“Meet me in your prayer chair or on your knees at nine.” All across the country, believers are pausing for one minute of prayer at nine p.m. every night.
Most of you know of the great chorus of prayers that is lifted up each evening at nine for the safety of our nation and its return to the Lord God. Like golden ribbons of melody, our prayers for our country waft up to the ear of God and wrap their threads around our heart where the Spirit of our Lord resides.
It is at this time in our history that prayers are most urgently needed. I will not presume to tell you how to vote or which side of the issues on which you should stand. I only ask that you learn the truth of the political positions and use that knowledge in casting your vote in eight days.
Our founding fathers laid the foundation of our great country with a Bible in one hand and the sword of freedom in the other. We are a Christian nation as long as the words of Godly recognition and supplication in our constitution remain at the core of our country. Please, prayerfully study the people who are seeking office in your state and vote as you believe God leads you. Remember, whomever we send to Washington to represent us, only has the power we give them, unless we give them all the power that belongs to us as citizens. The words are, “They represent us,” not “They dictate to us.” The only right they have to govern, comes from the governed. It is an awesome responsibility to select our political representatives. Please pray before voting, then vote with an open heart. Let us pray:
“Oh Father God, you chose the first King for your chosen people. We, as your children, have chosen you to be our king. We pray that your kingdom of truth and love will come today so that our country may be healed. Guide us next week as we cast our vote for this country you have gave us. A beautiful, blessed republic like ours may not come around again for hundreds of years if this one fades into history. If we don’t speak out for our bright, precious jewel on the Potomac, we may be cast into darkness where choice is no longer ours to claim. Give us discernment to know your ways that we may choose our leaders in keeping with your will. In the name of Jesus, your son, we pray with humble hearts. Amen”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
DADDY'S HOUSE
“Is that a Hudson River painting?” I look up at a large, framed landscape hanging in George Washington’s Mount Vernon home last week. Hudson River paintings, with their depiction of eastern America at a time when the country was just born, all fresh and new, with virgin forests and untouched streams, had always spoken to me.
“Yes, it is,” the guide smiled.
“Amazing,” I whispered. I marveled at the connection I felt to our first president through his choice of art and my sense of being home, in Daddy’s house, the father of our country.
As we move through the splashes of Fall color in the October meadows and woods all around us, let us never forget that we are walking through “Daddy’s house” - the creation of God and the kingdom of God. Jesus said, the Kingdom of God is at hand. It is on our right and our left and surrounding our every step. Yet, we live as though we were in a foreign country, where nothing makes sense and all seems unfamiliar. That’s because we are looking for the kingdom we have built, the lands we have acquired, the things we have stockpiled. The kingdom of God is His domain, where the gold we have gathered is in the precious souls of all those we touch for His sake. The only type of collecting that has value is “people gathering” - new residents for the Kingdom of God, finally finding a home in Daddy’s house. Let us pray:
“Holy Father, how easily we call on that name with no awareness that you are truly Abba, Daddy. Forgive our blindness, our arrogant independence that says, “Old man, we don’t need you anymore.” Yet, in spite of our rebellious nature, our narcissistic self-love, you call us from the winds of life that blow old character flaws away and breathe new life into each heart. Blow a little harder this day, oh Father. Blow in like a mighty wind and touch your people once again. We are a proud, independent people. But, our pride has falsely convinced us that independence means a turning from you rather than the truth of independence as a turning from man’s lies. To depend on you is wisdom. To climb up, like a child, on the lap of God, is to finally know who and whose we are. We are truly your children and we can only find our home at last, in our Daddy’s house. Thank you for opening your arms each new day. Praise be to you, God the father, through the life and blood of your son, our brother and savior, Jesus, the Christ. Amen.”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
“Yes, it is,” the guide smiled.
“Amazing,” I whispered. I marveled at the connection I felt to our first president through his choice of art and my sense of being home, in Daddy’s house, the father of our country.
As we move through the splashes of Fall color in the October meadows and woods all around us, let us never forget that we are walking through “Daddy’s house” - the creation of God and the kingdom of God. Jesus said, the Kingdom of God is at hand. It is on our right and our left and surrounding our every step. Yet, we live as though we were in a foreign country, where nothing makes sense and all seems unfamiliar. That’s because we are looking for the kingdom we have built, the lands we have acquired, the things we have stockpiled. The kingdom of God is His domain, where the gold we have gathered is in the precious souls of all those we touch for His sake. The only type of collecting that has value is “people gathering” - new residents for the Kingdom of God, finally finding a home in Daddy’s house. Let us pray:
“Holy Father, how easily we call on that name with no awareness that you are truly Abba, Daddy. Forgive our blindness, our arrogant independence that says, “Old man, we don’t need you anymore.” Yet, in spite of our rebellious nature, our narcissistic self-love, you call us from the winds of life that blow old character flaws away and breathe new life into each heart. Blow a little harder this day, oh Father. Blow in like a mighty wind and touch your people once again. We are a proud, independent people. But, our pride has falsely convinced us that independence means a turning from you rather than the truth of independence as a turning from man’s lies. To depend on you is wisdom. To climb up, like a child, on the lap of God, is to finally know who and whose we are. We are truly your children and we can only find our home at last, in our Daddy’s house. Thank you for opening your arms each new day. Praise be to you, God the father, through the life and blood of your son, our brother and savior, Jesus, the Christ. Amen.”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Sunday, October 3, 2010
THE NORTH WIND DOTH BLOW
The North wind doth blow and we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then, poor thing?
He’ll sit in a barn and keep himself warm
and hide his head under his wing, poor thing.
Mother used to recite this16th century poem to my sister and me in the Fall when the wind was beginning to blow and the leaves started rustling in the field beside our home. I have often quoted it to my children and grandchildren. The words were originally intended to remind a child of the safety of their own home, while at the same time, telling of the plight of the robin.
For me, there was never sadness that the robin was not in our warm home, laying on the floor near the hot air register listening to my parents talk or listening to the radio. I saw the beauty of God’s world in which even the robins have a dry and warm place to spend an Autumn evening.
I wonder how often we take the time to give God thanks for the simple things of life, the song of the birds, a roof over our head, the happy sounds of family. The secret to life is not in the big house on the hill. It’s in the sweet, fragrant drafty barn, where we are needy enough to depend on God. Let us pray:
“Oh breath of life, Holy is your precious name. May we come to the stable often where we can be protected, nourished, and loved by you. Forgive us for not trusting you to lead us, so that we may be privileged to witness your miracles in our lives. When we stay out of the wind for fear of being blown and pummeled about, we miss the blessing of being touched and steadied by your mighty hand. Loving Father, today, we venture to the barn, where you can keep us warm, where we can hide our head under your wing, blessed thing. Amen”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
And what will poor robin do then, poor thing?
He’ll sit in a barn and keep himself warm
and hide his head under his wing, poor thing.
Mother used to recite this16th century poem to my sister and me in the Fall when the wind was beginning to blow and the leaves started rustling in the field beside our home. I have often quoted it to my children and grandchildren. The words were originally intended to remind a child of the safety of their own home, while at the same time, telling of the plight of the robin.
For me, there was never sadness that the robin was not in our warm home, laying on the floor near the hot air register listening to my parents talk or listening to the radio. I saw the beauty of God’s world in which even the robins have a dry and warm place to spend an Autumn evening.
I wonder how often we take the time to give God thanks for the simple things of life, the song of the birds, a roof over our head, the happy sounds of family. The secret to life is not in the big house on the hill. It’s in the sweet, fragrant drafty barn, where we are needy enough to depend on God. Let us pray:
“Oh breath of life, Holy is your precious name. May we come to the stable often where we can be protected, nourished, and loved by you. Forgive us for not trusting you to lead us, so that we may be privileged to witness your miracles in our lives. When we stay out of the wind for fear of being blown and pummeled about, we miss the blessing of being touched and steadied by your mighty hand. Loving Father, today, we venture to the barn, where you can keep us warm, where we can hide our head under your wing, blessed thing. Amen”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sinning Doesn't Take Any Real Talent
The man shook his head and whispered, “They don’t like me because I sin differently than they do.” He was a member of an unpopular group, disapproved of by “good Christians.” My friend, a sin is a sin, and sinning doesn’t take any real talent. Anyone can do it . . . and we all do. Then why, pray tell, are we more critical of others’ sins than our own?
It seems to me that some TV preachers and a few heading local congregations, gain their popularity by having someone to oppose, their own unique enemy. They don’t rant against everyone who goes against what God lovingly has planned for us. They have their own Professor James Moriarty, who may be just as fictional, an inflated myth of their own making.
Rather than looking for the faults in others and shining a light on their sins, let us get on our knees and beg for God’s forgiveness for the sins that we do. The only hope we as sinner have, comes from the source of all hope, God. Stop criticizing other Christians. That defames the body of Christ. Seek the good in others. God will take care of their sin. Then, at the end of your days, you will have walked in beauty and will have been touched by grace, both yours and those you chose to love rather than criticize. Let us pray:
“My dear and precious Father, God, how purely loving you are. May you surround me like the fragrance of sweet-smelling perfume, that the essence of your being may stay with me wherever I go. Only you can eradicate the stench of sin. Only your grace can cleanse me again. This very day, oh God, wash away my imperfections with your balm of grace and re knit a right spirit within me. Use this flawed servant in any way that pleases you, for I no longer want to be captain of my own soul. The truth is, I never was, for in the kingdom of souls, you are the only master. May I serve you in ways not known to me, so I may not boast or seek any praise. Thank you for using me, dear Lord, and to you I will give all glory and honor and praise. In the name of Jesus, our dear Lord and savior I pray. Amen”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
It seems to me that some TV preachers and a few heading local congregations, gain their popularity by having someone to oppose, their own unique enemy. They don’t rant against everyone who goes against what God lovingly has planned for us. They have their own Professor James Moriarty, who may be just as fictional, an inflated myth of their own making.
Rather than looking for the faults in others and shining a light on their sins, let us get on our knees and beg for God’s forgiveness for the sins that we do. The only hope we as sinner have, comes from the source of all hope, God. Stop criticizing other Christians. That defames the body of Christ. Seek the good in others. God will take care of their sin. Then, at the end of your days, you will have walked in beauty and will have been touched by grace, both yours and those you chose to love rather than criticize. Let us pray:
“My dear and precious Father, God, how purely loving you are. May you surround me like the fragrance of sweet-smelling perfume, that the essence of your being may stay with me wherever I go. Only you can eradicate the stench of sin. Only your grace can cleanse me again. This very day, oh God, wash away my imperfections with your balm of grace and re knit a right spirit within me. Use this flawed servant in any way that pleases you, for I no longer want to be captain of my own soul. The truth is, I never was, for in the kingdom of souls, you are the only master. May I serve you in ways not known to me, so I may not boast or seek any praise. Thank you for using me, dear Lord, and to you I will give all glory and honor and praise. In the name of Jesus, our dear Lord and savior I pray. Amen”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Sunday, September 19, 2010
"Oyez, Oyez, Oyez!"
“Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye,” the town crier would call out the news and proclamations of the day. It was against the law to heckle or deter the crier in any way as they were representative of the crown that was currently on the throne. Who sits on your throne? And, do you even hear the warnings and messages of the crier who represents your king?
A life wasted is one that has been lived serving the wrong monarch. A life squandered is one spent listening to a false crier, an impostor, a perverter of the truth. He dresses in the same red and gold robe, white breeches, black boots and tricorne hat as the representative of the King. He looks so normal and speaks the words we want to hear. So, we choose to believe him. He represents a god we have created and his words are comfortable. But, it is still a lie.
And still he calls, “Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye the people of God.” But, they would not. Will you be part of the generation that turns from false gods, seeks the truth, and returns to the Lord your God? Let us pray:
“Holy Father, Truth divine, let me hear with this heart of mine. Flood my thoughts with your love and grace, and fill my life with your sweet embrace. Give me your words, both true and pure, to heal my wounds, my stain to cure. Forgive my bent for seeking ease, meet me there upon my knees. Give me a heart that hears your voice, and filters out the whole world’s noise. Love divine, oh greater still, the joy of life within your will. Oyez, Oyez, Oyez. Amen”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
A life wasted is one that has been lived serving the wrong monarch. A life squandered is one spent listening to a false crier, an impostor, a perverter of the truth. He dresses in the same red and gold robe, white breeches, black boots and tricorne hat as the representative of the King. He looks so normal and speaks the words we want to hear. So, we choose to believe him. He represents a god we have created and his words are comfortable. But, it is still a lie.
And still he calls, “Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye the people of God.” But, they would not. Will you be part of the generation that turns from false gods, seeks the truth, and returns to the Lord your God? Let us pray:
“Holy Father, Truth divine, let me hear with this heart of mine. Flood my thoughts with your love and grace, and fill my life with your sweet embrace. Give me your words, both true and pure, to heal my wounds, my stain to cure. Forgive my bent for seeking ease, meet me there upon my knees. Give me a heart that hears your voice, and filters out the whole world’s noise. Love divine, oh greater still, the joy of life within your will. Oyez, Oyez, Oyez. Amen”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Sunday, September 12, 2010
LONGER SHADOWS
One blessing we get from the cooler weather of Autumn is the longer shadows that stretch across the lawn and sneak up under low hanging branches. The leaves have barely begun to change color but the shadows tell - the season is changing.
Why do we refuse to see the signs that God places in our paths? The little devotional book calls them signposts. I think it may be because we no longer look at the little things. They are merely the blur of passing, insignificant details in our fast paced lives. And yet, they are the flutter of angel wings and the brush of His garment as He passes.
Most people are living way beyond their means. If it takes two jobs per parents to support the lifestyle they cannot or will not let go of, they are worshiping the wrong god. The glitter of things that shine, the hum and click of electronic gadgets, the television and computer that dominate their family room, have replaced the very family that lives there. And, God is not a part of that world of things. He lives in the world of love, presence, calm, simplicity, and the world of family. A first step toward an awakened soul that thirsts for God rather than the rich wine of life, is to notice the shadows and enjoy the contrast between the brilliance of His smile and the cool shadow of His peace. Don’t miss the beauty of the day and the sweetness of the shadows by running through life as if there were no end to our days on this beautiful Earth. Real life exists in this very moment but too often it is lived in the preparation and the memory. Let us pray:
“Father God, Holy One, who is and was and ever will be, we praise your holy name. Christ said the Kingdom of God is at hand. You have tried to whisper our name but our music is too loud. You have tried to touch our shoulder but we were running too fast to feel it. Forgive us Lord. Nothing of this world could be so important that we fail to see you waiting in the cool shade of the shadows because we would not slow down and let you in. Give us the courage and desire to slow down so that those around us won’t have to run to keep up and miss the beauty of their lives with you as well. In the name of Jesus our Savior and Lord we pray. Amen.”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Why do we refuse to see the signs that God places in our paths? The little devotional book calls them signposts. I think it may be because we no longer look at the little things. They are merely the blur of passing, insignificant details in our fast paced lives. And yet, they are the flutter of angel wings and the brush of His garment as He passes.
Most people are living way beyond their means. If it takes two jobs per parents to support the lifestyle they cannot or will not let go of, they are worshiping the wrong god. The glitter of things that shine, the hum and click of electronic gadgets, the television and computer that dominate their family room, have replaced the very family that lives there. And, God is not a part of that world of things. He lives in the world of love, presence, calm, simplicity, and the world of family. A first step toward an awakened soul that thirsts for God rather than the rich wine of life, is to notice the shadows and enjoy the contrast between the brilliance of His smile and the cool shadow of His peace. Don’t miss the beauty of the day and the sweetness of the shadows by running through life as if there were no end to our days on this beautiful Earth. Real life exists in this very moment but too often it is lived in the preparation and the memory. Let us pray:
“Father God, Holy One, who is and was and ever will be, we praise your holy name. Christ said the Kingdom of God is at hand. You have tried to whisper our name but our music is too loud. You have tried to touch our shoulder but we were running too fast to feel it. Forgive us Lord. Nothing of this world could be so important that we fail to see you waiting in the cool shade of the shadows because we would not slow down and let you in. Give us the courage and desire to slow down so that those around us won’t have to run to keep up and miss the beauty of their lives with you as well. In the name of Jesus our Savior and Lord we pray. Amen.”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
Sunday, September 5, 2010
GROUNDED AT ZERO
We walked quietly along the sidewalk that borders the sixteen acres of Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan, New York. It is bounded by the West Side Highway, Vesey Street on the north, Liberty Street on the south, and Church Street on the east. I pushed my cell phone between a section of fence and snapped a picture. I hoped to get a glimpse of the progress there.
Across the little side street called Church, St. Paul’s Chapel has stood since its opening in 1766. The events across the street on 9/11 did not disturb a single stone on the chapel George Washington had strolled to on April 30, 1789 following his inauguration as the first president of the United States. Washington’s upholstered chair still stands on the left side of the sanctuary facing the chancel. There is a sense of awe, of standing on hallowed ground all around the site. I wondered about the Holiness at Ground Zero.
Zero is not “nothing” or an empty number. It equals the beginning of something or beginning again. “In the beginning God . . .” God is at the beginning of everything, that’s why it is Holy Ground. At every beginning there is an opportunity to choose, to choose the higher, more holy path.
Our country has been reset at Zero, the beginning. God resides with us there . . . in the beginning, which is why it is Holy. Let us all seize the opportunity to be Second Generation Founding Fathers of this great nation, rededicating ourselves to the principles that have made this the freest nation on earth. Every job counts, every beginning matters, for we are all standing on Holy Ground. Let us pray:
“Father God, we have been reset with a blessed new beginning. Out of the ashes and black dust has risen a people who now know when they are standing on Holy Ground. Lead us into the work of freedom you have called this generation to take up. We may not know what to do or how to do it, but Father, you do, because it is your work. You are at the beginning and we are committed to following your lead. Forgive us when we have been lazy, when we have taken freedom for granted. Give us discernment that we may take the right path that leads our nation back into a right relationship with you. We recommit ourselves to active citizenship and a willingness to participate in this glorious country you have given us. In the precious name of Jesus Christ, your son, our savior, we pray. Amen”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
http://www.suite101.com/content/the-world-trade-center-revisited-a282416
http://www.suite101.com/content/fox-news-to-launch-year-long-world-trade-center-series-a282376
(For two articles I wrote Saturday about our trip to Ground Zero and a few pictures that document our experience, follow the links above.)
Across the little side street called Church, St. Paul’s Chapel has stood since its opening in 1766. The events across the street on 9/11 did not disturb a single stone on the chapel George Washington had strolled to on April 30, 1789 following his inauguration as the first president of the United States. Washington’s upholstered chair still stands on the left side of the sanctuary facing the chancel. There is a sense of awe, of standing on hallowed ground all around the site. I wondered about the Holiness at Ground Zero.
Zero is not “nothing” or an empty number. It equals the beginning of something or beginning again. “In the beginning God . . .” God is at the beginning of everything, that’s why it is Holy Ground. At every beginning there is an opportunity to choose, to choose the higher, more holy path.
Our country has been reset at Zero, the beginning. God resides with us there . . . in the beginning, which is why it is Holy. Let us all seize the opportunity to be Second Generation Founding Fathers of this great nation, rededicating ourselves to the principles that have made this the freest nation on earth. Every job counts, every beginning matters, for we are all standing on Holy Ground. Let us pray:
“Father God, we have been reset with a blessed new beginning. Out of the ashes and black dust has risen a people who now know when they are standing on Holy Ground. Lead us into the work of freedom you have called this generation to take up. We may not know what to do or how to do it, but Father, you do, because it is your work. You are at the beginning and we are committed to following your lead. Forgive us when we have been lazy, when we have taken freedom for granted. Give us discernment that we may take the right path that leads our nation back into a right relationship with you. We recommit ourselves to active citizenship and a willingness to participate in this glorious country you have given us. In the precious name of Jesus Christ, your son, our savior, we pray. Amen”
Doris
Copyright 2010 Doris Gaines Rapp, Ph.D.
“God gives us stories that testify to His love. Let me tell you mine.”
http://www.suite101.com/content/the-world-trade-center-revisited-a282416
http://www.suite101.com/content/fox-news-to-launch-year-long-world-trade-center-series-a282376
(For two articles I wrote Saturday about our trip to Ground Zero and a few pictures that document our experience, follow the links above.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)