WHO IS YOUR GOD?

Our country has been thrust into a deep chasm of partisan rhetoric. We fall deeper and deeper when we fail to realize that our political beliefs are not our gods. Or are they? If we are children of the God of the ages, the father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then we can only see social issues through the prism of His love and charity. If we hold partisanship as our god, then we view social issues through the eyes of our political leaning. Let us all remember, where there is truth, Truth abides; where there is love, Love abides; and where there is charity, the embodiment of Charity lives and breathes and moves from our heart out across the land. Your political philosophy must not be the framework or principle by which you make your decisions. Your love of Christ and the following of His Way, must be the guiding light by which you view each issue proposed by various parties. Let us pray that God will open the window of our heart that we might become Christian Americans, not the big D or R or I citizens. God is above the petty self-interests of groups and looks for the well being of all of His children. That is the charity that lives in us when we have God at the center of our lives. Let us pray:

“Father God, you are the voice that called life into being and you are the glue that holds us together. I praise your holy name. May your kingdom of pure love and charity come make its home in my heart this very day. I pray that I may see the needs of others and the collective needs of our country through your eyes. May I learn to balance our county’s strength with the needs of the least of those among us. Father, I am not wise enough to make those decisions but you are. May I see all of life through your eyes, oh God and have the courage to follow where you lead. Forgive me, Father, where I have listened to politicians rather than to you and the voice you planted in my heart with the indwelling of your Holy Spirit. Glory and honor, praise and adoration all belong to you, my Father. I give tribute to your Holy name. I pray that these new awakenings may come to my heart through the power of and in the name of Jesus, your son, my savior. Amen”
Doris
“Copyright 2009 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to his love. Let me tell you mine.”

STRING OF BEADS

During the last month, I have enjoyed making some new necklaces and re-stringing some old, one tiny bead at a time. It occurred to me, that our lives with God are similar. Whether we are new Christians or have walked with God most of our lives, we are tethered to Him, one bead at a time. At the end is half of the toggle that links the string with the opposite end. Our faith is like that clasp, attaching our lives to God. Next comes the crimp that seals the string to the toggle. Our seal is God’s promise and Christ’s teaching that we are His children and therefore inheritors of all God has for His children. Then we string one tiny bead after the other. These small beads are like the events of each day that give us opportunity to trust in Him. At the other end is the crimp that hold us tightly to God. That last crimp that holds the string to the opposite toggle is like are daily prayers, our daily reading of His Word, our moment-to-moment fellowship with Him. The crimp is anchored to the other half of the toggle. That fastener brings our faith, our actions, our beliefs, and our acceptance of being linked to Him into a full circle where the world cannot break in. Every time you, or someone you know, wear a string of beads, let it be a witness to the united of all believers with the Father through the Son. Let us pray:

“Almighty God, author of the promise, the covenant, I bow before your holiness. May I experience your grace and presence as the angels do in Heaven. Today, let me see my life as a full circle, linked to you by each belief I hold, the fullness of my faith, each small thing I do that is in keeping with your will, my obedience to the rhythm of your world where prayer and study are part of a daily melody, and my testimony to you is worn for all to see like a string of beads. Forgive me when I have hidden the brightness of your blessings from others by not speaking out on your behalf and give me courage that I may always acknowledge you. To you, oh Father, I give all praise, glory and honor. In the name of your precious son, Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.”

Doris
“Copyright 2009 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to his love. Let me tell you mine.”

LET THE EDUCATION BEGIN!

In Huntington, school began last Thursday. Public and private schools, colleges and universities have all begun or will be starting again in a few days or weeks. What about the rest of us? If you want to be able to read well into old age, then . . . READ. If you want to be able to think logically, then exercise logic as you approach tasks. I know that many of us use our feelings to make decisions and that too is necessary in the process. But, we can develop our ability to use logic by implementing processes that use that skill, such as choosing wise counsel from others and plotting the consequences of possible decisions on paper. Doris’ Rule: Deliberately do what you do not naturally do.

More importantly than things of this world, is educating ourselves in things of God. Many Christians are Intuitive/Feeling types who know our Lord as we draw close to Him. But, we are also called to know God by educating ourselves about Him through daily reading His Word, studying His word through trusted Bible studies, and receiving the witness of others through reading inspirational nonfiction and uplifting fiction. With books-on-tape even the busiest person can receive soul food laid out by others for our consumption. Let the Lord speak to you every day of your life that you may grow in wisdom and not wilt into old age (a degeneration that seems to occur at earlier ages with each generation). Let us pray to hear God’s voice in many venues of our lives:

“Oh Loving Father, God of all, I lift up my hands in praise to you, for you are Holy. May I see a glimpse of your glory here in my present life, just as the angels enjoy your pure love and light in Heaven. Give me this day a heart for your Word, that it may be buried deeply in my soul that I may feast on it in times of trial and rest in it in times of rich joy. Take away my scattered nature and lazy streak that prevent me from learning more about you each day. Instill a hunger for knowledge of you that matches my amazing love for you. As I read your word and learn of you, I know my love for you will grow beyond the widest bounds of my imagination. To you I will give all glory and honor, praise and worship for only you deserve such adoration. In the name of Jesus Christ your son, my redeemer and savior I pray. Amen”
Doris
“Copyright 2009 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to his love. Let me tell you mine.”

GOD'S ECONOMIC RECOVERY

My friends, I believe we are in a period of economic recovery! Why! Not because my bank account is fatter. Perhaps yours is cash deprived as well. What I think we are recovering is a simplistic way of living in which we respect God’s resources, others and ourselves, and realize our rich economy is in lives saved, not dollars accumulated. I present to you two small concepts recovered from old wisdom: (1) Cell phones are not Kleenex. They don’t have to be thrown away immediately after use. (2) Sneakers are not opera slippers. They don’t have to be made of patent leather and cost more than the week’s groceries or Grandma’s medication.

There can be real joy and satisfaction in seeing how many miles your car can go before it dies of faithful service. Our minivan had 265,782 marathon miles under her hood before she finally limped off to die a noble death. Spend these new days creatively seeking ways to re-use the re-usable, and giving new life, in an altered form, to items worthy of continued service. It would be fun to hear from you regarding ways you’ve saved money by transforming the old into the revived, and thus having money to help a friend or neighbor in need. We honor God when we remember: People are more valuable than things!

Get creative about ways you can save in order to help your church and charities that are in desperate need of money during these tight times. Please, comment on this prayer therapy blog and let me know what you’ve done to inject fresh energy into tired objects, that you’re willing to share with others. I pray that your eyes will be opened to the opportunity buried in the dirt, like flowers sleeping in their bulbs, and ways to grow in a garden that seems to be full of weeds. God can cultivate our lives during this pruning season so we can emerge stronger for service, healthier for endurance, and closer to Him. Let us pray:

“Father, God, you are holy, holy. Just the mention of your sacred name and lives change. Someone can be damned or led to your glory when I speak of you. May your kingdom come to my life, just as it will in Glory, so I may only whisper God as a healing salve to those around me. I ask today, that you open my eyes to all the blessings you have given me. May I not erroneously believe that I deserve more because I am entitled to more things than another. Show me fun and creative ways to reuse what I already have, and share with others what I no longer need. Let me expand into extravagant generosity during these times. I ask that you heal our land so that it is strong enough to bless and support us all. Forgive me when I have been selfish, greedy, and have believed: buying things trumps giving myself and what I can share. I will rejoice in every way you show me how I can serve you by serving others. I will give you all praise and glory. In the name of your son, Jesus, my savior, I pray. Amen”
Doris
“Copyright 2009 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to his love. Let me tell you mine.”

THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

In ancient times, before smog and the bright lights of the city blocked the stars, people in various parts of the world, looked at the sky and “connected the dots.” Today, we call them constellations. Some animals they saw were dogs within Canis Major and Canis Minor. The Internet tells us that the brightest of the stars in Canis Major (the big dog) is Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. In fact, it is so bright that the ancient Romans thought that the earth received heat from it. In the summer, Sirius, the “dog star,” is in conjunction with the sun and rises and sets with it. “The ancients believed that its heat added to the heat of the sun, creating a stretch of hot and sultry weather. They named this period of time, from 20 days before the conjunction to 20 days after, dog days, after the dog star.” The dog days of summer occur between early July and early September, or more narrowly, between July 3 and August 11. However broad we identify it, the dog days of summer are often seen as a period of stagnation or inactivity. Are these your dog days, Friend?
Our nation, and indeed the world, is in a period of profound change. We must be alert and actively involved in God’s church and the nation He inspired and designed, to insure that any change is a continuation of the constitutional design for America and not a radical departure. We are evolving as a nation and that can take us down an uncharted path into something we were never intended to be or it can expand and embrace a deeper commitment WITHIN the spirit of the nation that was carved out for us over two-hundred years ago. If we must have our dog days at this time of year, please make them watch dog days, dogs that never sleep, are forever on patrol around the territory we call home, and loudly bark when intruders would attempt to sneak into our land and cause havoc and irreparable damage. Let us pray:

“Dear father God, holy is your name. May your kingdom come to our nation and raise us above politics and strife so that your will may be done for the freedom and benefit of all your people. Like any good watch dog, we ask that the hackles on the back of our neck rise when danger is near. May we hold our ground when you call us to stand-firm and not stand-down. Let us be open to expanding our concept of freedom to include all those who legitimately live within our borders, encouraging them to be the very best they can be, supporting them with our love and walking beside them as they aspire to become who you intended them to be. No one has to be one-down so we can be one-up, for you have created us all equally. You shine your love, grace, and salvation on all of us. I pray that we can radiate your love to all those around us so they are free to find solutions to their own problems, as free people have always done. Forgive us when we have held tightly to what we believe is ours. May our watch dog nature not forget to share with those around us. We don’t have to be forced to love our neighbor as ourselves. We have been a generous people and we pray to return to the spirit of extravagant generosity once again. In the name of Jesus, your son, our savior, the giver of our all-inclusive love, 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.”