple of months ago concerning an issue on the upcoming ballot in Ohio. If passed this would allow casinos to be built in the three largest cities in the state. I have voiced my opposition several times in the past couple of months and have been told that I'm crazy since passage of this issue would bring much needed money into the state. I don't feel that we need to get money in that manner.

As much as I believe in the right and responsibility to vote, I also believe that putting your trust in God is more important. I don't put my trust in any political party as both have disappointed me. I feel when we deify our elected officials, we are worshiping false gods. And when we look to filthy lucre to save us, we are gravely in need of personal revival.

We need now, more than ever, to seek God's face and seek His will in our lives. God will send us the stimulus package He feels right for us to have. And it won't be a package that exploits the poor and greedy. It will be one that will lift those up who seek His face and we will get healed when we turn from our wicked ways.

We put our trust in the living God and He will heal our land.

Don't worry, just go to the Lord

^6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

^8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. Philippians 4:6-9, The Message

This has been one summer I don't care to repeat. Those who read my main blog, know about some of the problems my wife and I have had, and there are others that I haven't written about as those involved have asked me not to. All of this has had a very bad effect on my wife. And yes, we have gone to church and have requested prayer.

This morning I was watching David Jeremiah as I was getting ready for church. He was speaking from the scripture that I have highlighted above, Philippians 4.

With everything around us that tells us how to handle our problems, we all too often go to the tried and true method, applying the Word of God. He's only been around since the beginning and nothing surprises Him. But all too often we are surprised by what should have been our first result, not the last.

All too often there's too much around us to stimulate our minds. We have all kinds of music, movies, games, etc too keep us from being bored. But it also keeps us away from our worship of Almighty God.

I want to end this with Philippians 4:8 from the King James Version:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Pray faithfully

A situation addressed in my church this morning has prompted this latest post. Our pastor was mentioning a something he had to deal with in the past week. He didn't mention specifics, such as who and what, and in my opinion, he didn't need to as it was not any of my business. One thing I do need to do is take it to the Lord. He knows the specifics and I have to put my trust in Him to direct those affected.

Reminds me of a time many years ago when I requested prayer for my wife and I made it an unspoken request. Some people come to me after the service to ask what the problem was because it would help them if they knew and they could pray intelligently.

I say pray faithfully. Give it to a God who knows all, including someone else's ailments, financial status, and spiritual condition.

God doesn't give extra credit for knowing more than others.

The title says it all-I'm Forgiven

From the early eighties comes this live performance by Russ Taff. I love the chorus-" I'm forgiven, now I have a reason for livin', Jesus keeps givin' and givin'...Givin' till my heart overflows."

Prayer Request at the Prayer Hub

Dear God,

We pray for Jeffrey as he is battling more than one terminal disease. Your word says that by your stripes we are healed and we pray that healing power over Jeffrey. It's in the precious name of our savior Jesus Christ we pray.

Amen

Please go to the Prayer Hubs and join with us as we seek God's healing on the life of Jeffrey and those whose lives he touches.

Do you have a hard time staying awake in church?

I have been reading the latest Faith and You column by Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer. The title is "Even if you fall asleep, it's better to attend services than not." I recommend you follow that link and read the column. It will either speak to you about yourself or others.

I have a problem at times staying awake in church. For years I wondered why this might be. Then after falling asleep behind the wheel 10 years ago and wrecking my car, I found that I was suffering from sleep apnea. I did get some relief from that diagnosis. I am afraid of what some might say when I go to church and nod off. I have done this during revival meetings when we get home at 10pm and I have to awaken at 3am. I would call it doing my neck exercises. By no way am I proud of that, But in Matthew 11:28, Jesus said "Come to me those who are weary and I will give you rest."

So is it better to be in church, barely awake with people praying for you, or at home, in front of the tube?

Be Still

Psalm 46(KJV)

¹God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

²Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

³Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

⁴There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

⁵God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

⁶The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

⁷The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

⁸Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.

⁹He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

¹⁰Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

¹¹The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

There are times that we are so busy that we forget about the Lord. We are looking so hard to find the answers for our problems and we go to great lengths to reach futile results. Without God,there is only confusion. If we would just take time to look around, we would see the wonders of our creator. God's fingerprints are everywhere.

Where I work, whenever something that's being built isn't going to customer's specifications, we give engineering a call. We should also do this in life, as the Lord is the master engineer. Problem is we have people coming to us with their answers, or we want to see how the folks on television are handling it.

We need to be entertained constantly and in our pursuit of constant entertainment we don't take time to hear the still, small voice of God.

Take the time to listen. You will be glad you did.

The last post has been pulled

I pulled the last post here because an anonymous commenter had made mention that I was ignorant of the Catholic denomination. The statement I made was not meant to be all inclusive of the faith and I did not want to risk offending anyone through this, or any, of my blogs. That's not the way I do things here.

Now if I post a scripture that offends, then so be it. The person offended by that has to deal with a higher power than me. And Jesus Himself said that there will be those who will be offended by the gospel.

I want my words to be out of love when I write on this blog.

Prayer request on Prayer Hubs

It's been 1-1/2 months since the passing of our dear friend Suzanne Horne. Those closest to her are still feeling the hurt as if it were yesterday. I don't blame them, especially Bella and Campbell, her children. Bella's grades have been dropping, as she has taken this the hardest.

Please pray for continued comfort for Bella, Campbell, and Suzanne's parents, Jerry and Betty. Pray that God wraps His arms around them and wipes the tears from their eyes.

Go to the Prayer Hubs and join the prayer chain for this hurting family.

Come to the table

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Isaiah 55:1-2 KJV

All my adult life, I've gone to churches that have some pretty active services, to say the least. We clap, shout, raise our hands to the Lord, and testify. In some services we ahve people running around the church. All this in praise to God. Nothing wrong with that. Would you rather be in a service where things are all laid out and orderly? Nothing wrong with that either.

I have been in services where people have been all active around me, praising God, shouting, hugging each other, and I am not feeling a thing. I am going through some struggle and nobody knows. I'm not doing anything about it either. The next service the song leader gets up and says "I'm still feasting from the last service." I left starving, but it was my own fault. I didn't feast, but I also didn't come to the table.

As the scripture states all God offers for us to feast on is free. All we have to do is come and dine. God has a big buffet table of blessings laid out for us to enjoy. It's all free.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.Psalm 23:5 KJV

A cloud of witnesses

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV

I have been thinking about those who have gone on before us. This is something brought on by the passing of our dear friend, Suzanne Horne. I believe from email contact and some things she wrote on her blog that she is in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that I will see her some day.

I also believe that, according to the preceding scripture, that she is part of that cloud of witnesses the writer of Hebrews mentions in the scripture I put above.

There's a southern gospel song that says, "I've got more to go to Heaven for than I have yesterday." In the past several years I've lost many people-family, friends, and a former pastor. If the Lord doesn't come soon, I will lose more. those who have given their hearts to Christ will be among the cloud of witnesses. That cloud will also include, Abraham, Moses, and all the other saints mentioned in the preceeding chapter, Hebrews 11.

With that kind of audience, we need serve the Lord with all our beiong.