Praise The Lord, Indeed!

Psalm 148:1-12 KJV; 22nd Sunday after Pentecost; Pray, praise, and proclaim the Good News of Jesus the Christ in all that you say and think and do.

Release Us From These Prisons

Moreover the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,

Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name;

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. 

                                                                                    (Jer 33:1-3 KJV)

There are so many prisons and types of prisons today. There are the multitudes of prisons with bars to contain the convicted. There are the victims being held by sex traffickers as well as  other types of abusers. There are also the many who find themselves isolated today due to a world-wide pandemic or afraid to leave their homes because of violence in the streets. There are those who have worked for years to build up a business to support themselves; their families; their employees to find that the government has shut them down or has completely limited their customer base and are struggling to stay alive.

Let us stand on the word of the Lord to Jeremiah: "Call unto me, and I will answer thee." (Jer 33:3) He will lead us out of this prison of hopelessness and despair. He will show us the way.

Let us pray to the one who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. Let us pray to the one who hears and answers: Heavenly Father, hear our prayers and release us from these prisons. Hear our prayers for peace. Hear our prayers and answer that we might know the joy of being reconciled to you and to one another. Hear our prayers and answer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

He Answers In His Time

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

                                                                                    (2 Peter 3:8-9 KJV)

Do not doubt that God hears and answers our prayers. He does hear them and he does answer them. They may not be answered in the way that we desire. The answer may sometimes be "no" especially if they are not in accordance with His will. His answer may also not come in the time that you desire it to come. 

 

We might like things done now and the way that we want them done. We judge time by the few years we have on this earth. God has eternity to work with!

When storms arise in your life; do not fear. Do not fret. Be at peace in the assurance that God does hear and He does answer your prayers according to His good will for all of His children. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Waiting For Justice

"How long, Lord, must I call for help,

but you do not listen?

Or cry out to you, “Violence!”

but you do not save?

Why do you make me look at injustice?

Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?

Destruction and violence are before me;

there is strife, and conflict abounds.

Therefore the law is paralyzed,

and justice never prevails.

The wicked hem in the righteous,

so that justice is perverted." 

(Hab 1:1-4 NIV)

How long, LORD, must the people suffer at the hands of one another? There are times when we would really like immediate help from the LORD; times when we need a major miracle or two. But, the truth is that God has given us free-will in many areas of our lives and we choose to hurt one another. We choose to put our own wills before the will of God. We choose to put what we want before the good of the whole.

God will answer our prayers. But, beware; the answer may not be what we're hoping for. May God help us to lead gentler lives; lives that do not inflict violence or injustice upon others. May He lead us in His way so that we are not the wicked that others are praying for deliverance from.

May God grant us mercy and give us His peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Pray Without Ceasing

Pray without ceasing. (1 Thess 5:17 KJV)

Today we observe the National Day of Prayer. This day is but a reminder that we ought to pray, not just today; but, everyday. Whenever we find reason to rejoice, pray giving thanks to the Lord. When we grieve, pray for the comfort and peace that only God can give. When we are lost, pray that God would guide us back to the light.

God indeed answers our prayers when we pray according to his will. We may not always appreciate his answer. But, he does answer and it is according to his will for our good that he answers. 

So, not just on this National Day of Prayer; but, every day, we are to pray without ceasing whether it be prayers of sorrow or joy. No matter what the occasion; no matter what you are going through, good or bad, keep the conversation going with the God who loves you and cares for you and is with you always.

God's Peace - Pr. J