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A Pastor from Ohio used to say, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty and in all things charity.”

But what are the “essentials”? That really is the question of our day isn’t it?

And it is a question worth praying about.

Ask the Holy Spirit, He will be so glad you did. And you will be so glad you did 🙂

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13

Once a year we set aside a day to remember all of those who loved us and are gone from our lives. We also set aside this day to especially remember all of those who willingly and selflessly gave their lives to create and protect this country.

There really is no greater gift that someone can give, than to lay down their life so that we might keep ours!

Having a three day weekend is a great thing. And we are meant to enjoy it! But sometime during our 3 day weekend, we need to make time to pray not only for those who gave their lives, but their families as well. And we need to pray for all of those who serve in our armed forces, because they may one day lay down their lives! And we need to pray for all of their families that worry every day about the safety of their loved ones.

It is this kind of selfless courage and sacrifice that built this great country. It is also God’s Blessing and Protection that has made us the country that we are today and we need to remember that and thank our Lord!

“And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.” – Leviticus 20:6

Today, the world of occult and those who follow it has changed and grown. Many people follow witchcraft, astrology, divining…But God’s instructions have not changed! They are the same as they were yesterday-don’t! Participating in the occult is a sin that can lead to hell.

If you are participating in any of it, Repent!

Follow Jesus & Keep Praying; Prayer Changes Things!

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” – 2 Corinthians 13-15

Whether we go to church or meet someone, we need to evaluate any counsel we receive in the Light of God’s Word. How many churches have ministers who preach counter to what God teaches us in His Holy Bible? How many people do we meet that tell us we should do anything we want, as long as it makes us happy? And yet this is not the selfless love for God or our neighbors that Jesus taught us!

The Bible teaches us to “flee” from such people. And that is exactly what we need to do. It is enough to do our best to love as Jesus has told us to:

 “Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 37-40

Sometimes it seems we have been praying about something forever. Perhaps it is for someone we love to accept Jesus as their Savior. Sometimes we pray for a person that we love who is ill, who is at war, who has family problems, who is seeking a job or who is tired and sad… There are so many people we pray for, including ourselves.

And as we pray, over and over, and it can seem that there is no answer from Jesus. But that is just not true. Jesus always answers prayers. Jesus answers yes or no and sometimes not yet. Jesus answers our prayers in His perfect time, because He knows each person and how they are affected. We don’t.

And we may never understand why there seemed to be a delay until we reach Heaven, but we will understand 🙂

Remember, Jesus loves each one of us even more than we do. He may not always give us what we want, but He will always provide for us what we need 🙂

A special Word on praying for the salvation of those we love. Jesus gave us free will. So while we can pray for them, and Jesus will help them, in the end each person has to make their own choice. In other words, in order to receive Jesus as their Savior, those we love must ask Him to be their Savior. Absolutely we need to keep praying for them, but we also need to recognize that it will, in the end, be their choice.

Part of our Surrender to Jesus is accepting His answers, regardless as to what they are, because we are Trusting that Jesus knows better than we do-what the right answer is-and when to give it.

And remember, Jesus loves each person more than we can imagine! He wants everyone to make it to Heaven, even more than we do. And we can Trust that kind of love 🙂

The world has become a very confusing place. What is right? What is wrong? What is good? What is bad? That is why our Father-God gave us the Bible. He wanted us to know the answers to those questions.

But in order to see those answers, we do need to know the truth of what is happening in our world. With the media and government shouting so many different opinions, how are we to know?

We need to pray every day to the Holy Spirit to show us the truth of all that surrounds us! And with so much tragedy happening in our world, we also need to ask the Holy Spirit to show us the things we can really help change, and the things we can’t.

And then we need to ask Jesus to help us to accept the answers that the Holy Spirit gives us!

As I was Praying the Rosary, I heard God say, “Remember Lucifer can look like light even though he is NOT.” Don’t hate those that follow him, pity them.

And remember, all those who follow evil; follow Lucifer.

While praying the Rosary, I saw many people gathered together, all desperately trying to get some food and I heard our Blessed Mother Mary say that they were hungry.

Sometimes, we are so discouraged ourselves that we don’t really feel like encouraging others. There is even a part of us that questions whether it would be hypocritical.

But the Truth is, it is by giving to others that we will begin to feel better ourselves. It is by making others happier, that we will find happiness too!

When God put us on this earth, when Jesus came to Save us, loving others was such a large part of His message. Encouraging others is part of loving others, and we need to do that.

It is simply Jesus’s Gift that it also heals us too 🙂