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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Today is: Bring Your Bible to School Day. A celebration of religious freedom in America. A day to encourage children and young adults to take their Bible with them to school and share it with their friends.
Here’s a link to the “Bring Your Bible. org ” website.
Response: Regardless of what some teachers or school administrator may say, it is legal for students to bring their Bibles to school and read it during break times and even share it with their friends. This right needs to be claimed and continually demonstrated or it could be lost by default, disuse, or misunderstanding of the law.
Know Your First Amendment Rights:
Every Christian should know their First Amendment rights and the religious liberty rights of their children and grandchildren while at school.
Prayer has not really been taken entirely out of schools. Regardless of what you may have heard. I repeat: prayer has not been taken out of our public schools- only ‘official’ or mandatory prayers have been banned.
Students can still legally pray individually and even with other students in groups. Anyway, there is really no way that a teacher could stop a student from silently praying. Plus the US Supreme Court has already ruled on this- legally students can still get together and pray like many do on ‘See You At The Pole’ day.
What has been declared illegal is for teachers and school administrators to conduct or supervise ‘official’ prayers public schools.
Also, students can bring religious literature to school including their Bibles and even share them with other students or have Bible studies during breaks and lunches. Legally teachers and school administrators cannot stop it, though some try. This is why ‘Bring Your Bible to School Day’ is so important- it is good for teachers and administrators to understand and get use to student’s religious rights being exercised and confirmed.
For more information on the legal issues defining religious freedom for students in public schools, here are 3 good articles from Alliance Defending Freedom:
Religious Freedom On Campus: What Students Can and Can’t Do
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LESSON ONE: Verse 4- REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS
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
For many Christians the chaos that is going on in this nation and world and in everyday living is closing in on them and robbing them of their joy and victory in Christ Jesus. …Continue:
Link to the Bible Study: -An Application of Philippians 4:4-7: Rejoice in The Lord (Verse 4)
Join us in today’s prayer and devotion: -Praying Thru the Psalms: #85
85 Lord, thou hast been favorable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin.
Selah. …
6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? …
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
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Join us in today’s prayer and devotion: -Praying Thru the Psalms: #84:
84 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.
4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee.
Selah. …
10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
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