Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem(7/24/22)[Prayer]

The Holy Scriptures | 7/24/22 | left that other site

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Genesis 44

A Silver Cup in a Sack

44 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack. 2 Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.

3 As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 5 Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.’”

6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. 7 But they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do anything like that! 8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found inside the mouths of our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.”

10 “Very well, then,” he said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame.”

11 Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the steward proceeded to search, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.

14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What is this you have done? Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?”

16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.”

17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing! Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.”

18 Then Judah went up to him and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, let me speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 And we answered, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age. His brother is dead, and he is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’

21 “Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.’ 22 And we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father; if he leaves him, his father will die.’ 23 But you told your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 24 When we went back to your servant my father, we told him what my lord had said.

25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy a little more food.’ 26 But we said, ‘We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother is with us will we go. We cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’

27 “Your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28 One of them went away from me, and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since. 29 If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in misery.’

30 “So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father, and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life, 31 sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die. Your servants will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave in sorrow. 32 Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!’

33 “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.”

_______________________________________________________

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Our Father in Heaven,
How Blessed and Holy is Your Most Wonderful Name!
Sanctified and Blessed are You,
Oh LORD, Our God,
King of The Universe,
Ancient of Days,
Rock of Ages!

Thank You for Your Holy Word,
Thank You For Your Covenant and for Your Grace.
Thank You For Your Law and Your Justice,
The Very Foundation for Our Freedom,
For Our Laws,
and For Our Republic!

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.

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

[blueyon]

Praying for Jerusalem and for us

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Genesis 44

A Silver Cup in a Sack

44 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack. 2 Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.

3 As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? 5 Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.’”

6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. 7 But they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do anything like that! 8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found inside the mouths of our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? 9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.”

10 “Very well, then,” he said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame.”

11 Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the steward proceeded to search, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.

14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What is this you have done? Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?”

16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.”

17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing! Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.”

18 Then Judah went up to him and said: “Pardon your servant, my lord, let me speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20 And we answered, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age. His brother is dead, and he is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’

21 “Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.’ 22 And we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father; if he leaves him, his father will die.’ 23 But you told your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’ 24 When we went back to your servant my father, we told him what my lord had said.

25 “Then our father said, ‘Go back and buy a little more food.’ 26 But we said, ‘We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother is with us will we go. We cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’

27 “Your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28 One of them went away from me, and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since. 29 If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in misery.’

30 “So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father, and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life, 31 sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die. Your servants will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave in sorrow. 32 Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!’

33 “Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.”

_______________________________________________________

Reading Genesis story-by-story reveals a pattern. From the very beginning, we see "Sibling Rivalry" resulting in actions that change History. There is a familiar ring to all of these stories that echo a Smothers Brothers routine: "Mom always like you best!" We used to laugh when Tom Smothers blurted out that line, but it portrays a human condition that goes back to Cain and Abel. In Cain's case, it wasn't Mom whom he perceived favored his little brother. It was God, who in this story, represents Dad. Abel had offered the best of his flock to Father God, while Cain had just taken some of his crop and made an obligatory offering. God evidently consumed Abel's offering in a supernatural manner, showing His approval, while Cain's offering must have just sat there. (This pattern is repeated when Elijah challenges the priests of Ba'al. That is how I came to this speculation, as the Bible isn't clear about it.) In any case, Cain saw that his offering was not acceptable, and took it personally. Father God, like the Good Dad that He is, called Cain aside and explained it to him. In essense, He was correcting Cain over his attitude, and giving him a solution to his problem. But Cain was so consumed with jealousy, that he didn't listen to his Father and murdered his little brother Abel. His snappy response to God's gentle correction was:

"Am I My Brother's Keeper?"

Evidently, Adam was so busy making babies with Eve, that he had not been a proper Dad to Cain and Abel. One could speculate that better parenting on the part of Cain's HUMAN parents could have prevented the First Murder in History.

The next major case of "Sibling Rivalry" comes with Ishmael and Isaac. Both of these boys started out as innocents, their rivalry caused by the friction between their mothers. Sarah's skepticism about God's Promises caused her to give her servant girl Hagar to her husband. The resulting pregnancy caused bitterness between the two women and made Abraham's life a living hell. Ishmael was actually loved by his father, but probably picked up on his mother's rage. So he started picking on his new baby brother Isaac. The King James Version says that, on the day Isaac was weaned, Ishmael was "sporting" with him. Remember, Isaac was a toddler and Ishmael a young teenager. The word "sporting" could be translated as "teasing", or it could mean something much worse. And so, Hagar and Ishmael were expelled from the family. Again, jealousy was a factor, and the offense was enough to bring about exile. However, later we found out that Ishmael and Isaac were reconciled, if only to bury their Father Abraham.

The next case of "Sibling Rivalry" came about with Jacob and Esau. These two were actually wrestling with one another while they were still in Rebecca's womb. The favoritism that followed was more complex: Isaac favored Esau, and Rebecca favored Jacob. It was a recipe for disaster. A little communication and parental unity would have helped. Esau and Jacob are eventually reconciled too. A pettern is developing in these stories.

Finally, we come to the last story in Genesis, that of Joseph and his Brothers. Jacob's big family was founded on deception and rivalry. First, there was Jacob's deception of his brother Esau and his father Jacob that led him to Laban. Then Laben's deception of Jacob with regard to switching his promised bride Rachel with her sister Leah. Then there was the "Sibling Rivalry" between Leah and Rachel, mostly due to Rachel's infertility. Leah was jealous of Rachel because she was the unloved wife. Rachel was jealous of Leah because she had four sons in a row. The children were all jealous of each other because they came from four different mothers and must have known instinctively that only Rachel was loved by their father. And, finally, the brothers were horribly jealous of Joseph because "Dad always liked you best!"

This jealousy could have once again ended in murder, were it not for the intervention of Rueben.

And so, now we see Joseph, who has been put in a position where he could have easily avenged himself by either enslaving or executing the men who had so cruelly wronged him. It would have been his right.

Instead, Joseph becomes "His Brothers' Keeper" by doing something so radical that even today seems supernatural and bizarre. HE FORGIVES THEM.

And, THAT is where the similarity to Christ is finally realized.

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

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, blueyon, 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 113

1 Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord;
praise the name of the Lord.

2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time on and for evermore.
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting
the name of the Lord is to be praised.
4 The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens.

5 Who is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust,
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!

[Hebrews 11:6]

My younger brother and I were less than a year apart. Our dad (an only child) got so sick at our constant fighting that he bought us boxing gloves and laid out the garden hose in a square, and then he made us pound on each other until we no longer could lift our hands.

Did it work? Of course not!

That is why we must pray for peace. So, AMEN!

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I am the eldest of six, and you would not believe some of the stuff that has gone on in the last 70 years! LOL!

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, DarthVader, For Your Prayers and Psalm of Praise 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, Hebrews 11:6, 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

[Hebrews 11:6]

Never understood you as being the eldest. Actually, even from this distance, that seems to explain quite a lot: your leadership, forthrightness, self-confidence....

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But...

“The older shall serve the younger...”

And I am my brothers’ and sisters’ keeper fersure.

[redryder_90]

Amen

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, redryder_90, 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

[Silentgypsy]

Amen and thank you.

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You,Silentgypsy, 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

[Hiskid]

Amen

[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