Category Archives: Prayer

Culture, Ministry, Motivation, Prayer

pinogam

The more I study His word the more I realize my own self-worth is not worth at all. I see all mankind in one of two groups.  You may well think these groups may be categorized as the Good and the bad.  But I don’t see it that way. Let me explain

Group one includes those who think they are righteous and the second are those who know they are sinners.  Matthew 9:13. One group pretends there is no need for God and the other simply acknowledges a need for God.

The common denominator is that we all need help. The catch is that we don’t all admit it. Rather than realizing everyone is in this together, that we are all in need of help, we often prop up our self-esteem by looking at people who do supposedly worse things than ourselves.

We create a scale and somewhere there is a line between good and bad.  In our scale we work diligently to stay above the line. We live our lives in a two-story home on a quiet cul-de-sac, we keep our lawn well-manicured and our cars washed, we stay faithful to our spouse, we work hard at our chosen vocations, we pay our bills, and never cheats on taxes. We compare our goodness to others’ badness and think, “I’m a morally sound person. I’m doing pretty well. I don’t need help.”

All have sinned and fallen short of God’s ideal. We are all PINOGAMS (People In Need of Grace and Mercy). One group pretends there is no need for God and the other simply acknowledges a need.

Our superficial labeling system guarantees that we will never find freedom ourselves. It takes courage and humility to recognize we are as messed up as the drug addict next door. Few ever get that honest with ourselves. If we can’t be honest with ourselves, we’ll never be honest with God. We will continue to whitewash our dark sides and flaunt our good deeds, and nothing will ever change.

I guess we are really all in one category after all. We all need.

Bible, Bible Study, Church, Prayer, Worship

I have a dream

To steal a phrase of Martin Luther King Jr. and a synopsis of the Sermon on the Mount, this is the text of my dream for the church which are honored Citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Written by someone who is a PINOGAM.  (Person In Need Of Grace And Mercy).

My fellow citizens, I have a dream for you today!

A dream:

Where The Kingdom of Heaven’s gates are thrown open to the Poor in Spirit.
Where those who are oppressed and put down are comforted,
Where the meek and lowly are welcomed to their inheritance,
Where those who have found a deep longing for righteousness are filled,
Where those who show mercy will be welcomed and forgiven,
Where The pure in heart will be overwhelmed and awed by the sight of God,
Where those who have sought peace and justice will receive their rightful name of children of heaven,
Where those who have been ridiculed, made fun of, put down, hung up, killed, ostracized will permanently possess the Kingdom of heaven.

You see I have a dream for you!

A dream for you to be the flavor and brightness of the world.
A dream that you will find a place of righteousness greater than any in the time of Jesus.
A dream where murder, adultery, divorce, broken promises, retribution, never happen in your lives.
A dream where there is true and unfailing love for your enemies.

I pray for a day,

When the needy will be supplied
When prayer will be more than lip service
When forgiveness is the new normal
When fasting is more than way to loose weight

There is a dream in my heart for you all, A day in which:

Your treasures in heaven become more important than any here on earth.
Your eyes are open to new opportunities and light.
All that happens in your life does not shadow God’s blessings.

I have a dream where:

We come to a place where we are able to discern right from wrong without any planks in our eyes,
Where we can petition God for heavenly things instead of earthly.

I have a dream in which all who search for the narrow gate will find it.

I have a dream where Kingdom of Heaven Citizens:

Might look at every teacher, preacher or prophet, and look carefully at their fruit that you will know true from false.
That God can search me and find nothing that would shadow my words as I have taught and will teach.
Where there is no hypocrisy in our deeds.
Where there is no hypocrisy in our motives.
Where there is no hypocrisy in our character.

I have a dream:

In that great storm which is coming that I know my foundation is true.

I have a dream today.

A dream of a great and glorious day:

Where every valley shall be raised, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see this day together. 

God Bless you and Keep you as you make your own dreams. 

Just Larry

Culture, Prayer

What is going on here?

Help me to understand. I simply do not understand how tearing down society and culture helps. Why would any person willingly destroy property simply to make a statement of belief? When does violence, destruction, mayhem, infliction of pain become justified to make a point? What I don’t understand is the motive behind these acts of common indecency.

The motive of those who would seem to actively tear down something has to be skewed in some way to say it is OK to protest violence with much worse violence. If it is to bring awareness to injustice, you have made your point. Yes, there is injustice in our society. Yet to inflict even more injustice is simply without merit.

I am a Christian. I am commanded to love. No limitations, no restrictions, no lines in the sand where you can step over and I will not love you. What I ask is that you look at your own lives for injustice, hate, bigotry, racism, and before you make your case. Jesus said not to judge that you may not be judged in the same manner. Are your awareness actions anything like what you want to accomplish? Do you want to be treated like you are treating those about you? Jesus would ask you to make sure your heart is right first. THEN make your case, in a logical, unemotional, thoughtful way and I will listen. Throw away all the catchphrases and sound bites, all they do is stop the discussion. Don’t call me names and fill your protest with pre-conceived ideas about me. Present to me your solutions to the injustice which carries no inherent injustices themselves, and I will try to everything in my soul to work toward that solution.

In the meantime, stop with the violence, destruction, mayhem, and infliction of pain to make a point and which does not include a solution.

Prayer

Today’s Prayer is every day’s prayer

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Lord:

I pray for divine strength and spiritual endurance – RIGHT NOW. My outward self is perishing. I can almost feel the waning of my years and labor, in each breath and exertion. Yet Lord I believe my inner self is renewed day by day. I believe You make all things new. I believe the Holy Spirit is renewing me day by day. Let me not be distracted by my situation, or my mood or my temporary pain. Instead, I will use these pains and pressures to focus on becoming more like You. I will stand steadfast in my efforts to remain on the path of righteousness. I do not want to spend another moment wasted on the world. The world is but a temporary place; full of things that do not satisfy. I choose to seek You, because I know You offer life, relationship, and love. I seek first, before all else, and as my primary focus, the acting out of Your righteousness in Your Kingdom. I pray that Your righteousness and not self, to control my life. Create again and again and again a clean heart and a right spirit within me.

Just Larry.

Motivation, Prayer, Worship

A Prayer of Connection.

My LORD and my God.

By my very existence I know that I am an image-bearer of you the Most High God.  Listen to me as I call upon your name in the full expectation of our like-minded Spirits were created to connect. 

I praise you because of your calling, I belong here.  I belong here on this earth. I belong here at my Kings table.  I belong here at the feet of Jesus.  I belong here within this community of like-minded believers. I belong here not because I deserve it but because you desire me to be here.

Sweet Jesus, you deserve to be loved, you deserve our reverence, you deserve all my praise. I will not allow anything, nor my situation, not my lack of faith, not my feelings of unworthiness keep me from your presence. I do not my rejectors and nor my naysayers keep me from worshiping. I don’t buy into their lies.

In your presence, I am strangely warmed, I am blessed, I am encouraged, of your concern of my plight.

There is no other place I would rather be.  I am yours.

Please don’t give up on me. Don’t stop drawing me to this place of belonging. I trust you God to lead me wherever it may be.  I give you the lead in all my ways. My hope is only in you.  Reveal to me your will, your path, and your road to blessings. Because you are here my Jesus, I call upon your name to bless our lives.