Join us in today’s prayer and devotion: -Praying Thru the Psalms: #93:
93 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.
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Join us in today’s prayer and devotion: -Praying Thru the Psalms: #92:
92 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:
2 To show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,
3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
4 For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. …
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Join us in today’s prayer and devotion: -Praying Thru the Psalms: #91:
91 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. …
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A lawsuit has been filed against a City of Austin (TX) law which could force churches to hire folks who do not reflect their Biblical and theological beliefs and standards. Meanwhile, the city is not backing down and vows to support their ordinance in court. From the Christian Post:
… According to the lawsuit, the churches believe that the "Bible is the Word of God" and they "rely on the Bible rather than modern-day cultural fads for religious and moral guidance." As such, the churches will not hire "practicing homosexuals or transgendered people as clergy."
Additionally, the member churches require that employees live "according to the Bible’s teachings on matters of sexuality and gender." Because of this, the lawsuit states, these churches will "not consider practicing homosexuals or transgendered people for any type of church employment."
As the Austin ordinance also bars discrimination on the basis of sex, the lawsuit also seeks protection of some member churches who feel the Bible doesn’t allow women to serve in the role of senior pastor because of the words of 2 Timothy 2:12. …
Response: This is not the first city to try and force churches to bend to the prevailing popular culture. In 2014, city leaders in Houston, Texas tried to force churches to comply with a ‘transgender bathroom’ ordinance and even subpoenaed churches which opposed the law to hand over recordings and notes of any sermons or teaching that opposed homosexuality in the process. As you can imagine that situation became a national controversy. Also this will not be the last.
The city administrators are adamant about forcing everyone, including churches and religious institutions, to comply with their ‘anti-discrimination’ ordinance. According to city spokesperson David Green:
"The ordinance reflects our values and culture respecting the dignity and rights of every individual. …"We are prepared to vigorously defend the City against this challenge to the City’s civil rights protections."
What Green obviously means without saying it- the city’s ‘civil rights’ protections should trump the First Amendment and religious freedom from their perspective. However, it is doubtful that the courts will ultimately agree with Green and rule in favor of the city.
If taken literally, the ordinance would force the Catholic Church to ordain women priests and churches who do not believe in woman pastors to accept them any way? Not to even mention ordaining or hiring LGBT folks if it is contrary to church teaching. Fact is, the churches would never comply with this law regardless of what any city administrator may think or even how any judge may rule.
Fortunately the current makeup of the US Supreme Court means that this law will never even come close to trumping the First Amendment nor will it probably even challenge Texas state laws which protect religious freedom. *Top
Join us in today’s prayer and devotion: -Praying Thru the Psalms: #90
A Prayer of Moses
90 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. …
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LESSON TWO: Verse 5a- Be Reasonable and Considerate
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -ESV
In the ongoing culture around us the motto is- “looking out for number one”. In many ways Christians have been no different than anyone else. Put me in a car going down the freeway and most of the time it’s ‘do to others before they do to me’ –not exactly the Golden Rule that Jesus had in mind.
Even in churches, some of the meanest people I have ever had the misfortune of coming across have been supposed Christians sitting in the pews. Over the years when teaching classes I have occasionally been pulled into battles over minutia that didn’t amount to anything more important than a slight disagreement over eschatology followed by a severe tongue lashing. Anyone that has been posting on the internet for a while can attest to how ungracious fellow Christians can be sometimes.
It really is time for Christians to be different. For too long we have been pulled along with the culture—but this culture is no longer Christian and the prevailing values no longer reflect an underlining effort to do good. Actually increasingly what is ‘good’ according to the scriptures is now increasingly being called bad and what is evil is now starting to be considered good. In my lifetime I have lived long enough to see everything turned on its ear.
It is time for Christian to reflect a ‘Kingdom Culture’ which is increasingly at odds and different than the dominant culture around us in America and the Western world.
We may pray every day—”Let your Kingdom come let your will be done”—it is time for the Kingdom to become a reality in our everyday living. We should stand out as gentle, reasonable, and considerate folks letting our lights shine as beacons into the increasing darkness.
This doesn’t happen over night but only as we allow the Holy Spirit to come in and dwell with us as we do our daily tasks—going down the toll road, shopping in the store, and reaching out in kindness and civility to those working around us. As a beacon of light that will draw people to you and the Lord which should be reflected in our lives. Let the Holy Spirit’s light break through. *Top
Join us in today’s prayer and devotion: -Praying Thru the Psalms: #89
89 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. …
11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. …
15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
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Join us in today’s prayer and devotion: -Praying Thru the Psalms: #88
88 O lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:
2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;
3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.
4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength: …
8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth. …
10 Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee?
Selah. …
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Join us in today’s prayer and devotion: -Praying Thru the Psalms: #87:
87 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.
Selah.
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Join us in today’s prayer and devotion: -Praying Thru the Psalms: #86:
A Prayer of David
86 Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. …
10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
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