Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem(6/19/23)[Prayer]

The Holy Scriptures | 6/19/23 | left that other site

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Luke 14

The Cost of Being a Disciple

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

_______________________________________________________

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

God Bless America.

ML/LTOS

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Oh LORD,
Our God!
How Excellent,
How Wonderful,
How Perfect You Are!
My heart is Overwhelmed With Your Glory,
Your Magnificence, and Your Power!
When I think of how Awesome You Are,
Of How You Transcend Time and Space,
Of How You Created Everything That Is and Ever Was,
Of How You Tell History From the Beginning to The End
and the End to The Beginning,
Of How You Give us a Glimpse into Your Infinite Mind
through Your Holy and Unchangeable Word,
How You Are Faithful To Your Promises Even When We Fall Away,
And How You Fulfill Every Jot and Tittle of Your Precepts,
When we ourselves fall so short of the target,
I just have to stop everything,
And say, "How Great and AWESOME YOU ARE!"

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

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Luke 14

The Cost of Being a Disciple

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn't able to finish.’

31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won't he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.

“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

_______________________________________________________

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Less than three miles away, on what was once the Route to Cape Cod, was a very old restaurant. Despite the trendy eateries that cropped up all around it, the restaurant persisted in presenting its "Meat & Potatoes" menu in a dimly-lit, Fake Tudor Interior. A low-ceiling with heavy beams, heavy oak furniture, and a dingy carpet completed the ambiance, and for some arcane reason, the restaurant survived, mostly by catering to older people who couldn't wrap their taste buds around the new, exciting, ethnic cuisines offered on the same highway. Or maybe it was the Special (TWO Lobster Rolls for $19.95). It seemed that nothing could kill the Restaurant. Then, came COVID.

When, finally, restaurants began to reopen, this one did not. A "FOR SALE" sign appeared out front.

Sis and I speculated about what would go into that space. Of course, it would require an enormous makeover, perhaps even a tear-down, but the asking price was $1,400,000. Most of this was probably for the Liquor License, because the building was certainly not worth that kind of money.

The first potential buyer put in a bid. This was the owner of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE Mexican Restaurant which is nearly ten miles away. The Owner (call him Miguel) had a beautiful family business going at his main location, with authentic food, excellent friendly service, decent prices, and an awesome deck outside. He proposed major renovations to the building and a party deck out back. Considering that it was a semi-industrial area that backed onto conservation land, it would not be a nuisance to neighbors, and would greatly enhance the area. BUT, the Town began to put roadblocks up, and Miguel got so frustrated that he rescinded his offer. So, for the Best Enchiladas this side of San Diego, Sis and I will have to go ten miles to Miguel's original location.

The "SALE PENDING" sign came down, and the "FOR SALE" sign went back up.

Months later another "SALE PENDING" went up, but came down a week later, and the "FOR SALE" sign went up again. Evidently somebody made an offer, and the Town put the kibosh on it. This happened yet another time, and, at present, there is no offer pending for the property. It is looking even shabbier than it was before.

Lest you think that this is about the Liquor License, I have to clarify that the SAME town did this kind of thing to a Church and an Italian Grocery Market. In both cases, Environmental Issues, Construction Delays, Conflicting Ordinances, and Oceans of Red Tape caused the Market to take six years to finally open, and the Church ended up abandoning the project and moved out.

Unlike Miguel, not everybody counts the cost before embarking upon a big project.

Jesus tells a Parable about a king who builds a tower, and fights a war. In both instances, the king calculates how much it will COST. Then Jesus compares this to becoming His disciple. So, the Parable isn't really about Real Estate, Towers, Wars, or even Money. It's about "Taking up our Cross, and Following Him." There are preachers out there who tell us that, once we become believers, we will never encounter sickness, pain, hurt, or opposition. That isn't how it works. While we, in the Power of the Holy Spirit, can have the VICTORY over these hindrances, it is not correct to tell people that we won't encounter them. In fact, for many, the worst opposition will come from their own Loved Ones. Jesus isn't discouraging people from becoming disciples, but He does tell us to "Count the Cost".

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

[DarthVader]

Amen !!! <><

Psalm 34

Of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 O magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Look to him, and be radiant;
so your* faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord,
and was saved from every trouble.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good;
happy are those who take refuge in him.
9 O fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
for those who fear him have no want.
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Which of you desires life,
and covets many days to enjoy good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears,
and rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the broken-hearted,
and saves the crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord rescues them from them all.
20 He keeps all their bones;
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil brings death to the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

[NEWwoman]

Amen, left that other site

Good warning to count the cost.

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

[redryder_90]

Amen

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, DarthVader, For Your Prayers and Wonderful Psalm 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, 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, 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

[TianaHighrider]

Thank you and prayers in Jesus Name.

[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

[Pajamajan]

Amen.🙏

[Jeanbl]

AMEN, praying for the Peace of Jerusalem, for our family and friends, for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world, for our Nation.

[left that other site]

Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, Pajamajan, 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, Jeanbl, 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