MaryAnne showed me a picture of the bible shelves in a book store... they were empty. Somebody purchased everything the bookstore had, Praise God!
I see the church really trying amidst all the uncertainty & sorrow.
I am trying to do better, to do more. I've gotten pretty comfortable behind this keyboard lately.
You know I (we) could continue to beat ourselves up over this virus and how much its changing our lives.
I know I have broken God's rules. (commandments)
I know I have let my Lord down at times.
I know why bad things happen to good people, to all people...
We can dwell on it all day long and not get anywhere!
I have a pastor friend who said today on Facebook something I wrote down in my notes on Saturday. He said, "You want to lay out of church, look for every excuse not to go, complain about every problem and downfall the church has, Ok, I will take that away."
It seems like that is what is happening doesn't it?
I was afraid to say it, so determined to keep my head up and be encouraging.
This all may be true, but I also know that my God is a forgiving & merciful God.
The Lord tells us...
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Many of our bible writers knew this too... Notice one in Daniel chapter 9.
Here are parts of his prayer...
Daniel 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; 5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
We God's people need to pray!
We are to humble ourselves, seek The Lord's will & turn from our wicked ways...
God says, He will hear us & forgive our sin & He will heal our land.
Pray with me for our nation, for all the people of the world...
Lord help us and show mercy on your people, Speak Lord to those who don't know you, Correct those Lord who refuse you, Smile on those who are standing strong in your name. Amen.
Please remember our church prayer requests and all those listed in our church bulletin.
Pray for one another. Pray for our Nation and our people.
Pray for our military and the churches missionaries all around the world.
Pray for our Police Officers and Fire Fighters.
Pray for all those in the medical field, hospitals and doctors office as they provide patient well care and also to protect themselves.
Finally Pray for the lost, those seeking after The Lord today.
One of the first public National Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer was given long before it became officially observed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. He wrote to the nation,
"It behooves us, then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins and to pray for clemency and forgiveness."
Jesus taught us to pray...
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever. Amen
"Wherefore edify(encourage) one another..." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Forgiven in Christ, Pastor Brian
Have a great day!
