Day of Prayer

     It is difficult to find peace under my friendly shade today when America is in such dire circumstances.  As a banker, it is hard for me to understand why, as a nation, our leaders cannot come together to balance the budget.  When families get into financial crisis, they learn to cut back.  They stop excessive spending.  They reestablish their priorities.  As Christians, we are given a commission to render unto God that which belongs to Him, and to Caesar, that which belongs to Caesar.  When we look at what our obligations are we expect the government (Caesar) to be responsible with the money given them.  God has blessed our nation, but we lack good stewardship.  God can no longer say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness.” 

    I place before all of you, who are concerned about our country, to join the national call for prayer established for August 6.  It is to be a day of Prayer and Fasting for our nation in order to seek God’s guidance and wisdom in addressing the challenges that face our communities, states, and nation.  Please pray, on that day, for the healing of our country and for the restoration of enduring Godly values. 

R.G. Lee's humor mixed with Devotional Thought

        Dr. R. G. Lee humorously told the following joke:  The man had been in the choir for several years but he just couldn’t sing.  The pastor finally asked the man to come by his office.  Once there the pastor said, “It would be a good thing for you to leave the choir.” 
     At that the man asked, “Why? I’ve been in the choir for four years.”
    “Yes, I know, but I heard three people say you cannot sing.”
    “Aw! That ain’t nothing!  I heard fifty-six people say you can’t preach!” 

     When problems arise in a person’s life, whether personally or on the job, they often like to focus on someone else instead of making a change; a change that would improve their own life and reduce the problem they, themselves, may have created.   Sometimes they like to pull the other person down just to build themselves up.   Oftentimes, this creates a false image of the other person and creates a hostile environment. 

     Read what Jesus said: Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye (Matthew 7:3-5).

     What Jesus is saying is to first focus on your own shortcoming and on changes you need to make. This is not to say that others around you don't have faults and bad habits.  They may.  But despite that, God wants us to focus first on our part.

Humor with Devotional Thought and Scripture

It's a dry, hot day under my Friendly Shade in Arkansas today, but there is always a breeze when a child speaks; it adds humor and laughter to the heart.  The devotional thought is a summary of what my pastor spoke about this morning. 

A father was reading Bible stories to his young son. He read, “The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city, but his wife looked back and was turned to salt.”   His son asked, “What happened to the flea?”

It is never too early to start children in the word of God.  We are told that “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”  When we are afflicted, we often ask God to “quicken us” or in other terms: to revive, renew, or refresh.   When we feel spiritually dry deep in our souls, God’s word will provide refreshment.  It will give hope.  However, so many of us fail to get out our Bibles and read God’s word until we are actually going through those problems or afflictions in life.  Rather than turn to your Bible, after the fact, why not get the Bible out first.  Then when afflictions come they will “flee” much more quickly. 

This is my comfort in my affliction; for thy word hath quickened me.  Psalm 119:50

The Prayer of Jabez

“Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, 'Oh that Thou would bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast [territory], and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou would keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me!' And God granted him that which he requested." 1 Chron 4:10

     The book The Prayer of Jabez, written by Bruce Wilkerson, teaches a powerful way of praying, and it is a book I highly recommend.  The prayer, “Oh that Thou would bless me indeed” is part one that asks the Lord to bless you.  Are you surprised? Do you think this is a selfish request to ask blessings upon yourself? As Bruce writes, “Is it possible that God wants you to be more selfish in your prayers?”  Read the book.  You will find a remarkable eye-opener lesson. 

     The 2^nd part of the prayer, “Enlarge my coast” is a plea for God to take all God has put under your care and to enlarge your territory for Him.  I was fearful of this part, because I thought God would ask me to do something I did not want to do or would be unable to do.  I have since put my full faith in Him and sincerely asked Him to enlarge my territory.  If you will try it, you will find it will take the complacency out of your life.  

     The 3^rd part of the pray, “That Thine hand might be with me,” is a simple request to ask God to empower you to do what He asks. We should ask everyday for God’s touch upon us.   

     The 4^th part of the prayer, “That Thou would keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me” is a request to keep you from temptation, and as Bruce interprets, “that I may not cause pain.” 

     I have given only a brief sampling of what you will find in the book, The Prayer of Jabez.  I encourage everyone to read the book.  It will change your life. 

Independence Day Celebration Under A Friendly Shade

America The Beautiful is a wonderful song, and it brings to mind this July 4th that America is really beautiful.  There are spacious lakes, skies, mountains, and oceans.  God has shed His grace on all of it.  As we pause and give thanks for His abundant blessings, let us also remember that it is up to us, the people, to keep America beauiful.  It is still truly the "land of opportunity."   However, when I look at the countryside I often find litter along the highways, washed up on the beaches, and scattered along the trailways.  What a sad state our country is in when we do not appreciate  and respect our nation and country enough to keep it clean and litter free.  I wrote the following poem several years ago and hope people will take it to heart to keep America beautiful. 
 

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

America, the Beautiful

Oh! How Wonderful!

My soul sorely aches

For the garbage put into our lakes.

America, the Beautiful

Oh! How Wonderful!

Such a disrespectul mistake

To throw bottles and cans onto our interstates.

America, the Beautiful

Oh! How Wonderful!

What a privilege to abide

And not litter our countryside.

America, the Beautiful

Oh! How Wonderful! 

                     Mary Crisp Jameson

"And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good"…

Genesis 1:31