Note: As of publication of this prayer, President Obama has nominated Craig Fugate to head FEMA; the Senate has not yet confirmed his nomination.
For President Obama�s director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to have strength and eager ambition while serving the American people in times of crisis
They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.
�II Samuel 22:19
Holy God, You are our safe and strong shelter through every kind of storm. When we look to You we are kept secure. How we praise You today for Your kind provision for us in every situation�whether critical or calm�You always make a way for us. Thank You for Your kindness to us this day, O Lord! We take refuge in You, knowing that Your love for us is great.
We humbly ask for Your strength and wisdom to guide our nation�s FEMA Director as he prepares to lead this important agency that steps in with arms of compassion and provision in the most dire circumstances. Bless him as he serves, Lord, that he may be filled with passion to serve the citizens of our nation who are impacted by powerful natural disasters. May Your goodness be revealed in the efforts of FEMA, we pray O Lord, amen.
For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, �Seek my face.�
My heart says to you,
�Your face, Lord, do I seek.�
9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me in.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.
13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
"The sum of the whole is this: However inclined by nature earthly parents are to help their children, nay, though they should endeavour to cherish them with the greatest ardour of affection, yet should affection be wholly extinguished in the earth, God would fulfil the duty of both father and mother to his people. From which it follows, that we basely undervalue the grace of God, if our faith rise not above all the affections of nature; for sooner shall the laws of nature be overturned a hundred times, than God shall fail his people."
Amen!
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)
"The War Inside"
Weekend article
The Christian life is a war, and the fiercest battles are those that rage within the heart of every believer. Thus begins this article, and I couldn't agree more! He goes on to state that, although our sinful nature is radically changed by the new birth, we are not immediately liberated from all the "remnants of sin." We must grow, and, unfortunately, that involves "warfare."
From the time of our new birth, we have dwelling within us the Spirit of God. The only way we can be victorious is through the power of this Spirit. Paul calls us, in Galatians, to walk by the Spirit. What is the Spirit's agenda? Jesus tells us in John 16:13-14. This passage says that the Spirit will glorify Jesus. "Believers glorify Christ when we treasure Him above everything else in life." That is how we follow the Spirit's "agenda."
Describing this whole thing as a fight, though, explains why the pursuit of holiness is such a struggle. We do, indeed, have an enemy within that rebels against the Spirit's desire for us.
The encouragement in this is the fact that, if we are experiencing this struggle, it is an indicator of spiritual life. Unbelievers do not experience this internal war.
Genesis 10 is what is known as "The Table of Nations." It runs down the nations that descended from the children of Noah.
Then in Genesis 11 comes that very strange tale of the tower of Babel. Following that is the genealogy that leads us to a man named Abram. Genesis 11 ends with Terah, Abram's father, dying in Haran, (also the name of one of Abram's brothers, the father of Lot).
In light of current worlds events (along with the consideration of end-time prophecies), it is interesting to me to read Genesis 11. God confuses the masses by giving them all different languages, so that they are dispersed throughout the world into different countries. What seems to be happening now in our world is an attempt to reverse that. The whole "one world order" thing is just a bit disturbing to me. But it does seem to be prophecied, so I wouldn't be comfortable struggling against it.
On a side note, that is something that kind of baffles me. We read the Bible and we see the prophecies that lead to the end times (which means that Jesus returns victoriously, all of our struggles are over, and we really, truly, do live "happily ever after!!). Yet, Christians are expending unlimited amounts of energy fighting against the things that are in the prophecies! What's up with that? I say, bring 'em on because it makes our glorious ending that much closer, right??
I also ask, Father, that we be more aware of what is happening in our world when it comes to your prophecies. Not so that we can become obsessed with them, but so that we can see your victory approaching. To me, that is the entire message of the end times, that you will return victoriously, to deliver us forever from the powers of sin and darkness. I pray, along with John the Revelator, "Maranatha! Lord Jesus!!" Come quickly, Lord! This world is groaning with the pains of evil everywhere. I don't know how much longer it can stand. My heart beats quickly, though, to think of your return and what it means for us! I long for that day, Lord. So when I see people doing things that fulfill Biblical prophecy, I rejoice. I do not rejoice in their evil intentions, I rejoice in the fact that it means your return is that much closer. I certainly will not fight to put it off. Come quickly, Lord!
Grace and peace, friends!