Thank God for God, part 2

It may seem to me sometimes that those that lead me in church do things that I don't understand and pray for things that I really wouldn't. As I read David, I see things there that I cannot reconcile with what my Savior taught. David prayed for strength against his enemies (Psalms 5:10; Psalms 6:10; Psalms 9:20) and to destroy those of evilness, so that purity could prevail amongst those he would lead. (Psalms 10:2; Psalms 25:3; Psalms 31:17,18) When I first read this, the question popped into my mind, "What about turning the other cheek?" He also prayed his enemies be dealt with justly (Psalms 28:4; Psalms 40:14,15; Psalms 54:5; Psalms 58:7) There are prayers that his enemies be smite down, that God thwart and confound his enemies, that those who were haughty and proud be leveled and ashamed of themselves. And as I read this more and more, the question continued to pop into my head that if David as a leader is beloved of God, then what of Christ, who is my spiritual leader and who I also know is beloved of God? Does that make what Christ said about turning the other cheek (Matthew 5) any less relevant than what David said about praying for the destruction of his enemies? I read Psalms again and this time came to another conclusion, that Christ's teaching is no different than what David prayed.David was praying to God to maintain the purity of his people, to excise that which was evil. In the same breath that Jesus said to pray for our enemies did he not specify that I must hate my father, mother, etc and love God? I believe that I am expected to treat my enemy thus. Those that do me wrong, while I love them I must hate what they are doing if what they are doing displeases God. I must pray like David prayed in Psalms 83 that what they do be like stubble in the wind, a fire that consumes them, and pray that evil and double-minded ones become confounded. I must pray that they do not like the situation they are in, the lifestyle they lead of intrigue and treachery become desolate and dead-end, so that they may see God's life is the only life of happiness. (Psalms 69:23-38) I must be in mourning over them, because my life is affected by those that would hurt me and only God can help me. (Job 3:1-11). I must above all things love God, obey God, and because He loves all, even my enemies. I must as Christ says love them too. But I must hate what control and power satan has over them. Therefore, I must pray that the evilness be removed from them and that purity to me and my people be returned and respected. So when my leaders pray for the defeat of enemies, it ins not for the personal defeat but the defeat of that which controls them, that which guides them to their paths of destruction. This is clearly prayed for in Psalms 140:9, 10. Let the mischief of their own lips cover them, he asks God. The inference is that let his people be pure in thought and deed and those that would cause trouble be destroyed. Destruction of that which causes His people pain is not foreign at all. Jeremiah prayed this prayer in chapter 11 verse 20 and chapter 12 verse3 so that God would destroy that which treats His people unrighteous. Jeremiah repeatedly asks for the LORD to remember him (Jeremiah 15:15), to avenge him (Jeremiah 17:18), to save His children from utter destruction at evil's hands. (Jeremiah 18:21-23) Most scary of all, but most necessary to maintain purity in spirit is the prayer of the leadership of the congregation to pray for those who are spiritually absent, that God may work with them to bring them back. Jeremiah takes this a step further. He asks that the evilness be brought and exposed in front of His people (Lamentations 1:22) so that they may repent. And then to punish them according to what they have done. Paul in Galatians 1:8,9 pleads this case as well. He pledges that if he or any angel brings a gospel other than the one Christ taught then they are to be condemned. Those are powerful words and not what I expect from followers of the Lamb. But even the Lamb was angry at the misuse of God's House for private financial gains. (Matthew 21:21; Mark 11:15) That is not what worship is all about, and it is the godly leaders that keep me on track so that I don't desecrate the temple, either external to me that is the corporate body of Christ or the internal temple that God has built in me since my rebirth through Christ.It is by realizing that it is God who deals with my enemies and not me that I can truly respect what my leaders do, so that I can trust them. It is the attitude that Paul had in Acts 20:36 after speaking to the elders and wishing them well before continuing on his missionary trip. He prayed with them all, going before the throne of God in humility and being Christ-like. (Philippians 2:1) Again we see this attitude of humility in Acts 21:5 when after much has been accomplished during the day all gathered around and prayed. And again in Acts 24:25. God must be in everything, must be in all things for us to be successful. Nothing, not our worship, not our taking of the Lord's Supper, or listening to sermons, or in prayer, nothing is worth anything without the presence of God.No step we take will be More important than our allowing God to make it for us.

Thanks be to God!!!!

America was built on a simple principle, "In God We Trust". That motto is on the money I use. It was in the hearts of those gentlemen now referred to as the founding fathers. And while those men were property and slave owners, in reality they were no different than me. Temptations loomed in front of them as much as they loom in front of ne, and they gave in just as I do. The resepct for the founding fathers lies not in their humanness, but in their love of God, enough to acknowledge His presence on money and in the legal document of the day as well as on the buildings erected for courts and legislation. This country was intentioned never to deny the presence of God, and to maintain the respect the founding fathers had for the Heavenly Father. Many early places in scripture have this same respect for God. The leaders, because of their respect for God were entitled to respect themselves by praying for them. (Deuteronomy 11:29,30; Deuteronomy 27:11,13; Deuteronomy 33:11) When articles of God were present, the eladers respected those items, and so did the people they were leading. (Joshua 8:33,34) And when the leaders of Israel who followed God with all their heart praye for protection, they were not doing this to protect just themselves but also their peopel. (Judges 16:28; II Samuel 16:10-12) Godly leaders often prayed for strength, both for themselves and those they were leading. (Nehemiah 4:4-5) Those who listened to the wise counsel of their leaders were counted as righteous. (Job 27:7) I thank God for wise and protective leaders.

Dream a little Dream part8

As Jews and later Christians, God's people were to be so totally dependant and submissive to God. This is David's sentiment in Psalms 45:2-16. There is beauty in obeying His laws and seeking His will and none of His word or obedience to His word was meant for outer attractiveness but fot he inner soul to be molded to God. We must be prepared and know where we are going and to be ready for anything, being alert and ready to shine as one of His children. (Matthew 25:1-4)

What happens when the dream turns sour? What happens when I take it upon myself to worship God according to my dream and not His dream? What happens when I don't follow the law as dictated in Leviticus 16:13, Leviticus 19:30 and Leviticus 21:12? These are specific situations for consecrating and anointing God's Holy Tabernacle, the pace where the presence of God is most preeminent. When I don't make His alter and tabernacle holy, or treat it as such, or I don't call for it's anointing, or if somehow I have defiled it by wanton error and sin (Leviticus 4:13,15) what will happen to my dream? There have been times when I have chosen to divide rather than to make peace, to add my desires onto what God truly says, rather than to be loving and accepting as God and His precious son are. (1 Corinthians 11:18; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13). What happens to God's dream? God is above all things, whether good or evil. God is wonderful and our praises should continuously and constantly be centered upon Him and only for Him. (Psalms 89:7; Psalms 111:1) God's dream will not shatter, there are always more who will come to His weeding banquet and that His son will invite. My participation if I chose as in Ezekiel 23:39 to profane the worship with innocent blood and coldness will be interrupted, perhaps permanently as God will destroy at least that portion this is defiling Him. (I Corinthians 3:17). He will take me down for destroying the image of His church. By the same token, when I acknowledge His true dream, the dream of His people under Christ, as in Matthew 16:18, then He shall acknowledge that I am part of Him and that His Son is the head of the church. (Ephesians 1:22,23). My dream will become to rejoice with the LORD in that which will come regardless of suffering because I know the prize that comes at the last days. (Collosians 1:24)