Sunday, September 16, 2012

Sunday Faith Blog

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable... We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from sin and Set us free. Amen!'
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we once again can be called 'One nation under God!'
....Billy Graham 

"In all ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."  Proverbs 3:6

have a great Sunday.....acknowledge Him!

z

20 comments:

Gramma 2 Many said...

Z, so much is going on, I am almost afraid to turn on my tv or radio. Good thing we know who is going to ultimatle win this battle or we could go crazy with worry:)

Silverfiddle said...

That is an excellent prayer.

God bless Reverent Graham

beakerkin said...

Z

There are lazy religious people. I have endured yet another visit from the frummies.

I find myself at the Chinese place ordering every pork dish on the menu because this group annoys me.

In a traditional Christian sense charity and taking care of the poor was a communal function. You were supposed to take care of yourself first and leave a section of the fields for the poor.

What annoys me is the fatalistic view God will take care attitude. Sorry, but reading obscure religious texts while on the community dole is not cool. Educating yourself and finding gainful employment or running an honest business are the way the man upstairs intended.

I point out the back breaking community work of Junglemom who serves the poor as Christs calling is a noble thing. What benefit does anyone get from bandying obscure religious texts year after year while on the dole.

A non Christian can celebrate the values of those who build communities and serve the poor in meaningful ways. Help a person get back on their feet. If we do not break the cycle of dependency we are indeed doomed.

Brooke said...

A wonderful way to start this Sunday.

Have a great one, Z!

Rita said...

Reverend Graham was the only televised preacher that I ever believed is a true man of God.

Sam Huntington said...

This is a most excellent post, Z. We cannot receive God's forgiveness until we repent, and we cannot repent until we recognize that our behaviors are an abomination to all that is holy. Surely our troubled society does not surprise us...

Unknown said...

May God have mercy on America.

Ed Bonderenka said...

We have a Worship Defecit.

Ed Bonderenka said...

Dr. Charles Stanley never disappoints me. But he's more a teacher than evangelist.

sue hanes said...


Thanks Z - For taking time out today to remind us of our transgressions. Or rather for making it possible for us to remember through Billy Graham.

They are many - aren't they. And there are more that aren't even listed here - that we all are guilty of.

Have a great Sunday - Z.

Right Truth said...

Amen!

Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com

Marine4ever said...

Thank you for sharing, Z.

If that prayer doesn't bring you to your knees, I don't know what will.

Thank you, Dear Lord, for giving us Billy Graham for the time that we've had him with us.

As you say, Z, "Proverbs 3:6 -- Acknowledge Him!"

I would like to add that not only do I acknowledge Him, but also His Son, Jesus Christ -- my Savior and my Redeemer.

One nation UNDER GOD!

Amen.

Anonymous said...

What an absolutely beautiful post today.

Happy New Year, all.

Anonymous said...

@Robert

"May God have mercy on America.."


He did...until November, 2008. Then He sought to teach us humility, patience and what character really is. He's giving us another chance...soon...again to right our wrongs.

Z said...

I don't get a lot of comments on my Sunday Faith Blogs, but I think they're my favorite comments of the week.
Thank you.

Beak, for a Jew, you sure do get the Christian sense of charity better than some :-)

Ed...I love that; well said.

Imp, thanks SO much. It matters to me that you find that so important; I did, too.

you ALL build MY faith when I read your reactions and input.
God bless you all.

Sorry I wasn't around the last few days....I was up in Berkeley. Had a GREAT time. It was positively THe longest time I"ve been away from American news since I left living in Paris in Dec 2001.
I have to admit I didn't like not knowing what's going on!! :=)

Anonymous said...

@z..

I meant that...this post was moving and stunning to me...inasmuch as everyone knows I have a real problem stifling my profanity. In my defense....it's inexcusable.

I should have been a Marine? Nah...the two Marines here...I idolize. My noise...is typical Cockpit...noise. Good thing the CVR erases every 45 minutes!

I'm just a dirt bag from New Jersey in the mold of Joe Pesci.

"I was up in Berkeley..."

What can I say..I hope you've showered and deloused? LOL.

Trekkie4Ever said...

AMEN AND AMEN!!! God bless Mr. Graham.

FreeThinke said...


St. PATRICK’S BREASTPLATE

I Bind unto Myself Today



Attributed to St. Patrick


I bind unto myself today

The strong name of the Trinity

By invocation of the same,

The Three in One and One in Three.
I bind this day to me forever,

By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation,

His baptism in the Jordan River,

His cross of death for my salvation,

His bursting from the spiced tomb,

His riding up the heavenly way,

His coming at the day of doom,

I bind unto myself today.


I bind unto myself today

The virtues of the starlit heaven,

The glorious sun’s life giving ray,

The whiteness of the moon at even,

The flashing of the lightning free,

The whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks,

The stable earth, the deep salt sea,

Around the old eternal rocks.


I bind unto myself today

The power of God to hold and lead,

His eye to watch, his might to stay,

His ear to hearken to my need,

The wisdom of my god to teach,

His hand to guide, his shield to ward,

The Word of God to give me speech,

His heavenly host to be my guard.



I bind unto myself the name,

The strong name of the Trinity

By invocation of the same,

The Three in One and One in Three,

Of whom all nature has creation,

Eternal Father, Spirit, Word.

Praise to the Lord of my salvation;

Salvation is of Christ the Lord!



Tune: St. Patrick’s Breastplate


LISTEN to these words beautifully sung at:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxA2zOSAuxc&feature=related

Z said...

Imp, I have SUCH mixed feelings about Berkeley.....every restaurant we went to had such amazing people eating there...a real melange of interesting faces, clothes, tattoos, etc. You KNOW that they're mostly VERY liberal and I guess the unthinkingness of the whole thing bugs me the most.
And that's how it feels to me...unthinking.

BUT, I LOVE Berkeley...we walked a distance from our car to a restaurant Sat. night, and I stood in the middle of a very old street with very old clapboard and old concrete houses and I LOVE THAT. I so wished I'd brought a good camera with me.
Old houses fit my temperament somehow...who knows why?
I could go on and on with that subject, but won't.

Suffice it to say I have a love/hate with Berkeley. And I Have relatives I love there so that helps the LOVE part!

I think I'll write about a conversation I heard Saturday night.


FT...oh, my...another poem. after all that.

FreeThinke said...

Not a "poem" exactly, Z, but a very ancient HYMN. The words are traditionally attributed to St. Patrick. What we have today is a translation of the original which was written in either Erse, Gaelic, or "Irish" -- I'm not sure which is which frankly.

I know you have St. Patrick's Breastplate in the Lutheran Hymnal -- or certainly did when I played for the Lutherans many years ago. We had it in the Episcopal Hymnal too in an even more elaborate and extended version. It makes a magnificent processional if you have a large enough choir and a big enough church to do it right.

At any rate I thought it went well with your Sunday Faith post.

Poetry of all kinds is meat and drink to me. Often it says much more neatly and succinctly things we try to say in rambling prose -- or so I believe.

Thank you for these Sunday acknowledgements of Christ's Presence in our lives.

~ FT