"The energy of the flesh can run bazaars, organize amusements, and raise millions; but it is the presence of the Holy Spirit that makes a Temple of the Living God." Samuel Chadwick Heavenly Father, redeeming Christ, and comforting Spirit, I thank you YHWH for all you have given this week. I thank you for time with my family. I get to share in their lives and help.influence and reflect through their walks. I thank you for a safe drive to Carlisle and back to bring my daughter home from college. I thank you for another evening and breakfast with my folks. I thank you for all the wonderful family time I get to spend this week. I thank you for time with friends, with colleagues, and with students. I thank you and continue to pray that my testimony be the changed life I live. That when others speak of me they will speak of Your truth. I look forward to your blessing in the weekend and Sabbath to come. I look forward to meeting in Your house and glorifying all You do. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn more about your grace and forgiveness. Help me understand and enact the lessons I have learned from reading and studying the scripture provided by so many wonderful sources. Each person brings a unique perspective of Your Truth to my eyes each morning to examine and incorporate into my journey with You. I thank You for having so many teachers out there to provide solid instruction. As I move forward with the ending of this week and the promise of a new week ahead, I ask that You look over all that is around in my life and help my words and actions be a blessing to Your glory. Help me and those I meet along the way to see Your vision of the world to come, Your Truth in all those interactions. In all this I ask that it is Your way and not my way. Amen.
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Embrace the Within
Focusing inward to create the abundant life God wants.
“Prayer is not merely prattle; it is warfare.”
Alan Redpath
“Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle [is] not yours, but God-Elōhīm (The Living Word) [The Many Powered]’s.”
2 Chronicles 20:15 AMP
“Virtue is undesirable to those who are immoral; holiness is abhorrent to those who are impious; chastity is an enemy to those who are impure; integrity is a hardship for those who are corrupt; frugality runs counter to those who are self-indulgent; mercy is intolerable to those who are cruel, as is loving-kindness to those who are pitiless and justice to those who are unjust.”
excerpt from SERMONS 127.6-7 Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD)
Prayer is all I have. Prayer is my only hope. Prayer is all I need. Prayer is always enough.
Thoughts and prayers. What a worthless thing to say to someone in the eyes of the world. And I can agree with that for the first half of the sentiment. Thoughts are not going to do anything. My thoughts are not my own. Thoughts are sometimes troublesome. Thoughts can lead to poor choices. Thoughts don’t change anything. BUT prayer changes everything.
Prayer is seen as ineffective when you live in a microwave and wireless society. Prayer is seen as pointless when you live in a mindset of immediate gratification. Prayer is seen as worthless when you live a life of self righteousness and self worship. Since prayer to their gods doesn’t change the outcome of the game, the outcome of their day, or the outcome of the election, they see no power in prayer. BUT I am not praying to any god. I am not putting my faith in things made by humans. I am not putting my trust in a finite principle. I am not putting my belief in something another human created. I am praying to YHWH. As the translation says, He is The Living Word. He is the Many Powered. He is not bound. And this idea troubles the enslaved as Chryslologus says earlier in this sermon, “To those who are held captive, the freedom of the one innocent of wrongdoing becomes hateful.”
They can’t understand your freedom that comes through giving the battle to YHWH. They want to place their trust in the temporal while we place our trust in the eternal. All these things will pass away but not Elohim.
So keep your thoughts in check and your prayers going. Prayer is the only option. Prayer is always enough.
Peace to your home. Bless your being. The reign of YHWH is now. Be a blessing to YHWH and others.
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