JANUARY/WINTER BLUES

It’s January 26 and, depending on where you live, one winter month is nearly “in the can,” as they say on radio. By next Sunday, it will be February. Mamma used to say, “Don’t wish your life away.” Or, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.” With the economy down, winter still on center stage, and many of our youngest and strongest still fighting a war or terror, we could easily be tempted to “wish our lives away.” I wish it were warmer, then I could . . . ; I wish it weren’t hot, then I could . . . ; I wish I had more money, then I could . . . ; I wish the world were at peace, then I could . . . ; I wish I could paint better, then I could. . . .
I remember taking a class in Beginning Drawing at New Mexico State University and saying “I wish I were a real artist.” My professor said, “Oh, you are an artist. If you draw or paint, you’re an artist . . . maybe not a good one, but you are an artist.” It has come to me recently that we already are who we wish we were. Maybe we don’t believe it or aren’t doing a very good job of it, however. If you wish you were rich, you already are - rich in family, friends, and the grace of God. If you wish it were warmer, maybe you could already be warmer by filling your heart with God’s love beaming down like sun rays from Heaven. You could turn your face toward others, rather than focusing on the snow at your own feet. If you wish we had peace in the world, what are you doing to make sure there is peace in your home? If you wish you had more talent, how much practice time are you willing to put in to insure your success? How much do you just “wish” instead of believing you already are who God created you to be? We need to be thankful for all we have, live up to our potential, and work hard at maintaining the gifts the Lord has already given us. Wishing won’t bring anything but disappointment and lives unfulfilled. Let us pray:
“Our loving Father, the one true God, we bow before you and praise your name. May your kingdom be built in our hearts so your peace may bring joy to others and draw them ever closer to you. On this day, at this time, may we realize that we already are who we wish we could be, whether we’re good at the task before us or not. Where we wish to be loving people, let us love. Where we wish to be rich, let us live lives rich in character. Where we wish to be at peace, let us bring peace wherever we go. May we be who you knew us to be when you created us but we were afraid to become. We already are the children of your dreams, we are just doing a lousy job at it, because we just wait to be, wish to be who we already are, but don’t live to be. Forgive us for our dissatisfaction and longing to be other than who and what we are, since we were perfectly designed by you. To you, we give all praise and glory, for you are the king of the kingdom in which we already live, but fail to recognize. In the precious name of Jesus, who knew who and whose he was, I pray. Amen”
Doris
“Copyright Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.”
“God gives us stories that testify to his love. Let me tell you mine.”

MY OATH

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” That is the oath that President Obama will take tomorrow. He will pledge his loyalty to our country and the laws and beliefs that formed it and to do the job he was elected to do. We, as citizens of two worlds, The United States and Heaven, need to think about our own pledge and to faithfully recommit ourselves to it. You could write your own or borrow mine.
“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute my obligations and remember my privileges as a citizen of the United States and within the Family of God. I will help to preserve our Constitution, reminding myself of its contents by reading it (online or on paper) on Inauguration Day and I will preserve our Bible by acknowledging it as the divine word of God and reading some portion of it each day. I will protect and defend our Constitution and our Holy Bible by speaking up and speaking out to those who would seek to undermine their message and rewrite their sacred words. I will execute the office of ‘citizen’ by participating in the life of our country and Christ’s Church, finding where God can use the talents he has given me, and exercising those talents to the glory of God.” Let us pray:

“Father of all, we praise your holy name and thank you for all you have done in our lives. Tomorrow will be the day we begin a new governing administration. We pray that you will bless and preserve our country, our constitution, our president, and those who govern, both new and those newly elected. May they realize the awesome responsibility that has been intrusted to them and know they will need to trust in you for insight and strength. May your presence be known and felt each day of their term in office, that your will for our country may rise out of their decisions, with their cooperation or in spite of themselves. We pledge our loyalty and support by the oath we also take, to remember each blessing and stand up and be counted in this world we live and in your blessed family of believers. Forgive us for past lazy citizenship and our inability to see that the kingdom of God is at hand, as Jesus said it was, expanding our world from the earth to heaven. We do not live in two worlds but when we invite you into our heart in this world, we complete the wholeness of our citizenship. Where we go, when we speak, when we defend and preserve, so goes your kingdom within us. Blessed be your name for you are holy, holy, holy. Lead us not into the temptation of believing that we have done anything marvelous. Miracles are within your purview, not ours. We are merely witnesses to your glory and give testimony to your greatness in our lives. May you shine your smile on the United States and bless your people once again. In the name of your precious son, our redeemer and Lord, Jesus, we pray. Amen.”
Doris
“Copyright 2009 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to his love. Let me tell you mine.”

TRUST BUT VERIFY

TRUST BUT VERIFY
We live in highly charged times and to survive the struggling economy and wars, we must trust: trust in the American people, trust in Democracy, and trust in the Lord. While we trust, we must also verify. Economists will tell us how and when, or when not, to invest; political talking-heads will report on the state of the government; and religious leaders will interpret God’s word to and for us. Our job must be to verify these interpretations. We must become knowledgeable about money matters; we must pay attention to the workings of congress; and we must lean on God, and not man, if we want to understand His workings in our lives. A role of the Holy Spirit is to discern Truth when we hear it. The Bible has foretold about all of these matters, so truth is available. We must stop the lazy minds and lazy spirits, open the Holy Word, get on our knees, and let God speak to us in our time, for this very day. Let us pray:

“Our father, who lives in heaven and in our hearts, holy, holy is your name. When your name is spoken, life bursts forth into blossom, for your words created and create. May your will unfold like a delicate and vital flower in our lives, that your plan for us may come into being. We ask for healing, for health, for strength, for awareness, for understanding and discernment, for truth (clearly visible and clearly stated), salvation and grace in our lives and in the lives of those we love and those we call to name before your throne. May we seek and find your will for us and for our country and world. Give us bold voices to testify to your truth, love and how you have worked in our lives. There are loved ones who continue to struggle with illness of the body. We pray for their healing, for the wisdom of their physicians, for hope, and for the breath of LIFE to enter them and touch each spot. We are ashamed of our laziness and our focus on ourselves. May we turn our eyes and heart to you, oh father, for only in your arms will we find your perfect love and our purpose. May we forgive others for their estrangement with us and realign our heart to walk beside them, revealing you to them along their path. We praise your name, of God, for only you are worthy of our adoration, and thank you for answering our prayers. In the name of your son, our savior, Jesus Christ we pray. Amen”

Doris
“Copyright 2009 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.”
“You have given us stories that testify to your love. Let me tell you mine.”

A NEW BEGINNING

Each day, the Lord our God gives us a new beginning. Each year, we start the calendar again, with the same birthdays, Holidays, and vacations. What’s new about it? - Our renewed attitude, our new goals, our new commitment, our newly redeemed soul. When we ask the Lord God to make us a new person, totally dedicated to Him, ready to take our place as Watcher on the Wall, ready to claim all of Christ’s promises, our soul is redeemed and we are new people in an all new year. Will challenges happen? - OF COURSE THEY WILL! Who do we think we are that trials will not cross our path? Even Jesus Christ had his temptations, trial, and cross. Are we better than the Son of God that we would expect that each day would unfold before us with no problems to solve or no challenges that would need our complete dependence on God? How arrogant! Testing our character and strengthening our resolve are the basic elements of life, which cause us to grow and prosper. Blessed be the name of the Lord for He has seen our weakness and has provided obstacles for us to climb and therefore strengthen us for His service. Let us pray for His presence, strength, discernment, and guidance in this new and challenging year:

“Oh strong and faithful God, we praise your name in everything we do, in every experience of our days. May your Spirit make its home in our heart this year, at this very time. Some days will be to our liking and our desire, other days will be a mystery to us and we’ll feel we, or you, have failed. We ask that you never leave our side as we walk our path. We know when you are not seen, it is because we have cast our gaze away from you, not that you have ever taken your eye from us for even one moment. Praise be the name of the Lord every day, in every way. May our heart be warmed daily in the glow of your fire divine. We vow to love you and praise you through the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health, for we know we live in an unstable world, within the stability of your love. Forgive us when we grow weak and blame you for our problems, for, in our heart, we know you want only good for your children. Sometimes we are the author of our own difficulties and other situations are created by the world in which we live. We pray for the health of our loved ones and that a peace may rain down on them with healing waters. We know you formed this world Father. We also know you set Heaven in place. Heaven is “up,” perhaps just a few inches above the chaos of this world. May we rise above the world’s anxiety and anger and illness, find your Garden again this year, and vow to live there in your love. From your home-on-earth we will be able to be Watchers, and guard the wall as you asked of us. In the name of, and by the power of your son, the great healer, Jesus the Christ, we pray. Amen”
Doris
“Copyright 2009 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.”
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”