If we only are dismayed and don't pray--k

[beeleever]

Dear fellow believers in the Lord Jesus Christ,

We need to pray for God to be Lord of our homes, cities, states, country, world.
Knowing these times were foretold, we are not to fear them, but to ask our Creator, Father and healer to direct our paths and direct the paths of
those who are placed in leadership. Lord guide them, provide your wisdom for them and bless them with strength and confidence and peace and for salvation most of all.
We need to pray for our own wisdom. Lord help us to be fearless in telling others about the salvation provided through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
So much anguish, so much sorrow, so much anger and so many lost---Give us strength and fearlessness to share Your love and salvation in the smallest of opportunities.

The Bible tells us to give thanks in all things. We thank you Lord for showing us a lost and dying world longing for love and hope. Help us to be able to
share the Love and hope you provide, Jesus.

We are told not to fear. Fear not for lo I am with you always. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Fellow believer, put on your armor--daily--helmet of salvation, breast plate of righteousness, belt of truth, sandals of peace, shield of faith, sword of the spirt of scripture.

Now is the time to fall to your knees in prayer. Pray for our leaders, our lost crying for answers, our unity in Christ, our missionaries, those imprisoned for their faith in Christ, for our children-may they learn Gods truth, for one another--to be strong in the Lord and trust Him more.

Maybe, home is just a short time away. Until then, occupy with truth, love and the Spirit of the Lord.

Give thanks---in all things give thanks.

Pray and look up-----If you have not asked Jesus to forgive you for your sins (He died for us and can forgive us for all the things we should not have done, or said or thought--Jesus is the only one in the entire world who can forgive you for your sins) Ask Jesus to forgive you and come in to your heart--your life--and be your Lord and Savior and forever in eternity you will live in joy and peace and oh the wonders you will see!
If you do not ask Jesus to forgive you and be your Lord and savior---eternity will be a bleak forever of anguish, sorrow, loneliness and not where you want to be

He puts before us life and death--choose life.

[Andy]

Excellent timing...thank you.
I just today had a brother reach out to me, quite discouraged at all of what is going on. I shared some things with him but have now also forwarded the URL to this thread.

[Doug Fowler]

Thanks for the encouragement. At times I've been feeling lately ltke it's all so overwhelming, it's hard to put thoughts together into how much I hurt - especially because being handicapped, even though I'm white I can share some of the anxiety minorities have felt in this country fromt he beginning. I know the pain is intense and the lawlessness is there on the part of those in authority as well as on those who riot. I heard someone say on ESPn radio this monring he was approached at gun point in his own home because he was a black in a rich neighborhood and people didn't believe he lived in his own house. The hatred of others based on what they look like, the feelings of insecurity, it's just the opposite of what we're supposed to feel. (I turned it off after that - too many mean people, as I tell myself, don't want to give myself nightmares, but you can check the Torii Hunter interview out on their site I'm sure)

Yes God is in control. He promises us something so much better, something where we don't have to worry about who we are or fitting in. Instead, He loves us so much that when I can only manage to mumble something like, "Lord, end this mess," He knows the pain in my heart that I can't verbalize, the despair I see (and I'm a very visual thinker so when I hear it, I see it because I think of what I've heard or read) in this world.

And, He knows the despair each of us feels and which we can only verbalize maybe a few syllables of sometimes. The intense heartache of knowing how much evil and hatred is in one's fellow human beings. He suffered in all ways like us yet was without sin (Heb. 4:15) - He truly did suffer, He truly does understand the trauma, and we can go boldly to HIm because of that.

I was just reading Isaiah 53 today in my devotionals; God Himself chose to come down in that form? Alloed Himself to be despised and rejected, to have the chastisement of us all thrust upon Himself. The utter horror that people must go through is so much darkness, and then people try to fight back agaisnt it with more darkness, which can never work.

Only Light can end the darkness, and the only Light of the World is Jesus Christ. We turn to so many other things, we wrap ourselves in so many things that will make us feel better that are only a product of our own anger or frustration or ego or whatever, when we must instead turn to the Light of the World and let HIm erase that darkness; as Psalm 139:23-24 says, see if there be any wicked way in us and let the Lord cleanse us of that wickedness so we can walk int he Light.

[beeleever]

I truly appreciate your feelings. This has been one interesting time!
I believe that these unsettled times are based in a spiritual battle. Satan wants to steal and kill and destroy. But greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world!

I anguish for the lost who do not have inner peace and have intense feelings.

Ugh, I hesitate to share this--
but here goes....

My dad was shot and killed in a hunting accident (?)
When the fellow who shot him walked in the door and placed my dads shotgun next to the door-
Even though I was saved---I was headed for the gun and was going to load it and finish it all--he was my target

But for Jesus in my heart----
Jesus told me to forgive that fellow then and there---he was my dads friend---forgive.
And I did
in the center of the room at the age of eighteen---I forgave out loud--he didn't know what to do with that

My family wanted to throttle me.
But I put the baggage of anger, hate, death, sorrow down.

Others in my family never did.

forgiveness----for Jesus to forgive us and confess us as His before His father---we must confess Him as our savoir
and we must forgive others so we may be forgiven.

We can't grow with anger seething within us
We can't have peace with anger coloring our thoughts


forgive---people are imperfect---people are selfish---people are misguided---without Jesus
dont expect Jesus behavior from folks who aren't His yet.

peace comes with forgiveness

Forgive mean words, actions-----this isn't the final destination......
This is just an opportunity to grow and apply what we learn

This life is full of rough spots---things over which we wail and cry and mourn----there is no such thing as fairness and justice here
But there is forgiveness and peace and hope and faith
and prayer the precious bridge of prayer
and a place in eternity where all is right.

If someone who reads this doesn't have Jesus in their heart.
Ask Him in
He has been waiting for you
Please Jesus forgive me--come in to my heart--my life
Be my Lord
in Jesus name I pray.

Angels (cheerleader angels!) rejoice when one asks Jesus to come in to their heart.

dont wait. Who knows what time we---any of us have.