A Simple Prayer Request

I haven't been around much because: life. My stepdaughter and her children, my grand babies, and both a blessing and a lesson on patience and humility and their living with us for the past few months has been a household calamity and a joy that lifted my heart from the other pains of this world.

At 62 I find myself disabled and unemployed, I'm not whining, God has a plan and is under no compulsion to share the details with me. I applied with the Social Security Administration for disability and I was approved in just a few weeks. And that's why I ask to be included in your prayers. I've applied with the Veterans Administration for disability benefits, I believe my petition with them is true and I am only asking for their honest consideration. Your prayers can only help. Thank you.

WWUTT Wednesday - He will wipe away every tear from their eyes

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

On November 5th at 11:25 AM a madman walked up to a small church and opened fire on people outside and on the building itself. The terrified people inside breathed a sigh of relief when the shooting stopped, but that was just the opening salvo. The madman then entered the church building and the slaughter began in earnest. I won't recap what happened inside the Sutherland Springs TX First Baptist Church, but let me say that their congregation is about the same size as the congregation in my own tiny family of loving Bereans. The thought of the possibility of watching half of my church family being executed has hit me harder than I had imagined.

Or is it the thought that I, a physically broken weak worthless wretched sinner, may survive while many of the beautiful saints that I love so much die around me, be the thought that turns my stomach?

But this didn't happen in my little corner of Colorado, home of the Mentally Disturbed Mass Shooters, it happened in Texas, another land I wouldn't mind calling home. Our church hasn't had an official discussion on concealed carry for our "sheep dogs" but we probably will. I can't speak for the other veterans on the board, Pastor Semper Paratus and Deacon Semper Fi, but as for myself (Deacon Visum Altum?), I laid down my arms upon reentry into the civilian world. I even gave up hunting and (most) fireworks. The smell of burning cordite has lost its allure and the only venison on my table is supplied by my son-in-law. I will do anything it takes to protect my flock, anything but deadly force.

My #1 defensive weapon? Prayer. Yes, many liberals are having a field day making fun of us, our prayers, and our faith in God. I won't repost any of their remarks here, many are so foul and hate filled I was shocked at their heartlessness. But that's ok, we will pray for them. They mostly need to understand the core of Christian prayer:

Thy will be done...

Pray for Hillary

Matthew 5:44

When you are saved, when you have prayed to Christ and told him that you are his servant, that He is your master, and you put your faith and entire life in Him, wonderful things happen in your life. Hebrews 6:9-12 tells us that some of the natural products of salvation are; Fruit of the Spirit, Sanctification, Unselfishness, Evangelical enthusiasm, and Benevolence.

I remember when Jesus adopted me as His brother, the change was nearly mind numbing. I remember thinking then that WWJD setting unattainable goals as Jesus is the Son of God and perfect in every way, that WWPD was more appropriate as Paul is one of us; a sinner lost in his own sins whose life changed in a startling flash and set an example for us to follow. He left us a legacy of instructions on how to follow Jesus and show our love for Him and our fellow man. Paul gave us so much, expounding on the words of Jesus because unlike us, Paul was taught by the Lord Himself, although we have His spirit to help.

I personally thought that after her humiliating defeat maybe Hillary Clinton had a moment like mine. She had it in the bag;  the media fawned over the only Republican hopeful that couldn't mop the floor with her until he became the Republican candidate, the public didn't care about the foul underhanded tricks her team used to destroy Bernie Sanders, and the director of the FBI gave her a preemptive pass on her felonious handling of very highly classified documents. Her world shattered around her on election night, and months later when she mentioned going into preaching I actually thought she may have turned to her savior and pledged herself to His teaching and His commandments.

WWUTT Wednesday - Return Traffic

Once upon a time our computers actually used a wire (shocking as it may seem) to speak to another computer. When your computer tried to communicate with another computer the sound it made was akin to someone throwing a tomcat into a room full of ducks. 

This was the modem, which is short for Modulator - Demodulator. two devices built into one box. The demodulator converts signal to something your computer understands, the modulator converts your computers signal to something other computers understand. In the outside world, the mod and the demod may not be in the same device, or even on the same network, but they work together to provide two way communication between device A and device B. When device A talks to device B it sends the info out of the modulator, B replies which A receives with its demodulator. We call this reply "Return Traffic"

We have two way communication with God too. He has many devices which He can use to speak to us, primary being His word; the bible. Return traffic from us is prayer, our modulator is the Holy Spirit;

26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

My First Business Trip in Years

This is my first business trip in ages, at least four years. Travel has been rare since I came down with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Now finally I'm taking the plunge. Everything is painful and annoying, and the pile of medications I bring with is staggering not to mention the supplemental oxygen concentrator. 

I think back 2000 years and remember that my Lord and savior was on the go, traveling constantly and never complained. From Phoenecia to the Dead Sea He wandered constantly and ceaselessly on foot, while I whine about dragging my back pack down the hall to my rental car.

I pray for strength and help dear Lord, that I may return to my family in better mental and spiritual shape, and as for physical? That's why you've blessed me with reasons to lean on you every day.

Spurgeon Thursday - One For Pastor Paratus

Spurgeon Thursday - Prayer Pulls the Rope

Christianity's Hardest Task

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:42-45)

One of the hardest things Christians are called to do by our Savior, Lord , and Master, Jesus Christ, is to pray for our enemies and to forgive them. Thanks to the Muslim terrorist attack at the Pulse night club on June 12 in Orlando we have a lot of people to love and even more people to pray for. Several days ago a pro-ISIS group published a hit list of more than 8,000 names they planned to murder, 600 of them live in Florida. We also know that a Muslim scholar, Farrokh Sekaleshfar, pronounced a death sentence on homosexuals while speaking at an mosque in Orlando FL. 

The horrific actions by ISIS and their agent Omar Mir Seddique Mateen, a security officer with Department of Homeland Security contractor G4S, cannot be described as anything but pure Satanic evil. one that Omar Mir Seddique Mateen must answer for, and unfortunately he cannot repent of his sins and instead is going straight to judgement

28 Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28-29)

The Secret of Spurgeon’s Success

Reposted from The Cripplegate

The Secret of Spurgeon’s Success

by Clint Archer

On the 18th of January 1854, 162 years ago to the day, Charles Haddon Spurgeon preached his first sermon at New Park Street chapel. He was 19 years old. The church was nearly empty, about 40 members in attendance. After 38 years as their pastor, the number of new members who had joined the church was 14,460.

Spurgeon’s sermons were different from the longwinded, technical, theological lectures that were common in churches of the day. His sermons were humorous, filled with illustrations, and application. Soon he became known as the Prince of Preachers, the pastor of the largest church in the world, with one of the most successful Baptist ministries since, well, John the Baptist.

He started orphanages, dozens of outreach ministries, and a pastor’s training college with 900 students.

His success was obvious, but the reason for his success was not as obvious, except to those who knew him well.

Most believe his success is easily explained by his obvious giftedness and prodigious abilities and tireless work ethic. He often worked 18 hours a day. His sermons sold at a rate of 25,000 a week, were translated into 20 languages and every ship that left England carried his sermons.

He once preached to a crowd of over 23,000 people with no amplification. 

Pray for San Bernardino

C. H. Spurgeon on Prayer

Prayer and praise are the oars by which a man may row his boat into the deep waters of the knowledge of Christ.

(I am on vacation this week, filling in for me is Charles Haddon Spurgeon, and that is my favorite prayer spot - sunrise on the east coast of Florida)

I'm still on vacation but I am delighted to see an old friend blogging his faith and making a good solid point and I hope he continues to write and illuminate God's word for us. Reblogged from Theology Mix

Your Futile Attempts At Prayer Availeth What?

RICH VANKOUGHNETT

on August 17, 2015 at 9:00 am

I heard an interesting sermon on prayer the other day. It didn’t go full-blown name it and claim it, but it did miss a very important facet of prayer that I think is doing harm to the body of Christ.

In today’s self-help saturated church, people are led to think that if they have enough faith, sow a seed of expectation, and speak things into existence, their prayers will be answered by an all-loving “God” who can’t make a move until they activate their faith. Most sermons I hear on prayer will take Old Testament Law and promises made to the nation of Israel, and lock those into surefire promises for every one of us today.

The standard “7 Keys to a Better ________ (fill in the blank)” has become a formula in the modern evangelical church. No, this pastor didn’t go there at all. He preached out of James 5:16-18. When he got to the part about the prayer of a righteous man, he correctly explained that it is Christ that is righteous alone. And for those who are in Christ, we stand righteous before God based on the work of Christ on the Cross and not our own works and so we qualify for our prayers to be heard and to be effective. There wasn’t any allegorizing of the story of Elijah in verse 17. He didn’t narcissistically eisegete himself into the story at all.

So why did the sermon fall so flat for my wife and me? 

Sunday Prayer

We praise You, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the One Who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Him.  You chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in Your sight.  You predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, in accordance with Your pleasure and will— to the praise of Your glorious grace, which You have freely given us in the One You love.  We thank You, Jesus, that we have redemption through Your blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us.  We thank You that it is all according to Your plan, Father, as the One Who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of Your will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory.  Please grace us, God, with the assurance that comes with knowing we are marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are Your possession—to the praise of Your glory.

- Pastor Paratus

A Prayer

We confess those times, Father, when we are so distressed that even crying out to You is wearisome. Comfort eludes us and our spirits grow faint. We can honestly wonder whether we have lost Your favor, if we are really loved, if in Your anger You are withholding Your mercy and compassion. Some of us may be there now. Remind us in those times, and help us to remind one another, to shift our focus from ourselves to You.

May we remember and meditate on what You, the Most High God, have done, Your miracles of long ago, Your works and deeds on our behalf. Please lift our hearts in worship to You, the God above all gods, Whose ways are holy, Whose power is displayed among Your people. Bring us back to rejoicing in what You have done and what You are doing to redeem us by virtue of the Person and ministry of Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

- Pastor Paratus

A Prayer For Today

Thank You, Father God, for this reminder of Your Sovereignty over all human affairs; that there is no authority that does not ultimately come from You; that even the hearts of the seemingly heartless leaders of lands are in Your hands.  In this era of evil that seems to be gripping the world, please give us steadfast and willing spirits to persevere in prayer.  Stir the hearts of our government leaders toward You; do whatever is necessary to bring them to their knees in repentance, shocked to their very core, revulsed by the revelation of their own complicity in labeling what is repulsive to You as approved by them.  Raise up godly leaders who will stand for morality as You have revealed it in Your Word, who will unashamedly confess You, Lord Jesus Christ, as their Lord and their Savior.

Psalm 30:2

The Lord has blessed me with such wonderful, skilled physicians and a caring loving wife that is such an incredible conduit for His love. He is healing me, my body is catching up.

Jeremiah 30:17

More on my journey to come...

My New Favorite Prayer

Our pastor, I'll call him Pastor Paratus, sends out a prayer every day to his flock, this is my favorite:

We cannot thank You enough, Father God, for Your mercy, compassion and forgiveness.  

You do not treat us as our sins deserve, but instead You graciously call us back when we fall out of fellowship with You.  

Please give us discernment to quickly recognize the wiles of our enemy who may be trying to entice us to disobey, wisdom to renounce such temptations, and courage to do as You say.  

When we fail, grace us with humility to immediately confess rather than deny, avoid, justify, rationalize or otherwise try to shift the blame.  

May we never cringe in shame or guilt, knowing that because of the sacrificial death, victorious resurrection and current intercessory ministry of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, our confession brings forgiveness and reconciliation without any condemnation.

Sunrise In A Troubled Land

Sometimes a reminder helps

Officer Getting Back Up

Fund Raiser for my Brother In Law

As I mentioned before, my brother-in-law was very seriously injured in a motorcycle vs semi accident. It's been a very turbulent time in our lives as his condition changed from day to day. At one point his liver and kidneys had shut down, his gall bladder had gangrene, he was unable to breathe on his own, and due to a blood infection he was running a 106.5 temperature. When ever the medical team had one problem cleared another would pop up, and maybe an old one would resurface just to keep them busy.

The outpouring of love and support has been incredible, from blood drives to fund raisers, the people of Ontario CA have been incredible. The Ontario Police Officers Association had a BBQ fund raiser for him, which was so well attended by police, civilians and numerous motorcycle clubs that they ran out of food to serve. Prayer chains from coast to coast prayed for my brother in law and today I'm happy to report that 41 days after being hit by a truck my brother in law has been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit. He's still not out of the woods yet but he is much stronger and his spirits have never been better.

Thank you all so much for your love and prayers, and thank you Father in heaven for your healing and your love.