Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem(9/18/23)[Prayer]

The Holy Scriptures | 9/18/23 | left that other site

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

John 15

The World Hates the Disciples

18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’[b] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’[c]

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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

Our Lord and Heavenly Father
King of Kings,
And Lord of Lords!
You are The True Vine,
The Great Shepherd,
The Rock of Ages,
The Stone of Israel,
The Rock of Our Salvation.
You Are the One Who Strengthens Our Hands For Battle.
You Alone are the One True God Over All!

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

John 15

The World Hates the Disciples

18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’[b] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’[c]

_______________________________________________________

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.

Today's Story is a re-print of one I told back in January 2018, but the context of current events these days made me want to share it again. I will put the "old" story into italics, and Today's Commentary in regular print. Here Goes:

Because it has been a half-century since I have read a lot of the "Classics", I am reading them again for a fresh perspective. Some of them (like Ben Hur, Moby Dick, and Animal Farm) are like old friends that I haven't seen in years, but are just as I remember them. Some (like Les Miserables, are obvious abridgments that leave out things I remember. Others have characters and incidents that seem fresh and new to me, and make me wonder if the first reading was an abridged version...or if (HORRORS!) I had FORGOTTEN!

Right now, I am reading The Brothers Karamazov. I am at the point, about halfway through the book, where Dmitri is arrested for the murder of his father. Jurisprudence in 19th Century Czarist Russia was, of course, very different than ours, but the scene of the arrest (a roadside inn and gambling den) is astounding. The prosecuting attorney is accompanying the police detectives, and is questioning witnesses at the site of the arrest! Dmitri, who is without legal representation, sits there under arrest, and is subjected to a parade of "witnesses" who are either drunk, sleeping it off, mad at Dmitri because he loved the same girl as they did, a Pole who barely speaks Russian and who lost money to Dmitri gambling, and the girl who was both Dmitri's lover and the lover of the decedent, Dmitri's father!

If that isn't confusing enough, there is no mention of anyone being "Under Oath", and Dmitri is told that, although he has a "right to remain silent", things will "go better" for him if he just CONFESSES. No DNA, Blood Evidence, or Fingerprints are mentioned. While forensic technology may have come a long way since then, it looks as though Dmitri may be exiled to Siberia on the testimony of False Witnesses.

There is a reason that the admonition against being a "False Witness" is in the Ten Commandments. We see it today in The Media, Government, and Academia, three institutions that, for centuries have been trusted witnesses, and therefore have power over society. When the lies of these institutions are exposed as liars, it is troubling and disorienting. WHO can you trust?

Today we see people being incarcerated without bail for walking through a public building, taking pictures, or advocating an idea. We see lawyers indicted for defending their client. We even have news reports that people fleeing the fire in Maui survived by disobeying the police and skirting a roadblock. A Maui Realtor, Eric West, lost his job (as did his entire family) because of a slanderous Tic Tok video (since rescinded and apologized for) accusing him of stealing relief money meant for victims. False Witness, Untrue Accusations, Phony Indictments, and False Imprisonment are rife in our so-called Modern World. I am reminded of the Book (and awesome movie) BEN HUR, where Judah's Mom and Sister are incarcerated in the deepest dungeon just for being related to him.

By calling Himself "The True and Faithful Witness", God is telling us that HE is the Truth, and will always be Faithful, no matter what all the false witnesses clamor and scream at us.

I will not spoil The Brothers Karamazov for anyone who may read it, but it is not a "spoiler" to know that Dmitri is NOT the murderer. The book is quite clear on that before this scene takes place, which makes it even MORE frustrating and egregious!

There is a reason God included the Law against "False Witness" in THE BIG TEN along with Murder, Theft, Adultery, Idolatry, Coveting, and Parental Abuse. Its effects are so egregious that it is, in effect, a MURDER. People can and do lose more than a mere reputation when they are the victims of False Witness. The can lose a Marriage, a Family, a Job, their Livelihood, their Freedom, or even their LIFE because of a LIE. St. Stephen, St. Peter, St. Paul, and even Jesus Himself were testified against by False Witnesses. In Peter's and Paul's cases, it led to flogging and imprisonment on a number of occasions. In Stephen's case, and, of course, in the case of Jesus, False Witness led to their Execution.

The evil one wants displays of The Ten Commandments removed from public places. Their very presence is a conviction of his evil deeds.

Just remember what Jesus said:

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you."

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

[Hiskid]

if it had not been for the Law, I should not have recognized sin or have known its meaning. Romans 7

Amen

[etabeta]

Amen! God bless.

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Of course, Paul is referring to God's law, not the Maui Police department forcing people back into the fire.

Corrie Ten Boom, Oscar Schindler, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer were also “law-breakers”.

"We must obey God rather than men" Act 5:29

We are told to be in submission to governing authorities, but what if the governing authorities are Nazis or something similar? A struggle all Christians face from time to time.

Even so, Come Quickly Lord Jesus!

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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

[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

[redryder_90]

Amen

[NEWwoman]

Amen, left that other site

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

[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

[DarthVader]

Amen !!! <><

Psalm 109

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.

1 Do not be silent, O God of my praise.
2 For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
3 They beset me with words of hate,
and attack me without cause.
4 In return for my love they accuse me,
even while I make prayer for them.*
5 So they reward me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.

6 They say,* ‘Appoint a wicked man against him;
let an accuser stand on his right.
7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty;
let his prayer be counted as sin.
8 May his days be few;
may another seize his position.
9 May his children be orphans,
and his wife a widow.
10 May his children wander about and beg;
may they be driven out of* the ruins they inhabit.
11 May the creditor seize all that he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.
12 May there be no one to do him a kindness,
nor anyone to pity his orphaned children.
13 May his posterity be cut off;
may his name be blotted out in the second generation.
14 May the iniquity of his father* be remembered before the Lord,
and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15 Let them be before the Lord continually,
and may his* memory be cut off from the earth.
16 For he did not remember to show kindness,
but pursued the poor and needy
and the broken-hearted to their death.
17 He loved to curse; let curses come on him.
He did not like blessing; may it be far from him.
18 He clothed himself with cursing as his coat,
may it soak into his body like water,
like oil into his bones.
19 May it be like a garment that he wraps around himself,
like a belt that he wears every day.’

20 May that be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
of those who speak evil against my life.
21 But you, O Lord my Lord,
act on my behalf for your name’s sake;
because your steadfast love is good, deliver me.
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is pierced within me.
23 I am gone like a shadow at evening;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak through fasting;
my body has become gaunt.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they shake their heads.

26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love.
27 Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it.
28 Let them curse, but you will bless.
Let my assailants be put to shame;* may your servant be glad.
29 May my accusers be clothed with dishonour;
may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle.
30 With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save them from those who would condemn them to death.

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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

[Hiskid]

Yes. I was thinking about how we don’t have conviction until we know God’s perspective on our ungodly behavior. May we all be civil law breakers when it means disobeying God.

[left that other site]

Amen!

(((HUGS)))

[Jeanbl]

AMEN! Thank you. Joining together in prayer.

[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