Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem(12/22/21) [Prayer]

The Holy Scriptures | 12/22/21 | left that other site

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Luke 18

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

_______________________________________________________

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Our Father,
How Awesome You Are!
You Alone Are LORD,
You Alone Are The Most High!
You Alone Are The One True God Of Abraham,
The "gods" of the nations are nothing,
Only YOU are Worthy of Our Worship.

Let all that has been Concealed
Be Revealed.

Father, We Pray For The Peace Of Jerusalem,
According To Your Will and Promise.
We Pray That You Will Forgive The Sins
of Our Own Nation,
and Lead us all to Godly Repentance.
Create in Us Clean Hearts, Oh LORD,
and Renew a Right Spirit Within Us.

This we Pray Together,
As We Await Your Messiah,
Blessed Be He,
To Set Up His Kingdom,
And Make All Things Right.

Let all that has Been Concealed,
Be Revealed.

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

I was a rather self-righteous teenager, and refused to go with the crowd on anything. When everybody was reading The Catcher in the Rye, I picked up a copy of The Brothers Karamazov. While everybody else was sighing over Holden Caulfield, I was sighing over Alyosha. I thought I was sooooo COOL.

Well, a few years ago, I figured it was time to read the J.D. Salinger book that had picked up a life of its own in the late Twentieth Century. Assassins quoted it, Serial killers were obsessed with it, and it was in the news all the time. I got a copy at the Thrift Store and barely got through the first chapter. "What a Self-Righteous JERK!" I exclaimed as I tossed the book in the trash. Then I picked up The Brothers Karamazov for my second read in 50 years. Halfway through, I remembered that a dog gets killed in a cruel manner, and out the book went, back into the charity bag. Ugh. Later I found out that one of the biggest serial killers in History, Joseph Stalin, considered TBK his all-time FAVORITE Book! Wow. Did I feel like a Self-Righteous JERK! I had thought I was so holier-than-thou reading TBK while everyone else was reading TCITR, that it hadn't occured to me that it's not the BOOK, it's the person READING the Book. As far as I know, there were no assassins in my High School Graduating Class of 1970.

Finding pictures to illustrate Today's Devotional Thrad was difficult. Over the centuries, artists have depicted the Pharisee in this story very unkindly, and sometimes strayed into cliche' that more sensitive people would interpret as antisemitic. Never mind that the Tax Collector (Publican) in this story is ALSO Jewish, and he is always depicted favorably. As a matter of fact, Jesus was a Jew too, so these artists missed the point of the story completely. Jesus wasn't talking about types of people. He was talking about types of Prayer. The depiction of the Publican is also problematic, as artists sometimes depict him as a poor man in shabby clothing. This story is not about contrasting rich and poor, because the Publican had a lucrative job collecting taxes for the Romans. Some Pubicans were even adding to their income by charging enormous surcharges and skimming, so this wasn't about money either.

This story is NOT a comparison between Jews and Gentiles, Rich or Poor, Religious or Secular. It is solely about Prayer, and about how we approach The Creator of The Universe. One thing we never want to do is list our religious accomplishments to God. The other thing is never be a self-righteous JERK when addressing the Almighty.

It's so simple, even a child can understand it...which prepares us for Tomorrow's Thread!

Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[etabeta]

My prayers always. God bless.

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Etabeta, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[DarthVader]

Amen !!! <><

Psalm 52

To the leader. A Maskil of David, when Doeg the Edomite came to Saul and said to him, ‘David has come to the house of Ahimelech.’

1 Why do you boast, O mighty one,
of mischief done against the godly?*
All day long 2you are plotting destruction.
Your tongue is like a sharp razor,
you worker of treachery.
3 You love evil more than good,
and lying more than speaking the truth.
Selah
4 You love all words that devour,
O deceitful tongue.

5 But God will break you down for ever;
he will snatch and tear you from your tent;
he will uproot you from the land of the living.
Selah
6 The righteous will see, and fear,
and will laugh at the evildoer,* saying,
7 ‘See the one who would not take
refuge in God,
but trusted in abundant riches,
and sought refuge in wealth!’*

8 But I am like a green olive tree
in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
for ever and ever.
9 I will thank you for ever,
because of what you have done.
In the presence of the faithful
I will proclaim* your name, for it is good.

[TianaHighrider]

Amen and prayers up ❤

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, DarthVader, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, TianaHighrider, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[NEWwoman]

Amen, left that other site

Good points about prayer and our inner attitudes.

Joining in prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem and for our beloved America.

[Hiskid]

Amen. With God, it’s always about the heart.

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, NEWwoman, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Hiskid, For Your Prayers For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.

"He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." (Romans 4:25)

God Bless America.

Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.

Hallelujah and Amen

ML/LTOS