Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem(10/20/23)[Prayer]

The Holy Scriptures | 10/20/23 | left that other site

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Acts 4

The Believers Share Their Possessions

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

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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
You are Our Shield
You Are Our Defense
You Are Our Covering,
You quench the Fiery Darts of The Enemy,
And the evil arrows of Doubt,
Discouragement and Despair
Bounce off Your Righteous Shield.
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

Acts 4

The Believers Share Their Possessions

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

_______________________________________________________

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.

Thank you for all your prayers yesterday. I had thought I was going to have a day off, due to the fact that my Thursday Students were going to India to visit family and would be gone for two weeks. I eagerly looked upon that Thursday as a much-coveted Day Off to ride my motorcycle around the South Shore. Sis was going to be babysitting for her adorable granddaughter, and I was going to go for a nice solo ride and gaze at the Autumn Leaves. Around midnight the night before, I got a frantic email from the Dad of the Thursday students. The Trip to India had been canceled, his Mother-In-Law was in the hospital in NYC on a ventilator, and his wife had flown down to New York to be with her. Meanwhile, the kids were in great distress, and could I please come and teach them after all to have some semblance of normalcy?

That meant no motorcycle ride because I bring my Bass and Amp to the lesson, but of course I consented. I wrote the names on the calendar and went to bed.

The next morning I got a frantic call from my sister. The nursing home had called very early in the morning, saying that my Brother-In-Law had been sent to the ER in Framingham (40 miles away) because they thought he had had a stroke. Sis doesn't drive on expressways because she never learned how, so I canceled the students lesson and we drove to the ER. (Right about then was when I posted yesterday's thread.)

After hours sitting around the ER, it was determined that my B-I-L had a UTI, and he was admitted to the hospital with IV Antibiotics. There was nothing else we could do, so we had lunch and then started for home.

Suddenly I remembered that there was a Used Record Store somewhere around there. Sis looked it up on her cell phone, and we left the highway in search of this treasure trove.

We found it, and it was a crazy place. Boxes and bins of records which seemed to have no rhyme or reason greeted us as we entered. A tiny little older lady with a strange accent asked us what we were looking for.

"Classic Rock!" we both chimed in simultaneously.

We were directed to the back of the store and went through hundreds of records...all stuff we had been looking for. When we found out how low they were priced, we gathered up bundles of them in our arms. I ended up with Santana, Weather Report, The Guess Who, Steely Dan, The Rascals, The Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. Sis had a dozen that she had been searching in vain for in the preceding year and a half. Both of us spent under $40.00, which is sometimes the price of ONE Vintage Album in Good Condition online. We had so much fun!

I really believe in my heart that the Lord caused the idea to pop into my head to find that store. We really need a "treat" after such a stressful morning. Today is another beautiful Autumn Day. perhaps I just might get a ride in after all.

In Today's Reading, we once again have a little Passage in the Book of Acts that has Social Justice Warriors clinging to in order to justify socialism. But it just isn't what the book is saying here. The community of new Believers was in a hostile environment, surrounded on all sides by people who disagreed with them. These forces included the Religious Authorities, The Government of the Roman Empire, and even some of their their fellow Jewish citizens. However, the little group was quite "diverse", rich and poor, slave and free, men and women, land-owners and poor widows who had nothing. Even among the Jewish Believers, there was division between the Traditional and "modern" who had adopted the ways of the Greeks and were called "Hellenistic Jews". So this brief period of living in community where everything was shared came about, not as a mandate, but of necessity at that time and place. We shall see in the very next chapters how conflicts immediately arose, and the little social experiment died, even though the Faith lived on.

AT NO TIME was government mandated socialism implemented among the Christians. In the years that followed, all the social services we associate with government (like Social Security, Healthcare, Orphanages, Nursing Homes, etc) were handled by the Church (and the synagogues) and the names of Hospitals and Nursing Homes TO THIS DAY reflect that. Just look 'em up. In my own area we have (or had):

Beth Israel Hospital (Jewish)
New England Baptist Hospital (Protestant)
St. Elizabeth's Hospital(Catholic)
New England Deaconess (Protestant)
Hebrew Rehab Center for the Aged(Jewish)
St Margaret's Maternity Hospital (I was born there!) (Catholic)
Marian Manor Nursing Home (Catholic)
The Recuperative Center (Jewish)
And More.

Although many of these facilities no longer subscribe to any religion, some of them have kept their names which reflect their heritage. Once the government got involved, hospitals were being forced to perform procedures that were against their beliefs, but had to do it to get funding. The place where I was born is long closed down, and I'll bet you can figure out WHY.

There is a Question on our ballots this year regarding even more government interference in Health Care. I won't go into it too deeply, but suffice it to say that the ads on TV that want MORE government control show Hospital Administrators as EEEE-vil Capitalists in the model of the Monopoly Character with the money-bags and the big cigar. Classic 19th Century Socialist Propaganda! It's amazing what people believe sometimes. The sad thing is that many people believe in that "Capitalist" stereotype, and will vote from their impression of that caricature. Sad.

Here we are introduced to Barnabas, one of my favorite NT Characters. We will read more about him, and his wonderful nickname (Son of Encouragement) as we read further. Evidently he was a man who encouraged others, and that is reflected in his name. May we all endeavor to be a "Barnabas".

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]

Always a privilege to pray for others.
All my prayers for the Peace of Jerusalem and the World. 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

[fieldmarshaldj]

Amen.

[DarthVader]

Amen !!! <><

Psalm 57

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
until the destroying storms pass by.
2 I cry to God Most High,
to God who fulfils his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me,
he will put to shame those who trample on me.
Selah
God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness.

4 I lie down among lions
that greedily devour* human prey;
their teeth are spears and arrows,
their tongues sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.
Let your glory be over all the earth.

6 They set a net for my steps;
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my path,
but they have fallen into it themselves.
Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast.
I will sing and make melody.
8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn.
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens;
your faithfulness extends to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.
Let your glory be over all the earth.

[redryder_90]

Amen

So happy to hear your day turned out ok, with little blessings of beautiful scenery and music.

God’s timing is perfect

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Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem

Thank You, fieldmarshaldj, 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, 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, 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 up. Prayers for all to turn to Jesus Christ.

[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

[Silentgypsy]

Amen and thank you.

[Hiskid]

Amen

[Jeanbl]

Giving thanks for positive outcomes and for prayers. Thank you for always sharing your experiences, concerns, praises, sorrows, and blessings. We are united together. Praying for the Peace of Jerusalem, for all our loved ones, for our Nation.

[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

[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

[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

[ViLaLuz]

This got me reading about “Christian socialism.”
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“The early church demonstrated a pattern of generous giving as the Lord had blessed individuals and as He led them to give to help the poor. There is no mandated redistribution of wealth, and the example of the Jerusalem church was not meant to be taken as a model for national governments. Paul regularly collected offerings from churches to help believers in other places. He asked them to give generously, but the gift was not mandated. In writing to the Corinthians to remind them that he will be taking a collection for poor believers, Paul says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). The pattern in the New Testament is voluntary, joyful generosity (see also 1 Timothy 6:17–19).”
(Excerpt from https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-Socialism.html)
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Glad to hear your brother “only” has a UTI. Even still, those can wreak havoc with an older person.