God Bless the USA

Snippet

That is how we act in accordance with God’s will; by taking responsible action against injustice, against evil.  To not act condones evil.  And it is better to sin to oppose evil directly than to accept evil in steadfast devotion to ones private virtue.  (Hard Call John McCain on Bonheoffer’s decision to use violence to oppose Hitler. Pg 323)

Scripture

Righteousness exalts a nation,

But sin is a disgrace to any people. Proverbs 14:34

Song

God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD4RFjmlzcQ

If tomorrow all my things were gone,

I'd worked for all my life.

And I had to start again,

With just my children and my wife.

I'd thank my lucky stars,

To be livin' here today.

'Cause the flag still stands for freedom,

And they can't take that away.

And I'm proud to be an American,

Where at least I know I'm free.

And I won't forget the men who died,

Who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,

Next to you and defend her still today.

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,

God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,

To the hills of Tennessee.

Across the plains of Texas,

From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,

And New York to L.A.

Well there's pride in every American heart,

And its time we stand and say.

That I'm proud to be an American,

Where at least I know I'm free.

And I wont forget the men who died,

Who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,

Next to you and defend her still today.

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,

God bless the USA.

And I'm proud to be an American,

Where at least I know I'm free.

And I wont forget the men who died,

Who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,

Next to you and defend her still today.

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land,

God bless the USA.

Sentence Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We come before You today to ask Your Forgiveness and seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ''Woe to those who call evil good,'' but that's exactly what we have done. We have lost our Spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values. We confess that; we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism; We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism; We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle; We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery; We have neglected the needy and called it self preservation; We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare; We have killed our unborn and called it choice; We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable; We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem; We have abused power and called it political savvy; We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition; We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression; We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of this state and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great state of _____________. Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your Will.

I ask in in the name of your Son, The Living Savior, Jesus Christ

Prayer of Repentance, Pastor Bob Russell

AMERICAN SOLDIER

Snippet

"It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the organizer, Who gave us the freedom to demonstrate

It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag.

And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protester to burn the flag."

Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC

Scripture

“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other. John 15:9-17 NLT

Song

"American Soldier"  By Toby Keith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWrMeBR8W-c

I'm just trying to be a father,

Raise a daughter and a son,

Be a lover to their mother,

Everything to everyone.

Up and at 'em bright and early,

I'm all business in my suit,

Yeah, I'm dressed for success from my head down to my boots,

I don't do it for money, there's still bills that I can't pay,

I don't do it for the glory, I just do it anyway,

Providing for our future's my responsibility,

Yeah I'm real good under pressure, being all that I can be,

And I can't call in sick on Mondays when the weekends been to strong,

I just work straight through the holidays,

And sometimes all night long.

You can bet that I stand ready when the wolf growls at the door,

Hey, I'm solid, hey I'm steady, hey I'm true down to the core,

And I will always do my duty, no matter what the price,

I've counted up the cost, I know the sacrifice,

Oh, and I don't want to die for you,

But if dying's asked of me,

I'll bear that cross with an honor,

'Cause freedom don't come free.

I'm an American soldier, an American,

Beside my brothers and my sisters I will proudly take a stand,

When liberty's in jeopardy I will always do what's right,

I'm out here on the front lines, so sleep in peace tonight.

American soldier, I'm an American,

An American,

An American Soldier

Sentence Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy every day, we think of how they have followed in the footsteps of your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Please hold our servicemen and women in your strong arms. Cover them with your sheltering grace and your presence as they stand in the gap for our protection.

We also remember the families of our troops. We ask for your unique blessings to fill their homes, and we pray your peace, provision, and strength will fill their lives.

May the members of our armed forces be supplied with courage to face each day and may they trust in the Lord's mighty power to accomplish each task. Let our military brothers and sisters feel our love and support.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

http://christianity.about.com/od/prayersverses/qt/memorialdaypray.htm

I AM A SEED

Snippet

Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.  Robert Schuller

Scripture

But someone may ask, “How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?” 36 What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. 37 And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat or whatever you are planting. I Corinthians 15:35-37 NLT

Song

David Crowder Band I am a Seed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDpkj9Kamqg

Oh I am a seed

Oh I am a seed

I've been pushed down into the ground

But i will rise up a tree

Oh I can see it won't be long

Till I break free from what I was

Your river of grace flows endlessly

You won't turn your back on me

Oh I am a seed

Oh I am a seed

I've been pushed down into the ground

But i will rise up a tree

I've been burned up in so many fires

From these ashes I will rise

Lord your power has rescued me

For you I'll always sing

Oh I am a seed

Oh I am a seed

I've been pushed down into the ground

But I will rise up a tree

Oh I am a seed

Oh I am a seed

Won't stay long here in this earth

When you rain your love on me

Lord, rain your love on me

Sentence Prayer

A grain of wheat is a solitary grain

Till it falls to the ground and dies

A grain of wheat is a solitary grain.

But dead it bears a mighty harvest.

Praise to Jesus, the resurrection and the life.

All who have faith in Christ,

Through they die, they will come to life;

And no one who is alive in faith will every die.

For the Son of Man was raised up

So that everyone who believes in Jesus

May have eternal life.

Look on Jesus, lifted up,

Lifted high to redeem the world. Amen

(New Zealand Prayer Book pg 107)

Nothing Beyond Repair

Snippet

The ravages of sin, neglect, abuse, and a thousand addictions have left us all a shadow of what we were meant to be.  John Eldredge Beautiful Outlaw. pg 48

Scripture

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ People who believe in God’s Son are not judged guilty. Those who do not believe have already been judged guilty, because they have not believed in God’s one and only Son. John 3:16-18

Song

Everfound Never Beyond Repair

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laIzsL0waTQ

You’ve done what you promised that you’d never do
Your innocence gone and your fears coming true
How did you end up like this, feeling so lost?

Like your life is in pieces too broken to fix
And chains got you tied to a weight you can’t lift
But the biggest mistake that you made
Isn’t too big

[Chorus]
You’re not beyond repair
Grace meets you anywhere
And the mess of your heart
Is where love’s gonna start
Cause you are, never beyond repair
You’re never beyond repair

For all of your pain there’s a father who hurts
For all of your hurt there’s a healer who works
You’re never too far from his reach
So just believe, just believe

[Chorus]
You’re not beyond repair
Grace meets you anywhere
And the mess of your heart
Is where love’s gonna start
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com
Cause you are, never beyond repair
Never beyond repair

The moment you gave up
He gave up his life for you
The savior is able,
His forgiveness is the proof

You’re not beyond repair
Grace meets you anywhere
And the mess of your heart
Is where love’s gonna start
Cause you are, never beyond repair
You’re never beyond repair

[Chorus]
You’re not beyond repair
Grace meets you anywhere
And the mess of your heart
Is where love’s gonna start
Cause you are, never beyond repair
You’re never beyond repair
Never beyond repair, 
You’re never beyond repair.

Sentence Prayer

Father;
Some days I feel powerful over sin, through the Power of the Holy Spirit!
Some days I hit the pavement so hard, I feel forgiveness has been smacked out of me!
Jesus, today I feel beyond repair because there is a part of me that loves the dark
Jesus, today by faith I ask for your mercy and repair work
God have mercy on me a Sinner.
Restore to me the Joy of Jesus

Amen

Prayers for Moore Oklahoma

Snippet

Bad thing do happen in the world, like war, natural disasters, disease.  But out of those situations always arise stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Daryn Kagan

Scripture

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[j]

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future,nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39

Song

  Something good in this world - Marc Sciblia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POEuvN7pnHw

It takes a lot of time
There's so much you've got to leave behind
And hold it like a treasure if you can't find
Something good in this world
Something good in this world
There's so much hard earth to dig
In these days of curse that we live
I'm absolutely sure that in the midst
There's something good in this world
There's something good in this world
And life will try to take
your inner sense and brace
and no matter what comes to your door
you've got to keep looking for something good in this world


And life will try to take
your inner sense and your grace
and no matter what comes to your door
you've got to keep looking for something good in this world

Oh keep on looking...


Sentence Prayer
Almighty God,
Why are the wind allowed wreck such havoc and death?  
God have Mercy on us!
Almighty God,
the time of trial has come
God have mercy!
Almighty God,
Revive your church again, may we grow to be the hope of the world
God have mercy on your children!  Amen


Would you Consider spending a few minutes in prayer or a day of fasting
 for those affected by the tornadoes in Oklahoma?

I'll Never Get out of this World Alive

Snippet

The negatives don't define our lives.  God's positives define us.  What negatives do is leave room for the main action.  God's action. Eugene Peterson Practice Resurrection pg 196

Scripture

For hardship does not spring from the soil,
    nor does trouble sprout from the ground.
Yet man is born to trouble
    as surely as sparks fly upward.
“But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
    I would lay my cause before him. Job 5:6-8

Song

Hank Williams I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7FQeFOBtBk

Now you're lookin' at a man that's gettin' kind a mad

I had lot's of luck but it's all been bad

No matter how I struggle and strive

I'll never get out of this world a live.

My fishin' pole's broke the creek is full of sand

My woman run away with another man

No matter how I struggle and strive

I'll never get out of this world alive.

A distant uncle passed away and left me quite a batch

And I was livin'g high until that fatal day

A lawyer proved I wasn't born

I was only hatched.

Ev'rything's agin' me and it's got me down

If I jumped in the river I would prob'ly drown

No matter how I struggle and strive

I'll never get out of this world alive.

These shabby shoes I'm wearin' all the time

Are full of holes and nails

And brother if I stepped on a worn out dime

I bet a nickel I could tell you if it was heads or tails.

I'm not gonna worry wrinkles in my brow

'Cause nothin's ever gonna be alright nohow

No matter how I struggle and strive

I'll never get out of this world alive.

I could buy a Sunday suit and it would leave me broke

If it had two pair of pants I would burn the coat

No matter how I struggle and strive

I'll never get out of this world alive.

If it was rainin' gold I wouldn't stand a chance

I wouldn't have a pocket in my patched up pants

No matter how I struggle and strive

I'll never get out of this world alive.

Sentence Prayer

Father;
A Grain of wheat is a solitary grain
till it falls to the ground and dies.
a grain of wheat is a solitary grain.
but dead it bears a mighty harvest.

Praise to Jesus, the resurrection and the life.
All who have faith in Christ,
though they die, they will come to life;
and no one who is alive in faith will ever die.

For the Son of Man was raised
so that everyone who believes in Jesus
may have eternal life.

Look on Jesus, lifted up,
lifted high to redeem the world.  Amen
(New Zealand Prayer Book pg 107)

Holy Spirit 15 Self-Study

Holy Spirit 15

  1 Corinthians 3:1-4

Self-Study

Monday:  Read I Corinthians 12 List the Spiritual Gifts that were operating in the Corinthians Church?

Tuesday:  Read I Corinthians 3:1-4

Even though the Corinthians Church had miraculous gifts what does Paul say is evidence of the Spirit?

Wednesday: Prayerfully read I Corinthians 14:12

What spirit is in operation if a person insist on using a gift that is tearing the church apart?

What evidence of the Holy Spirit is in all of Paul’s writing?  Reflect on this verse

Thursday: What can we learn about today’s temple of God?

1 Corinthians 3:16-18

1 Corinthians 6:15-17

Ephesians 2:20-22

Friday: What is the purpose of Milk?

I Corinthians 3:1-3

Hebrews 5:11-6:3

1 Peter 2:1-3

What is a evidence of Spiritual maturity?

Saturday: What is the meat or Solid Food of Scripture?

I Corinthians 3:1-3

Hebrews 5:11-6:3

Hebrews 5:8  is it milk or meat?  Why?  What is it concerned about?

Hebrews 6:12 What is another sign of maturity and being filled with the Spirit?

Sunday:  Read I Corinthians chapters1-3 and list what you have learned about the Holy Spirit.

LIKE JESUS

Snippet

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years. Audrey Hepburn

Scripture

To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? I Corinthians 7:12-16

Song

Like Jesus Does by Eric Church

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT8vo1hyJY0

I'm a long-gone Waylon song on vinyl,

I'm a back row sinner at a tent revival,

But she believes in me like she believes her Bible,

And loves me like Jesus does.

I'm a lead foot leaning on a souped-up Chevy,

I'm a good old boy, drinking whiskey and rye on the levee,

But she carries me when my sins make me heavy,

And loves me like Jesus does.

All the crazy in my dreams,

Both my broken wings,

Every single piece of everything I am,

Yeah, she knows the man I ain't,

She forgives me when I can't,

The devil, man, no, he don't stand a chance,

'Cause she loves me like Jesus does.

I always thought she'd give up on me one day,

Wash her hands of me, leave me staring down some runway,

But I thank God each night, and twice on Sunday,

That she loves me like Jesus does.

All the crazy in my dreams,

And both my broken wings,

Every single piece of who I am,

Yeah, she knows the man I ain't,

She forgives me when I can't,

And the devil, man, no, he don't have a prayer,

'Cause she loves me like Jesus does.

Yes, she knows the man I ain't,

She forgives me when I can't,

That devil, man, he don't stand a chance

She loves me like Jesus does.

I'm a long-gone Waylon song on vinyl.

Sentence Prayer

No sentence prayer here just take a few minutes and thank the Almighty for you wife!