Black-and-White Truth in a Fifty-Shades-of-Grey World - J. Lee Grady

Black-and-White Truth 

in a Fifty-Shades-of-Grey World

 10/15/2014 J. LEE GRADY  charisma magazine

Do you agree with these biblical precepts concerning sexuality? (iStock photo)

Catholic bishops made headlines this week when they hosted a discussion at the Vatican about homosexuality and then released a 12-page report on their conversation. Depending on who was spinning the news, the headline either read: "BISHOPS MORE OPEN TO GAY MARRIAGE" or "CATHOLIC LEADERS STILL OPPOSE GAY UNIONS."

Vatican leaders insist Pope Francis won't be changing church doctrine anytime soon. But with so many mixed signals in this new report, he needs to say what he believes. In an age when Fifty Shades of Grey, the book and film, is a dominant force in popular culture, we need leaders who will speak to us in black and white.

I know what I believe. I've tried to state my convictions here, and I challenge you to see if you agree with what I consider the biblical precepts that should be guiding the church's discussion on sexuality.

1. God's original plan for marriage involves one male and one female. Unless you've ripped Genesis 1 out of your Bible or you don't believe the Old and New Testaments are inspired Scripture, it should be obvious that marriage was invented by God, both for procreation and for partnership, and that it involves a man and a woman. Any other sexual relationship—incest, adultery, homosexuality or bestiality—is outside God's moral boundaries.

2. Homosexuality is a sin, because it is contrary to God's perfect will. The New Testament affirms that people who willfully engage in unrepentant sexual sin of any type—including adultery, fornication and homosexuality—will not inherit the kingdom of God (see 1 Cor. 6:9-10). And Paul the apostle wrote that when a culture embraces homosexuality and promotes it, this is a sign of deception and moral depravity (see Rom. 1:20-32). We oppose God's loving plan for humanity when we celebrate gay sex or encourage people to participate in it.

3. Some people develop same-sex feelings because we live in a fallen, sinful world. Human sexuality is complicated. Psychologists are still studying the causes of same-sex attraction. These can include parenting style, bullying, exposure to pornography, sexual abuse or just certain family dynamics or dispositions. Because all human beings are born sinners (Rom. 3:23), it is entirely plausible that some people are born gay, just as some people have a propensity toward certain addictions or behaviors. This does not mean God loves them less, since He invites all sinners to discover the forgiveness of Christ.

4. Homosexuals should be treated with compassion and respect. God loves people regardless of their flaws. So should we—because none of us deserve His amazing grace. Christians have no business shaming, ridiculing or using crude language to condemn homosexuals. Jesus showed compassion to all types of sinners. When He extended mercy, people renounced their sins and discovered grace to live free from shame. Jesus offers this freedom to any person who is sexually broken. The church should be a welcoming place for any person who struggles with sin and wants healing.

5. A Christian may have homosexual feelings, but he or she can find the power to resist temptation through the power of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul acknowledged that there were former homosexuals in the Corinthian church who no longer were enslaved to that behavior. He wrote: "Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ ..." (1 Cor. 6:11). Through the power of sanctification, God can break any unhealthy sexual habit. This doesn't mean a gay man who finds Christ has to marry a woman (he may choose to be celibate), but it does mean that when he experiences salvation, he will find supernatural power to live a holy life.

6. The Christian church should never sanction homosexual behavior just because culture accepts it. The Bible does not give Christian leaders permission to change God's moral law or vote to change the words of Jesus. When Jesus was on Earth, certain religious leaders tried to get Him to sanction their adulterous behavior, but Jesus re-emphasized to them that marriage still involves one man and one woman (Matt. 19:4-6). He didn't leave room for marriage to evolve into something else. Denominations that are voting to change the rules for marriage are stepping away from God's grace.

7. We don't have to perform gay weddings to show love to gay people. It's likely that same-sex marriage will soon be legalized in all 50 states. It remains to be seen if our government will force churches to do what our conscience says is wrong. But regardless of how people of faith will be treated 10 years from now, we must decide now to be a people of compassion.

When abortion was sanctioned in 1973, Bible-believing Christians continued to preach that killing an unborn child is sinful. Today we show compassion to women who have aborted babies, to the men who pushed their girlfriends to abort, and to the doctors who performed the procedures. We offer them forgiveness, and we even offer to adopt unwanted babies—but our love doesn't compromise what we believe. The same rule applies to gay marriage.

We can't rewrite the Bible or hide the truth from people. We must stand on our convictions. But whether people are straight, gay, bisexual or transgender, we must point them to Jesus. He is the only hope for all sinners.

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. His newest book is The Truth Sets Women Free (Charisma House). You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, at themordecaiproject.org.

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No One Is Born Gay - Michael Brown

No One Is Born Gay

9/8/2014 MICHAEL BROWN

There is no reputable scientific evidence that anyone is born gay. (Angie Draiville/freeimages.com)

If there were reputable scientific evidence that some people were born homosexual, I would have no problem accepting this. After all, my theology tells me that as human beings, we are all created in God's image and yet we are a fallen race, and so all of us carry aspects of that fallen nature to the core of our being, and that could theoretically include homosexuality.

But the fact is that there is simply no reputable scientific evidence that anyone is born gay.

As stated by gay activist and history professor John D'Emilio, "'Born gay' is an idea with a large constituency, LGBT and otherwise. It's an idea designed to allay the ingrained fears of a homophobic society and the internalized fears of gays, lesbians and bisexuals. What's most amazing to me about the 'born gay' phenomenon is that the scientific evidence for it is thin as a reed, yet it doesn't matter. It's an idea with such social utility that one doesn't need much evidence in order to make it attractive and credible."

In other words, because the "born gay" idea has proved so useful, the fact that there's virtually no scientific support for the theory hardly matters. It's an idea that has worked wonders for gay activists and their allies.

As noted years ago by gay scientist Simon LeVay, "There [was] a survey in The New York Times that broke down people on the basis of whether they thought gays and lesbians were born that way or whether it was a lifestyle choice. Across the board, those who thought gays and lesbians were born that way were more liberal and gay friendly."

And so, the argument goes, "If I'm born this way, how can my attractions be wrong? And if I'm born this way, how can you expect me to change?"

Of course, even if no one is born gay, that doesn't mean that homosexual attractions are not deeply rooted. In most cases, those feelings are very deeply rooted to the point that many gay men and women truly believe they were born gay.

And even if no one is born gay, that doesn't mean that homosexual attractions are easily changed. In most cases, they are not.

But why base a so-called civil-rights movement on lies? Why not tell the truth?

One of the most gay-friendly professional organizations in our country is the American Psychological Association, and yet even the APA states that, "There is no consensus among scientists about the exact reasons that an individual develops a heterosexual, bisexual, gay, or lesbian orientation."

Similarly, in England, the pro-gay Royal College of Psychiatrists recently back tracked on an earlier statement that homosexuality was biologically determined, now saying that "sexual orientation is determined by a combination of biological and postnatal environmental factors." And while they stated clearly their belief that homosexuality was not a mental disorder and that it should be accepted, they added, "It is not the case that sexual orientation is immutable or might not vary to some extent in a person's life."

That's why psychiatrist Nathaniel S. Lehrman, former chairperson of the Task Force on Religion and Mental Health said in 2005, "Researchers now openly admit that after searching for more than 20 years, they are still unable to find the 'gay gene'" (in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons).

Why then do we constantly hear about people being born gay? First, it has worked wonders for gay activism; second, many gays and lesbians believe it to be true, since as far back as they can remember, they felt that they were different.

But political expediency and personal feelings do not change the facts, and those facts remain the same: There is no clear scientific evidence that anyone is born gay

According to lesbian researcher Lisa Diamond, "The queer community has been obsessed with cultivating the idea that we all have fixed sexual identities. We've crafted terrific narratives and political platforms based on the notions that all gays are 'born that way.' But what if sexuality is more complex? What if biology actually intersects with environment, time, culture and context? Could we possibly be more fluid than we've supposed?"

Camille Paglia, a social critic, academic, feminist and lesbian, was even more blunt, famously stating in her book Vamps and Tramps, "Our sexual bodies were designed for reproduction. ... No one is born gay. The idea is ridiculous ... homosexuality is an adaptation, not an inborn trait."

Paglia also asked, "Is the gay identity so fragile that it cannot bear the thought that some people may not wish to be gay? Sexuality is highly fluid, and reversals are theoretically possible."

Remarkably, when a school chaplain in Tasmania, Australia, posted Paglia's opinion on social media, there was an outcry against him, causing him to issue a public apology: "I've made a mistake and learnt from it. I'm deeply sorry for any offence I've caused. I was very careless in posting that image for discussion. I will work with my employers to ensure there is no repeat."

Despite this apology, he was still fired—and the organization he worked for was Christian! That is how toxic today's climate has become, and yet this chaplain simply posted the accurate reflections of a lesbian academic. How could this be considered hateful or bigoted?

Again, this does not mean that same-sex attractions and desires are not deeply rooted in some people's lives, nor does it mean that they chose to be gay. (You can choose to act on your attractions but that doesn't mean you chose to have the attractions.)

It simply means that one of the major gay-activist talking points, one that has even infiltrated parts of the church, is based on lies, not truth.

It's time we speak the truth in love. Lies never help anyone in the long run.

Michael Brown is author of Can You Be Gay and Christian? Responding With Love and Truth to Questions About Homosexuality and host of the nationally syndicated talk radio show The Line of Fire on the Salem Radio Network. He is also president of FIRE School of Ministry and director of the Coalition of Conscience. Follow him at AskDrBrown on Facebook or at @drmichaellbrown on Twitter.

Unless otherwise specified, the opinions expressed are solely the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of Charisma Media.

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The Rainbow Crusade

Friday, August 15, 2014 |  Tsvi Sadan  ISRAEL TODAY

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TOPICS:

Anti-Semitism

I was completely captivated by the picture to the left showing a single, large gay-lesbian rainbow flag amidst a sea of Palestinian flags. The accompanying caption "someone brought the wrong flag" missed the point completely.

The picture was taken on European soil, perhaps Holland or Belgium. A seemingly unrelated and strange piece of news that surfaced the same week involved the tiny French village of La Mort Aux Juifs (Death to Jews), which refuses to change its name.

Marie-Elizabeth Secretand, the deputy mayor of nearby Courtemaux, said that the request to change the name is "ridiculous" because, she implied, it is part of French heritage. I believe Secretand when she says that no one has anything against the Jews in particular. However, by refusing to change the name of this town, she and others openly embrace the France's anti-Semitic legacy.

This brings me back to the blond-headed homosexual man proudly waving his rainbow flag together with a Jew-hating Muslim crowd.

Leaving aside the fact that he would have been killed in a heartbeat had he raised this flag in a Muslim country, what was he doing there in the first place? Is he just a solitary moron, or does he represent a wider phenomenon?

There should be little doubt by now that protests against Israel have crossed the line from criticism to outright, unabashed anti-Semitism. The two seemingly unrelated and opposing groups fanning the flames of this phenomenon are Muslims and liberals.

Just like the ISIS (Islamic State) flag, committed Muslims see the world in black and white. It is a world in which there is no place for anyone else but Muslims. Under Islam, the best that Jews, Christians and Yazidis could hope for would be living as second-class citizens (dhimmi).

For a Muslim, the Western axiom "treat others as you would treat yourself" – based of course on "love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord" – means that Muslims are expected to treat other Muslims like themselves. Everyone else will either have to convert, be reduced to a second-class status or be killed. Indeed the very name Islam means submission, not peace.

This begs the question: Why are Western liberals, who want to live in an amoral world, cursing Israel for committing fictitious war crimes? Why are homosexuals, anarchists, socialists and even millions of Christians endorsing the very people that would destroy them if given the chance? Is this a global suicidal movement, or what?

As I have watched this swell of anti-Semitism gaining momentum over the past month, it became clear that the only thing holding together these otherwise opposing forces is the cry "death to the Jews." Europe's legacy has been revived by the Muslim spirit of jihad.

What is happening in Europe today is nothing short of a holy war, a crusade against the Jews. Muslims, Christians and millions of French, Dutch, Swedish and British liberals are creating a lynching atmosphere that is beginning to manifest itself as de facto ethnic cleansing.

I live in Tel Aviv, but I hear French everywhere I go. Jews are once again on the run, and Europe once again is acting as the self-righteous inquisitor. A new holocaust is brewing. And this time it's not under the cover of Nazi flag, but rather under the cover of the rainbow.

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Let It Be? - Now Think On This by Steve Martin

Let It Be?

- Now Think On This

by Steve Martin

“For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 1:24 NAS


When enough is enough, one has to start pushing back, or even you yourself will start believing that what is being said is the truth. If any agenda is pushed far enough, what you once thought and believed to be right will soon become wrong, and what was wrong will then become what is “right.”

Wrong.

By adding little lies upon another little lie, in time you yourself may start agreeing with the ones who have spoken the longest, and the loudest. Step by step, what was once wrong has now become the new norm, and what was, and still is, truth is said to not really have been the truth after all.

There are agendas being pushed forward in our society which makes it look like “their way is THE way”. What we began hearing back years ago, if even so softly then, has now decades later been brought to the forefront. The local and national media, proponents of a certain lifestyle, have said it long enough, and pushed far enough, where today even those we would have looked to, to be proponents of truth, whether in the church, education, politics or sports, no longer should be counted on for speaking the truth. For they themselves have succeeded in telling us that “this is OK, this is the norm, this is the way it is, so let it be. Just let it be.” They even celebrate and rejoice that “freedom” has now come.

I am not going to “let it be.”

If we stand by and just let it be, that which we know as truth, what we still believe as truth in the Lord’s Word, which is Truth - it will be completely thrown out, trampled down, and ridiculed to the point where those who stand for the Truth will find themselves standing alone. The evil agenda of the demonic forces will have succeeded in deceiving the mass population from the truth. In many cases they already have.

Watching the current broadcast news, listening to the voices in the secular workplace, hearing of that being pushed in the school system, if ever so subtle, has taken us down the road far enough to have given us what was written about in the Bible.
         
“For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are  gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” Romans 1:21-32 NASU

Truth cannot be written off because people say it no longer is, or have even denied that there was any to begin with. What the Lord God Almighty has written, our Creator, cannot and will not be denied, no matter who say it has, or who has pushed it out of the way. The Lord will have His final say in all this.

“Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” 2 Thess. 2:8-12 NASU

We must stand for the truth. We must not sit back and let our generation, nor our children’s generation, accept that “whatever will be will be”, and that it is OK for each to do as they feel is OK in their eyes.

There is a godly standard. There is a strong foundation of truth to stand on, that will not be changed. There is a time when we must say the “Let it be” words are not what it is to be.

Now is that time.

Steve Martin

Love For His People. Inc.

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Now Think On This #150 “Let It Be?” by Steve Martin 

Date: In the year of our Lord 2014 (05.13.14) Tuesday at 5:15am in Charlotte, NC.

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on our newest website: Now Think On This

Pastor and Singer Donnie McClurkin

Pastor and Singer Donnie McClurkin Says God Used Music to Free Him From Bondage of Shame

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BY NICOLA MENZIE , CHRISTIAN POST REPORTER

April 23, 2014

(PHOTO: YOUTUBE SCREENGRAB)

Donnie McClurkin, pastor and recording artist, shares his testimony at the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Fla., during an April 12, 2014, performance and recording.

In a heart-stirring testimony, Pastor Donnie McClurkin credited his God-given musical talents and the prayer of an influential gospel singer in helping him to get free from the shame and sense of inferiority he had been experiencing at just 11 years old.

"I never thought that I would be doing this because people told me what I could not do," said McClurkin. "They didn't tell me who I was, they never told me what I could accomplish, who I could be. They put the shackles on and the limits on."

"But God used music to free me by increments of all the bondage. Until I could move past what people thought of me, until I could move past people's opinion, until I could move past people's nay-saying, until I could see in me what others wouldn't tell me was there."

McClurkin, who pastors Perfecting Faith Church in Freeport, N.Y., and is the winner of several Stellar, Grammy, Dove and other awards, gave the brief testimony during a recent performance at the Holy Land Experience in Orlando.

He went on to share how Andrae Crouch, a pastor, a celebrated gospel artist and one of the pioneers of Contemporary Christian Music, encouraged him at the age of 11 with a prayer that God would give to McClurkin what God had given to him.

Watch McClurkin's brief testimony in the video player below:

YouTube/TBN

Donnie McClurkin testifies how God freed him from bondage.

McClurkin has shared publicly the troubles he had as a youth, including the death of a sibling, substance abuse in his family, and being sexually abused by both his great uncle and later his great uncle's son.

The 54-year-old minister and recording artist, born Donald Andrew McClurkin Jr., would go on to confess that as an adult he struggled with same-sex attraction due to his being abused as a child. However, he shared in 2002, that he had been "delivered" from a gay lifestyle.

"I've been through this and have experienced God's power to change my lifestyle. I am delivered and I know God can deliver others, too," McClurkin shared, according to The Washington Post.

McClurkin has faced push-back due to his ex-gay testimony, with a fracas occurring last summer when the Christian singer was allegedly "uninvited" from a Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial concert in Washington, D.C., presumably due to his expressed views on homosexuality.

While McClurkin insisted that D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray had bowed to the pressure of gay rights activists, Gray told reporters it was the gospel singer who had decided to drop out of the event. Read more about the story here: Pastor Donnie McClurkin 'Uninvited' From MLK Memorial Concert Over 'Ex-Gay' Testimony?, and learn more about McClurkin's ministry and popular radio show online: http://www.donniemcclurkin.com.

Single Women, Be Encouraged by God’s Promises

Single Women, Be Encouraged by God’s Promises

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KIMBERLY L. RAY - Charisma Magazine, Spirit-Led Woman

Today as the percentage of single women continues to grow, so do the questions, “Lord, You said you would give me the desires of my heart. Why am I still single?”

It seems that singleness to some is like an invisible cloud that denotes a sense of failure. It is like some type of plague. In our society it seems that a cloak of negativity blankets those who are not in relationships. Even at church so much emphasis is put on strengthening marriages and families—which is needed—that many singles are left feeling like something’s missing until they are married and have a family of their own. It is like they’re in a holding pattern, walking around with question marks over their heads.

As a single woman, I write this chapter from a place of surety. I praise the Lord that, whether married or single, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are [His] works, and that my soul knows very well” (Ps. 139:14). But I understand how a lot of single women feel when people ask, “Are you married?” In their defense I would like to mention a few obvious reasons for the increased numbers of singles today.

First, many people have unrealistic expectations of relationships. In our fast-paced society women are constantly bombarded with images of perfection on TV and in movies, magazines and even on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Thinking this is what it takes to attract a suitable, available mate, women are driven to be the prettiest, wealthiest, most active person around. Some are resorting to plastic surgery to get the perfect figure, as if they are in some type of competition to achieve the perfect body.

Perfect looks won’t bring the perfect man or lead to a perfect marriage. God has given each of us everything we need to accomplish His will for our lives. That means the person He has for you will find you attractive without any nips or tucks. And every marriage goes through difficult times. That’s why the Bible tells us to delight ourselves in the Lord and not in a spouse. He’s the only one who can truly satisfy the longings of our hearts.

Second, there has been a spiritual attack on men and godly manhood. We cannot ignore the painful reality that many men of marrying age are, for whatever reason, unavailable. Disproportionate numbers of African-American and Hispanic men are incarcerated, and a growing number of men are choosing alternative lifestyles. Some men are openly gay while others are bisexual and keep their same-sex relationships and confusion about their sexual identity a secret. By doing so, they expose a potential wife to emotional devastation and sexually transmitted diseases.

Please don’t get me wrong; I have the utmost love, honor and respect for men. Men are made in the image of God. There are secure, handsome, mighty men of God who want to get married. I am simply being honest about the plight of many single women who face a shrinking pool of eligible, God-fearing potential mates.

Driven by the longing for a family and children against the backdrop of a ticking biological clock, a woman can find herself settling for the wrong man and tolerating unacceptable behavior. It’s heart wrenching to watch women endure mistreatment and waste precious time waiting for proposals that will never come.

Scripture tells us that we are complete in Him, whether married or not (Col. 2:10). Many single women today are financially independent and are accomplished in their careers.

They are talented and intelligent, yet they think they are somehow lacking. I thank God that there are polished and intelligent Christian women who have self-respect, moral values, and godly standards. As Proverbs 31:25 says, “Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come.” Those are the very attributes the enemy wants to steal from single women.

It is a plan of the enemy to give the impression that being a saved, single Christian is a miserable existence. Don’t believe the lie. I can honestly say it is an enormous joy serving God and reaching humanity as a single person. The Bible tells us there are benefits to being single (see 1 Cor. 7:34). No matter what state we find ourselves in, married or single, we are to be content (Phil. 4:11).

For those who desire to marry and are wondering when God will bring them a mate, please know this: God loves you and He made a man of God for you who will not play games with your emotions. He will honor, love and respect you. Don’t settle.

If you’ve fallen in the trap of the enemy and gotten involved with the wrong man, repent, forgive those who have hurt you and forgive yourself. Then move forward. Scripture says God has good plans for us (Jer. 29:11). That is true even if we’ve made mistakes.

As born-again believers we must put our faith in God no matter what the circumstances look like. Everything God has planned for us from the foundation of the earth will come to pass, including marriage, in His timing. Be encouraged (see Ps.37: 4-5). Don’t let the enemy overwhelm you with fear, rejection or hopelessness. Focus on God and trust His plan for you, His Word is more reliable than any dating book on the best-seller list.

Adapted from Spiritual Intervention by Kimberly L. Ray, copyright 2013, published by Charisma House. Let this book help you tap into the tremendous power of prayer. In her role as producer of “A Time of Intercession” she has seen thousands of prayers answered.

This book will inspire, encourage and teach you how to pray effectively. To order your copy click here.

PRAYER POWER FOR THE WEEK OF 01/27/2014

Thank the Lord this week that we are complete in Him, whether married or not. Thank Him that He has the perfect plan and purpose for your life and tell Him that you trust Him with it. Ask Him to direct your steps and commit His Word to memory so that your mind would be renewed and your thoughts would focus on all He has done, and continues to do on your behalf, and not on any perceived lack. Continue to pray for those suffering loss from catastrophic weather conditions, fires, accidents, crime and unemployment. Ask God to connect you with those providing help to the needy so that you join with them in being a blessing. Pray for revival in our nation and continue to pray for Israel, the persecuted church, our national and local leaders, the military and their families. Col. 2:10; Jer. 29:11; Phil. 4:11; Ps. 37:4-5.

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