Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

"Because of the tender mercy of
our God". (Luke 1: 78)

Reflection:

You know its an odd thing about "mercy",
everyone wants mercy when he or she least
deserves it. And we most hesitate to give
it when another person asks for it.
In Luke chapter 1 mercy is mentioned 5
times. In this case, God is the One giving
mercy to those who don't deserve it.
What does this mercy consist of?
The gift of Jesus Christ to all sinners,
which includes you & me. Christ is an
incomparable gift of mercy. You will find
none equal in all the universe. God's
gift of mercy and Jesus Christ's act of mercy
to us, was His life, death, and resurrection.
Justice is receiving what you deserve,
Mercy is not receiving what you deserve.
Grace is receiving what you do not deserve.
ALL 3, JUSTICE, MERCY, AND GRACE,
COME TRUE FOR YOU AND ME, IN
JESUS CHRIST! (Luke 1: 68,69,77)
It seems to me giving others whats coming
to them, is natural, but treating others
with mercy they don't deserve, now that's
supernatural. The questions are: DO YOU
PASS ALONG CHRIST'S MERCY TO
OTHERS? DO YOU DO WHAT'S
NATURAL OR SUPERNATURAL?

Prayer:

Oh God, apart from Your Son Jesus Christ,
I stand helpless before You, deserving only
judgment. Thank you Oh God for offering
me forgiveness and mercy. Through the
strength and power of the Holy Spirit, May
I show mercy and kindness, to who may
only deserve Your anger. In the name of
Your merciful Son Jesus Christ AMEN!

by Rev. Greg Asimakoupoulos

Inauguration Day revealed
that campaign wounds may soon be healed
as hopes for the economy
inspire common goals.

While millions paused to take a look,
our brand new leader palmed a book
and swore that he would execute
his job with faithfulness.

And so we pledge to pray for him
as he preserves, protects, defends
a Constitution that in turn
defines what’s just and true.
__________________________________________

I urge you to pray that requests, prayers,
intercession and thanksgiving be made for
everyone—for kings and all those in authority,
that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in
all godliness and holiness. This is good, and
pleases God our Savior, who wants all men
to be saved and to come to a knowledge of
the truth.—The Bible, I Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV)

Love never fails. But where there are
prophecies, they will cease; where there
are tongues, they will be stilled; where
there is knowledge, it will pass away.
For we know in part and we prophesy
in part, but when perfection comes, the
imperfect disappears. When I was a
child, I talked like a child, I thought like
a child, I reasoned like a child. When I
became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
—The Bible, I Corinthians 13:8-11(NIV)

We remain a young nation, but in the words
of Scripture, the time has come to set aside
childish things. The time has come to reaffirm
our enduring spirit; to choose our better history;
to carry forward that precious gift, that noble
idea, passed on from generation to generation:
the God-given promise that all are equal, all
are free and all deserve a chance to pursue
their full measure of happiness...
—Barack Obama, January 20, 2009

PRESIDENTIAL QUOTE
FOR THE WEEK

"I have been driven many times upon my
knees by the overwhelming conviction that
I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom,
and that of all about me, seemed insufficient
for the day."
—Abraham Lincoln

“The Christian religion, then, is not an affair of
preaching, or prating, or ranting, but of taking
care of the bodies as well as the souls of people;
not an affair of belief and of faith and of professions,
but an affair of doing good, and especially to those
who are in want; not an affair of fire and brimstone,
but an affair of bacon and read, beer and a bed.”
William Cobbett quotes (Pseudonym Peter Porcupine,
English popular journalist, champion of traditional rural
England against the Industrial Revolution, 1763-1835)

“Faith makes a Christian. Life proves a Christian.
Trial confirms a Christian. Death crowns a Christian.”

Quote:
“The whole being of any Christian is faith and love.
Faith brings the man to God, love brings him to men.”
Martin Luther (1483-1546)

PRAY FOR OUR NEW PRESIDENT

Scripture:

1 Timothy 2

1I urge, then, first of all, that requests,
prayers, intercession and thanksgiving
be made for everyone— 2for kings and
all those in authority, that we may live
peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness
and holiness.

President Barack Obama now steps up to lead
our nation into a historic new era. The challenges
and demands he will face are daunting at the
least and overwhelming at most. Yet, in his
Inaugural Address, he invoked the good will of
the American people and our willingness to
roll up our sleeves and work hard.

“Every so often,” the President said, “the oath
is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging
storms. At these moments, America has carried
on not simply because of the skill or vision of
those in high office, but because we, the people,
have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears
and true to our founding documents. So it has been.
So it must be with this generation of Americans.”

This is a time to pray! The new administration will
grapple with the challenges of a struggling economy,
active wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and energy and
environmental concerns—all unprecedented in this
generation. With I Timothy 2:1-2 as our biblical
mandate,pray for our new president’s wisdom,
protection and success as he faces these issues,
and many more, over the next four years.

Let us join together and uphold him as the Israelites
of old did for their leader Moses. Please, invite your
friends and family to pray for President Obama and
the new administration.
Your prayers will work powerfully in our nation.

Prayer:

King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Lord of life and
death, protect our nation in our crisis, and our
needs. Turn our hearts to You, and let us find
strength and encouragement in You and peace
of heart and mind through the cleansing power
of You, Jesus Christ. Throughout the nation let wise
counsel, calm thinking, unselfish aims prevail.
With singleness of purpose let one and all
support all just measures. In Jesus' name
Amen.

Day Seventy-Six: January 20, 2009

For God’s anointing to be on President Obama
and Vice President Biden and every member of
their administration as they step up to unite and
serve our nation But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is with those who fear Him, and
His righteousness with their children's children—
with those who keep His covenant and remember
to obey His precepts.
—Psalm 103:17-18

O Awesome God, I exalt and praise You in
gratitude for the covenant You promise and
keep with those who love and honor You. All
praise and glory and honor to You, O God.
You are love and light, and there is no evil or
darkness in You! You show us the way You
want us to walk because of Your love and kindness.

As President Elect Obama and Vice President
Elect Biden are sworn into office, I ask Your great
blessing on both of them in humility and love. May
their hearts long and yearn for righteousness and
holiness. As they serve our nation, may they
understand that they are serving You and their
calling is from You and You alone. Keep them
humble; give them strength O holy and wonderful
God. In Jesus’ holy name, amen.

Day Seventy-Six: January 19, 2009
1 days.

For God’s leading and guiding to be
with President Elect Obama and every
part of his administration as he takes
the oath of office Guide me in Your truth
and teach me, for You are God my Savior,
and my hope is in You all day long.
—Psalm 25:5

Prayer:

O Lord God, You are supreme over all
things and all persons and all powers.
We proclaim Your glory and Your authority
and might. You have put all things in place,
and You rule in truth and beauty.

Inauguration Day is upon us, Holy God,
and President Elect Obama is about to
be sworn in to office. This is a time of
great transition and newness for our nation
and the world. You are a God of certainty,
whose control is sure, whose ways are
perfect. Therefore, we ask in faith that
You anoint and bless President Elect
Obama and his administration. May
they serve our country well and with
the highest integrity. As these leaders
enter the White House and all the echelons
of our government to lead our nation into
the future, I ask You to be powerfully
present in their lives and to bless them.
In the wonderful name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Scripture:

"Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;"
(John 11:25) NIV

Reflection:

This is, what I consider, one of the
strongest statements made by
Jesus Christ in the Holy Scriptures.
He is stating that He is the very life
and if you believe even though you
die you will live forever. In other
words even when you die an
earthly death, you will live forever
in heaven. I really don't see how
you can pass that up. I really do
believe there is more to life than
what this world seems to offer.
There simply has to be! I
couldn't live in this world if I
didn't know there wasn't some-
thing better. What I have discovered
in my life is Jesus Christ. He
brings me joy, love, peace, and
service. He died and rose again to
life and now, because I believe,
He is my life forever. What better
life is there. THIS CAN BE YOUR
LIFE JUST BELIEVE!

Prayer:

Oh Lord thank You for being my
Life, I do believe, and I know that
you will be my eternal reward.
Thank You for being there now
and forever. In Jesus Name Amen.

Day Seventy-Three: January 16, 2009
4 days, left until inauguration day.

For those who will be without jobs as
a result of the change in the White House
to find meaningful ways to continue to
serve their country
The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me;
Your love, O LORD, endures forever—
do not abandon the works of Your hands.
—Psalm 138:8

O Holy Lord God, I praise and thank
You for how You call persons into
relationship with You and then into
vocation to serve Your purposes in
the world. In Your love and kindness
You look on every person and see a
special resolve and calling.

Today I thank You for the dedicated
service of all who have served in the
past administration. I ask that You
provide meaningful employment
for each one who will lose their job
as a result of the change in the White
House. Show them precisely how to
move forward in their vocational path,
providing a place of significant service
for each one. In Your holy name, amen.

To all who believed him and accepted
him, he gave the right to become
children of God. John 1:12 NLT

God's fatherhood

Most people in the world would
agree with the statement that
"we are all God's children.
" It's a nice sentiment. It just
isn't what the Bible teaches.
According to God's Word,
unrepentant sinners are
actually God's enemies
(see Romans 5:10 and Colossians 1:21)
!It's only when we put our trust
in the Lord Jesus Christ that
we are reconciled to God and
experience forgiveness and
adoption into God's forever
family (Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5).

For a Christian going through hard
times, this "adoption" truth is the
best of all possible news. God is
not just the powerful Creator or a
righteous Lord, he is a loving Father.
He sees your trials. He listens to
your pleas. He cares and protects
and supports. He is never harsh
or impatient with you. He is never
"too busy" for you.

Take all the best qualities of all the
best earthly dads you've ever seen,
add them together, and multiply by
infinity. That's the kind of heavenly
Father God is to Christians who hurt.

Lord Jesus, I do believe in you. I
have accepted you as my Savior
and Lord. Thank you for revealing
yourself to me. Thank you for saving
me! Because of your grace and my
faith, I am a child of the living God.
I praise you. What a privilege! What
joy to know that in every situation
I have a loving, wise, and good
heavenly Father to counsel and help me.

adapted from Praying God's Promises
in Tough Times by Len Woods, Tyndale
House Publishers (2002), pp 68-9
As a substitute father for hundreds of
youth over the past thirteen years,
I've yet to encounter a young person
in trouble whose difficulty could be
traced to the lack of a strong father
image in the home.
PAUL ANDERSON

WE NEED TO PRAY FOR OUR CHILDREN

Matthew 19:13-15 (NCV)

Jesus Welcomes Children
13 Then the people brought their little children to
Jesus so he could put his hands on them[a] and
pray for them. His followers told them to stop,
14 but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me.
Don't stop them, because the kingdom of heaven
belongs to people who are like these children." 1
5 After Jesus put his hands on the children, he left there.

Reflection:

One of the most difficult tasks of any adult is to
bring up a child. This by no means is a easy task.
It involves a great deal of patience, love, discipline,
and understanding. Lets face it, we need help.
This is one road we cannot face alone. We as
parents must realize that there is someone with
us all the way. This teacher, this counselor, this
lord and master is the parent of all parents. HE IS
GOD!. HE IS OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!
We need to bring our children to Jesus, because
He wants to heal and bless them. So it is our
privilege and responsibility as parents to talk to Jesus
about them daily, whether they are sick, rebellious,
or they are doing well. We need our Savior to
give our children all that they need to get a long
in this life. Please parents always remember
that Jesus is there for you to make a task into
joy.

Prayer:

Oh mighty God my Lord and Savior, I need
Your help. My child needs Your help. This
world is not child friendly. Help me oh God
to be a parent like you, patient, loving, kind,
and understanding. In Jesus name Amen .