Chaos

     Do you sometimes feel that our country, yes, and the world are in chaos?  Well this is one of those days for me!
     Today the supreme court is deciding whether the centuries old definition of marriage should be changed to accommodate same sex marriage.  What's wrong here? I've had wonderful gay friends, but I never expected to have a major cultural tradition, let alone my personal Christian belief, demolished.....why?
     Today, I'm watching the riots in Baltimore.  Masses of police, National Guard units, and other law enforcement have come in to quell the lawless thugs who have destroyed their community in the guise of a protest against unjust treatment  by the police that resulted in a prisoner found dead in their custody.  There's no doubt the protest has real merit, but these thugs looted, set community services and improvements on fire, then cut the fire hoses in defiance as the outmanned police stood by trying to at least prevent harm to people.
      Just as you can, I can list a multitude of other major hits to my Christian world view.  That's most likely how people felt in 30 A.D. when Jesus walked the streets of Jerusalem, especially when they saw a great crowd following this Holy Man being led to His crucifixion crushing all their hopes for a Messiah that would set things right.
      One thing is different, though.  We hold that Hope in our hands, our hearts, our very lives.  Why, because this Man, Jesus Christ, gave us the key to peace.   PRAYER in the Name of Jesus!
    
     As so many Christians have, I am lately compelled to my knees, on almost a daily basis, to pray for The Church, my country, and the world in crisis.  I'm praying for:
       The Church......The Church, the Body of Christ, is the holder of the LIGHT (Matthew 5:13 - 16).
However, what is the state of  The Church in America?  If you are hearing what the Holy Spirit is telling me, we need to pray for her.  Pray that she will be delivered from the things of this world (both material and spiritual) that are like rotten apples in a redeemed soul.     
     The Church......the hundreds of modern-day martyrs who are suffering from the extremist Islamic  terrorists all over the world, their families, their local churches who are under attack.
     America....that God will have mercy on us and give us, as His Church here, another chance to be a light in the world.  We can repent for our past apathy, pray for change, and get informed so that we can vote for godly and men and women who are culturally sensitive to the Judeo-Christian ethics as they are raised up and run for office.
      The African American community in this country.....that these communities where poverty and crime are rampant, leading to hopelessness, might be healed by a sovereign move of God.  There has to be local leaders from local churches that will teach the Christian values of traditional families who take responsibility for their children.  There must be encouragers from those Blacks who have been successful who will work with the young men and women who want a chance to succeed.  These and so many other elements, needing wisdom and enablement, must be prayed for by their fellow Americans who believe there is power in the Name of Jesus.

     There is so much more I could sermonize on in this serious entry today, but you are not ignorant of these things, I'm sure.  All I can do is join with you as you, too, pray... as you, too, commit to give up some time from your personal plans and pray each day.  Yes, I still have a quiet time most days for personal devotions, but the Holy Spirit has pressed me to take some additional time during my evening relaxation in front of the TV set watching a favorite series.  Thank God for DVR's so that I can record and go back to the show I missed....a gift of grace from my Beloved.
     There's one thing I know for sure.  Jesus, Himself, promises that these prayers will be heard and that they will be answered....because they bear His Name....the Name which causes the demons in Hell to shudder because He has already defeated them.  This Name is the stamp of Guarantee!