Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not
be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with your
wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

Reflection:

I have to tell you, I have been saying this verse in my
mind and definitely in my heart, a great deal lately.
Be strong and courageous. Now thats easier said than
done. I would like to think that I am strong and
courageous, but I'm really not.  I find myself often
weakend and certainly not very courageous.  I give
into my weakness to easely and that shows a lack of
courage.        

I don't think there are a lot of things in my life that I'm
afraid of. I also must admit there are not a lot of
circumstances that would cause me to fear. But now
I am facing medical problems and surgeries, for the
first time in my life I feel afraid.

Do not be discouraged? You got to be kiddin me, how
can you not be discouraged?  Look around you, poverty,
children starving, Isis & Alkida terroism, gun violence
and murder, the power of the rich, apathy, anger, racism,
and not to even mention personal  problems that we face
everyday.
 
What in the world is the answer to all of this?

The answer is a very important reminder=
"THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL BE WITH YOU
WHEREVER YOU GO!
You see that's the answer, God is with you always. I
couldn't do it, I couldn't face all this and more without my
God.  I can rely on my God, I can trust my God
no matter where I'm at, no matter where I go,
GOD IS WITH ME AND GOD IS WITH YOU!

I feel such joy and such confidence knowing my God is with
 me and He will give me strength through all of this. And
you know something He will see you through it too!
JUST BELIEVE!   JUST TRUST IN HIM!  

Prayer:

Thank you Lord for always being with me
always being there, I have no need to be
afraid, or discouraged, because You are
there and I trust You. In the Name Jesus
Amen

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were
sanctified, you were justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus
Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

Years ago, Pam and I were leading a Christian tour to Egypt.

We, along with our fellow travelers, were awed by the sights
and sounds of that wonderful country of past power. There was
one thing which didn't impress many of the "cleanliness-is-next
-to-godliness" travelers. They were taken somewhat aback by
the dust and dirt that seemed to be encountered everywhere.
One lady, who was either more offended or more outspoken
than the rest, was shocked when she saw a particularly dirty
child playing on what looked to be a village garbage dump.

She complained to those around her: "Why doesn't her mother
do something to clean up her little girl?"

Our guide, a native Egyptian sitting in the front seat of the bus,
overheard her question. Calmly, he reached over and took up the
microphone used to broadcast his narratives throughout the coach.
Without any venom in his voice, he calmly said, "Ladies and
gentlemen, someone has asked the question why would a mother
allow her daughter to get so dirty?"

"I can only tell you this: visitors to our country hate dirt, but they
don't know or love the little children. Mothers of our country know
and love their little children, but don't hate the dirt. Until love for a
child and hatred for dirt come together in one person, these dirty
children you see are likely to remain as they are."

The bus got quiet after that, quiet for a long time.

Partly things got quiet because we were embarrassed that the
question had been overheard, and partly it was because we had felt
we had been quite rightly reprimanded. But most of us were quiet
because we knew what the guide had said was profoundly true.

The guide's words are true for the world, and they're true for each
of us. For positive changes to happen in our lives, hatred of that
which is evil -- and the power to remove that evil -- must be joined
together.

Please let me explain. Almost everyone in the world knows he is
filthy with sin. Most of us hate the evil we do, but we are powerless
to do anything about it. If you look at most of the world's religions,
you will see "deities" who say they have the power to change their
followers, but they are disinclined to do so. For that reason the
followers of those religions feel they must somehow, in some way,
do something to work their way up and earn peace with their god.

But Christianity is different -- and unique.

The Triune God is furious with us for our disobedience and manifold
transgressions. He has told us the soul that sins will die, both
temporally and eternally. Yes, God hates our sin, but He is never
content to let us stay in our sin.

So that we might be saved, God sent His Son into this world.

In the Person of Jesus, hatred of sin and love for transgressors came
together. Through His life, His sacrifice, His substitution for sinners;
by Jesus' suffering, death and glorious resurrection all who believe on
Him are saved. Our dirt has been washed away because justice and
grace have come together in the Triune God.

THE PRAYER:

Dear Lord, I give thanks that in Jesus I have all that I need to be saved.
May my life show my gratitude for His work, by which I am cleansed
and rescued. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Pastor Klaus
(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword,
drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his
ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its
place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword."
Matthew 26:51-52

Voice

Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than
love. It destroys community and makes brotherhood impossible.
It leaves society in monologue rather than dialogue. Violence
ends up defeating itself. It creates bitterness in the survivors
and brutality in the destroyers.
Martin Luther King Jr.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, you offer to us the divine delight of life in the
beloved community, but only as a gift to be shared, not a
structure to be imposed or controlled. Take the tools of
domination from our hands — disarm us as you disarmed the
powers of evil on the cross.

(sojo.com)