Tuesday, March 29, 2016

PRAYING YOUR POLITICS 1

Last week I started a new blog, Thinking in The Spirit, http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/. I began writing about the relief and refuge of repentance. Next week I will continue that theme. But this week, and every other week in the future, I want to return to Watching in Prayer.

This being an election year in America, I want to talk to you about praying your politics. What does this mean? How do you apply this dictum?
If you get serious about doing this, you will of course pray your thinking. Nearly all of us feel like what we believe our country needs is being threatened. And I believe you need to do that even if I do not agree with your politics.
But let me ask you if you are praying for your morals. How important are your morals to you? Are you tempted to focus more on the economy or your comfort, your own benefit above what God declares to be right or wrong?
Do your morals include compassion? Compassion is the most critical thing Jesus spoke of concerning judgment of the nations.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” 
Matthew 25:31-46






Tuesday, March 15, 2016

PRAY FOR ME

This has seemed strange to some of you when I have done it in the past. But it is crucial that I ask my readers to pray for me and for my blog. This is important because all wisdom, all discernment and all knowledge come from God. If He does not speak through my writing, no one will benefit.
This is true about anything you read, anyone who teaches or any preacher you listen to. Pray for God to speak to them. And ask Him to speak through them. I have a particular request this week, although God may impress you to pray something entirely different for me.
Here is my request. I am considering starting a new blog. I think I will call it, "THINKING IN THE SPIRIT." If indeed I do this, I will write one week in my WATCHING IN PRAYER Blog, and the next in THINKING IN THE SPIRIT. Pray for clear guidance for me in this matter.
God bless you.
Dave

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

IN THE LORD

The Apostle John trembled as he was given this wonderful promise from heaven.
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them."
What does it mean to die in the Lord? Whatever it means, I am sure you know the only way you can die in the Lord is to be living in the Lord when you die. This is one of those verses that are so full of truth that it continually spills out on you. God is so anxious to give this promise to you that you cannot read it without hearing His voice speaking to your heart.
This phrase is very like Paul's modest depiction of himself as "a man in Christ." (2Cor.12:2) Being in Christ means being swallowed up in Him. Most pertinent to this blog is being in communion with Him. Are you listening to Him? How much time do you spend each day in prayer.
Being in communion with Christ means being in fellowship with His church. A primary way God speaks to us is through the church. Of course He will speak to you through the teaching and preaching in the church. And God has often spoken to me as I spoke to Him in worship. God also speaks to us through other people in the church. If you allow Him to, the Lord will speak to you through someone who is less mature spiritually. But I believe we experience our closest fellowship with God when we pray together with other believers in church.
Are you in communion with the Lord?