by RABBI DANIEL LAPIN Note: Rabbi Daniel Lapin is nationally known. His bio is at the end of this piece. He has kindly provided a strong endorsement for my book. I am certainly not a Churchill. I am not even a Revel. I am having enough trouble just trying to be a Lapin. But I […]
via A Rabbi’s Warning to U.S. Christians — Dr. Lloyd Stebbins
“In the fifth petition we pray that God, for Christ’s sake, would freely pardon all our sins, which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by His grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.” Shorter Catechism
Forgiveness is a revolving grace that begins with God, working His love and forgiveness in us, and through us to others. Subsequently, we can confidently ask for forgiveness for our own indebtedness to Him, which is more than anyone could owe us. This grace is characteristic of God’s people, those who share space in His kingdom. How can we not love and forgive, when our Father has forgiven us?
Is there bitterness in your heart toward God or another person? Resentment is the spirit of oppression, and the enemy’s greatest weapon, working from within to destroy.
The condition of any single life, family, or nation, can be summed up in the total of our grievances and vengeance against others.
Where is Our Freedom?
We are concerned about our freedom here in America. We are already in bonds to the oppressive spirit that rules in the hearts and minds of men. What we see from those who desire to govern this nation is the same spirit of this nation. We are in need of God’s intervention by His Spirit to bring us to repentance, to lead us in truth and righteousness; to overcome this spirit within us.
Our nation and the world will remain under threat until we learn to live in love and care for our heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus Christ, and each other. Let us consider and examine our own hearts to know for sure that we have trusted the heavenly Father’s love and forgiveness for us.
Gracious Father, forgive us of our rebellion, our pride, and covetousness; forgive us our anxieties and unbelief. Forgive us our discontent and impatience; forgive us our neglect and slothfulness. We need you to examine our hearts, to try our thoughts, to know if there is any bitterness that we hold against you or any other person. Reveal your love and forgiveness to us by the power of your Holy Spirit. Bring us to repentance, that we may trust you in all things, to live in peace with you and our fellowman. Heal hearts in this nation and other nations by the peace of your Son, in whose name I pray. Amen.
“O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God.” Daniel 9:19
In a recent conversation with a young woman, she expressed her desire to be married and to have a family. She had thought several men might have been the right one, but was now hoping for another prospect. After discussing the subject for a few minutes, she said that she did not understand why God had not given her a husband. She was 28, and still living with her family.
I asked her, “Are you a blessing, where you are?
With some thought, she admitted, “No, I’m not.”
She was not happy with her circumstances and desired to escape her present living conditions.
She realized that if she was not content with what God had given her, she should not expect more.
I asked her to read my post, The Plight of the Discontented Woman. She then agreed that she needed to examine her relationship with the heavenly Father before she could expect anything to change with her circumstances.
God has blessed us with everything that we need for a life of happiness and joy in Him. (2 Peter 1:3) He has given us all things needful in this life and for eternity through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:32) He has created us and redeemed us in Christ, so that we will be a blessing to Him and to others.
ARE YOU BLESSED?
Have you been BLESSED
by the BLESSINGS that are ours in CHRIST?
Are you BLESSED every day
by the GRACE of our LORD JESUS CHRIST?
ARE YOU BLESSED?
Then ~
Be a BLESSING to God and others today.
Dear Father, Thank you for creating and redeeming us in Christ, your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us be content in Him for all of life here as we will be forever. By the power of your Holy spirit, make us a blessing to you and others today. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
“In the fourth petition we pray that of God’s free gifts we may recieve a competent portion of the good things of this life and enjoy His blessing with them.” Shorter Catechism
As one of the most affluent nations in history, Americans live daily in the abundance of things that other nations only imagine. We have all the technical devices, all that we want to entertain us, and more food than we need ~ yet Jesus taught us, His people, to pray for our “daily bread.” We understand that our prayers are not just for us and our family, but for all people. We are reminded that He taught us to “seek first the kingdom of God our Father, and His righteousness” before anything else, believing that He would supply all our physical needs.
As with the other petitions of the Lord’s Prayer, this one alludes to our trusting God our heavenly Father, whose name, kingdom and will are first and over all things in heaven and on earth, so that all our hope for all things is in Him.
Dear Father, as we anticipate a transition of leadership in a few weeks, let us as your children continue to examine our hearts and our faith. Show us your leading for all things. Make us to know that all that we need comes from you.
Even as we ask you to give us (all of us) our daily bread, give us understanding that we need not fear what man can do, nor hope that any man or woman can do more than you enable them to do. Again, I ask that you enable us to encourage others, and that you will grow the faith of all your people as we see you supplying all our needs. More than physical food, enable us to understand the more needful, spiritual food that comes only from your Holy Word. Turn us to the truth and power of your Word, that we may know the abundant life that you promise us in Christ, your Son.
Pour your Holy Spirit on us; give us a hunger for your Word; draw us to your Word for all that you desire for us.
Let us enjoy you and your blessings today, without anxiety of what we may need tomorrow. Show us our extravagance, and how to live simply in obedience, confidence, and contentment in you, so that we may share with others what you so graciously pour out upon us.
Make us the answer to the prayers of others who are in need, for the spirit, soul, and body. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
This week we want to meditate on and pray the third petition for us and our nation.
“What do we pray for in the third petition? In the third petition we pray, that God, by His grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.” Shorter Catechism
Dear Father, you teach us in your word that all secrets belong to you. We have learned that you have a secret will and a revealed will, which leaves all things in your hands.
As Jesus taught us, we pray that you reveal your will to us through your Word, and in time your secret will concerning the future of this nation. As we watch and wait to know who will be the next President of this country, open our hearts to your Word for us as your children, so that we may know and trust that all things work according to your will.
First, believing that we need you to work in us as your people, we pray that, as your will is done in heaven, we may know the rule of Christ over us and in the center of our lives, our families, and our churches. As the angels worship and adore Him, serving in obedience to Him, please move in our hearts to seek your will through a new, reviving, transforming work in us. Let Christ, through your church, be the light that is needed in this darkness.
Move the hearts of those who will rule this nation to know you and your will in their lives. Have mercy upon us as we place all our hope in you.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Last week we began praying together with the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer.
OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN
HALLOWED BE THY NAME.
This week we want to meditate upon and pray the second petition:
“What do we pray in the second petition? We pray that Satan’s kingdom may be destroyed; that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it and kept in it, and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.” Shorter Catechism
This answer was documented centuries ago, by those ministers who met together, prayed together and agreed on its meaning.
Dear Father in heaven, we need your Spirit here on this earth to reveal your rule over us. It seems that you have left us to fend for ourselves, that we don’t know where we are going, or who will lead us. You teach us in your word that all power belongs to you; that your kingdom rules over all men and circumstances. We need to hear your voice, to see your working, and to know your holy will as we wait in uncertainty.
Bring the power of your Spirit to us as your children to trust you. Though we cannot understand how you are working, give us your Spirit of peace and of wisdom for the decisions that each of us must make. Let us continue to seek your kingdom and your righteousness first and foremost.
We pray that your kingdom would reign in each of our hearts, believing that you have appointed your Son, Jesus Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, the authority in heaven and earth. Enable us to examine our hearts and lives to know that Christ rules over all things that concern us.
Enable all who follow Christ to know that your kingdom lives and rules in us all; that we are one kingdom, not a divided kingdom. In these times, let us who are your people put aside all differences and disagreements and join hearts and minds in Christ in a unity that honors you and your Son, our Savior, and Lord, Jesus Christ, exalting Him above all things.
Make us light in the darkness, ready to answer those who ask us the source of our hope.
“Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.”
Psalm 145:13
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God's Grace ~ God's Glory! 
