Join us in today’s prayer and devotion-

Read Psalm 148 and then join us in prayer

Our Father,

We praise your name for all of creation and for your Son Jesus by whom we have the promise of salvation and eternal life through faith.

We also praise your name for all of the blessings you have given to our nation in the past and we cry unto you for revival and a new awakening among our people.

Let the church rise up from its slumber and let the truth of your teaching and Word,  which is now rejected by many in our land, be demonstrated through signs and wonders, healings and miracles, in our cities and neighborhoods.

Let our families be whole again and let your Spirit dwell in our homes once more. Let our people be unified once more and let the divisions and strife between the races cease. Let our whole nation become a people once more ‘under God’ and let everyone praise your name and give thanks to you for bringing revival rather than the judgment we deserve.

In Jesus name, Amen.

May God Bless you and yours this new year.

With the new year, many want to improve their lives in 2021. One of the best ways to do that is to read the Bible daily in the new year.

Several polls taken during the last few years have unfortunately demonstrated that American Christians are somewhat illiterate when it comes to the Bible and particularly Biblical teachings. One good way to reverse the trend is to set aside time to read the good book everyday. An excellent idea is to read through the whole Bible or at least the New Testament during 2021. There are a number of good programs to help you in the process.

One of the easiest ways to get it done is to get a ‘One Year Bible’ where the whole year is divided up into daily readings usually with a selection from the New Testament, the Old Testament, and from Psalms. You can even get it in your favorite version at the book store or download an ebook version on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

If you find that reading all of it in one year is maybe too much, then you could read just the New Testament and Psalm offerings for each day and then maybe save the Old Testament or the following year (or visa versa).

There are also a number of good plans available that allow you to use your regular Bible for the reading. Here’s a few online: The One year Bible Online, Bible Gateway

You could also get the Bible on CD or tape and listen to it on the way to work this year or download it into your iPod, iPhone or MP3: iTunes, Apps me now, YourVersion Bible App

There are lots of Bible helps available just search online.

May God Bless us all in 2021.               *Top

Join us in today’s prayer and devotion-

Read Psalm 147 and then join us in prayer

Our Father,

Father, you are great and abundant in power with love and understanding beyond measure. You lift up the humble and heal the brokenhearted binding up their wounds with grace and mercy. We sing to you O Lord with thanksgiving and praise your name.

We are thankful to be alive and praising your name bringing in the new year and saying good-bye to the old one. Let us see healing and a new awakening this year in America and a great harvest in every nation.

The arrogant in our land say that you do not exist and your Word and teaching have been passed over by history and is actually dangerous and need to be eliminated. We ask for Sauls to be converted into Pauls and turn this people back toward you in a miraculous and dramatic way this new year.

We cry to you O Lord to lift up new leaders in our land and particularly in the church that are humble and able to bring revival to our cities, sates, and nation once more. Let the arrogant be confounded with your signs and wonders; with miracles and healing that prove that your Word is still valid in this generation. Let your Kingdom come down in our midst and let your will be done in your church and among our leaders.

We cry out for light and a new awakening to spread across our land and people instead of the judgment we deserve; grace, mercy, and love instead of war, famine, pestilence, and death.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Join us in today’s prayer and devotion-

Read Psalm 146 and then join us in prayer

Our Father,

Praise your name Lord! We will praise you as long as we live; we will sing praises to you our God while we still have breath.

We put not our trust in governments or the economy nor in riches or power but only in our salvation that comes through faith in your Son Jesus.

We are blessed because you O Lord are our help and our hope and there is none greater than you, the Creator of all things.

You have commissioned us to seek justice for the oppressed, provide food to the hungry, to cloth the poor and release the captives. You are also the one who has brought miracles and healing in the past and continue to do so; you have opened blind eyes and given strength to the lame.

We cry out for your help to do signs and wonders once more in this time and place. Let healing and miracles confirm your Word as truth to this generation.

Let revival come down in our midst once more and grace our families, neighborhoods and cities. Let a new awakening transform this nation which is falling away and bring it back to you and your teaching once more while there is yet day.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Join us in today’s prayer and devotion-

Read Psalm 145 and then join us in prayer

Our Father,

We extol you O Lord and bless your name forever and ever.  Every day we are committed to bless you and praise your name for evermore.

We are committed also to make known to the next generation your wonderful good works from the past along with your teaching and Word.

Help us O Lord to make real to our children and grandchildren your works by demonstrating them in their midst. Let your Word be confirmed through signs and wonders, healing and miracles; let your teaching become a reality and a blessing in the lives of our children and grandchildren.

Let revival come now and let the leaders you have prepared for such a time as this to rise up and come forth to bring a new awakening to this nation and a great harvest in the name of your Son Jesus in all the world-  every nation, people, and tongue. Let your Spirit be poured out upon all nations; let your Good News of the Kingdom be preached among every people and in every tongue. Let every knee bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Join us in today’s prayer and devotion-

Read Psalm 144 and then join us in prayer

Our Father,

Blessed be your name O Lord. You are our rock, our steadfast love and fortress; our stronghold and deliverer, our shield in whom we take refuge.

We come to you now in prayer for our nation. Rescue us from the clutches of the enemy which is taking down our culture and causing many in our country to ridicule and ignore your teachings and Word.

We pray also for the churches who seem to be falling away with the culture. Bring revival to the pastors and leaders. Pull the church out of the dust and slumber that it is in and let your light and Spirit shine in the darkness. Let your Kingdom come to the church and let signs and wonders, healing and miracles confirm the truth of your Word to this generation.

Let your revival come to our families and neighborhoods. May our sons and daughters and grandchildren receive your light and grow in the truth taking the church and nation to a new spiritual level.

We ask for mercy and revival rather than the judgment we deserve.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Join us in today’s prayer and devotion-

Read Psalm 143 and then join us in prayer

Our Father,

Hide not your face from us O Lord. We are your servants and we pursue revival in our land. We seek your loving kindness in the morning and we trust in you and your Holy Spirit to show us the way in which we should go and in the evening we lift our hearts to you in thanksgiving for your daily help.

Deliver us from our enemies; all those who are minions of the evil one who oppose us. We seek refuge in you and your counsel and teaching daily. Let your Holy Spirit lead us on toward changing our families and cities bringing them closer to you and your Son. Let a new awakening come to our churches and finally to our nation.

Our people once declared that our entire nation was under you but now seek to eliminate your teaching and even the mention of your Son Jesus from the public square.

Lead us now in the way we need to go in order to facilitate in bringing revival once more to our people, churches, and nation. Let your Kingdom come down in our midst and let your will be done with your servants O Lord. Save us from our enemy and his followers while there is yet day.

We cry out for revival instead of disaster; mercy and a new awakening for our nation instead of the judgment we may deserve. 

In Jesus name, Amen.

                                                          (Image via Wikipedia)

Merry Christmas to you and yours

The Real Christmas Story

When our children were growing up it was a family tradition to read about the ‘real’  Christmas story in the Bible on Christmas Eve.

You’ve probably seen a dozen or so ‘Christmas stories’ on TV in the last couple of weeks but the real Christmas story is found in Matthew (Matt. 1:18-2:18) and in Luke (Luke 1:26-56, 2:1-40). However, Isaiah should never be ignored:

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Matthew gives us the story largely from the perspective of Joseph, including the dreams that he had and his family genealogy. In this gospel the ‘Kingship’ of Jesus is the major topic. Starting with the Davidic Kingly genealogy through Joseph and the coming of the Magi (Wisemen) who are looking for the new king. Also King Herod’s reaction is in Matthew.

The events in Luke are given to us from Mary’s view. The angel Gabriel appears to Mary and announces the coming of the child. Mary’s genealogy is also given in Luke (Luke 3:23-38), she was also a descendant of David, but not in the ‘Kingly’ line. Chapter 2 begins with the Christmas story that everyone is familiar with:

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, who we celebrate which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

However, nothing explains the real reason for the season better than John 3:16-17:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  -KJV

May we remember the first and greatest gift of Christmas:

God’s gift of his Son Jesus.

Join us in today’s prayer and devotion-

Read Psalm 142 and then join us in prayer

Our Father,

Father, we cry to you, O Lord; You are our refuge and our portion in the land of the living. Please O Lord attend to our cry for deliverance from those who oppose us; for they are getting stronger in this land and are pushing for our religious freedoms to be restricted under the excuse of ‘civil rights’ for LGBTQ folks.

Meanwhile, you have called us to be loving to everyone. Please help us through your Holy Spirit to be examples of your love and peace to all people, especially to those who think they are our enemies. 

We cry out for revival for our people are falling away and your church and Word is no longer respected in this land. In fact, your teachings and Word is now referred to as something that history has passed by and even worse according to some, something that even needs to be eliminated and outlawed as bigoted ‘hate speech.’

You have surrounded us with your protection in the past and you have dealt bountifully with our nation. Now the major culture in our land has rejected your teaching and it would seem that our time of blessing from you might be over and the protection that you have given us in the past is now in danger of being lifted.

But rather than the judgment that this nation seems to be heading for and actually may deserve, we cry out for a new awakening instead. We ask that your Kingdom would come to the church and bring revival and relief to our cities and harmony among all of our diverse people.

Let your Word be proven in our streets through signs and wonders, healing and miracles. Let our nation rise up spiritually once more while there is yet day.

In Jesus name, Amen.

Join us in today’s prayer and devotion-

Read Psalm 141 and then join us in prayer

Our Father,

Father, O Lord, we call upon you; let our prayers be counted as incense before you. We seek revival in our land, let it begin with us.  Therefore O Lord, let us be examples of your Kingdom; help us to keep watch over our lips and everything flowing from our mouths. Let our conversations be filled with love and let it bless those around us rather than hurt or destroy.

Help us O Lord and remind us through your Holy Spirit to seek those things that edify and build up;  do not let our hearts incline toward any evil or make place for
wickedness and iniquity. Let us be good examples of your Son Jesus in our homes, in our neighborhoods, at work, and in public places.

Let our eyes always be facing toward you and your Word  O God, our Lord;
We seek continual refuge in you and in your Spirit; please leave us not defenseless but protect us from the evil one and the snares of evildoers.

Let Revival come to us, our homes, our neighborhoods, our churches, our cities, and let it touch everyone we come in contact with daily. Let it begin and let it begin with us.

In Jesus name, Amen.