Thursday, July 31, 2008
Exodus 23:20-23
Exodus 23:20-23...20See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and bring you to the place I have prepared. 21Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him. 22If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. 23My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Prayer by the Reverend Joe Wright of Kansas
An angel doing God's work...On January 23rd, 1996, the Reverend Joe Wright was invited to offer the opening prayer at a session of the Kansas House of Representatives...This is what they heard:
“Heavenly Father, we come before You to ask Your forgiveness...We seek Your direction and guidance…We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good."...But that's what we've done.… We've lost our spiritual equilibrium...We have inverted our values…We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word in the name of moral pluralism...We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism...We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle...We have exploited the poor and called it a lottery…We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation...We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare…In the name of choice, we have killed our unborn…In the name of right to life, we have killed abortionists…We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem…We have abused power and called it political savvy…We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it taxes…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...Try us...Show us any wickedness within us...Cleanse us from every sin and set us free…Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of the State of Kansas, and that they have been ordained by You to govern this great state...Grant them Your wisdom to rule...May their decisions direct us to the center of Your will...And, as we continue our prayer and as we come in out of the fog, give us clear minds to accomplish our goals as we begin this Legislature...For we pray in Jesus' name, Amen!”
The response was immediate…A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest…In 6 short weeks, the Central Christian Church, where Reverend Wright was pastor (now retired), logged more than 6,500 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively…The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa, and Korea.
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we can once again be called 'One nation Under God.'
No, this is not a false situation...Check out the link below.
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/wright.asp
“Heavenly Father, we come before You to ask Your forgiveness...We seek Your direction and guidance…We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good."...But that's what we've done.… We've lost our spiritual equilibrium...We have inverted our values…We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word in the name of moral pluralism...We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism...We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle...We have exploited the poor and called it a lottery…We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation...We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare…In the name of choice, we have killed our unborn…In the name of right to life, we have killed abortionists…We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem…We have abused power and called it political savvy…We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it taxes…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...Try us...Show us any wickedness within us...Cleanse us from every sin and set us free…Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of the State of Kansas, and that they have been ordained by You to govern this great state...Grant them Your wisdom to rule...May their decisions direct us to the center of Your will...And, as we continue our prayer and as we come in out of the fog, give us clear minds to accomplish our goals as we begin this Legislature...For we pray in Jesus' name, Amen!”
The response was immediate…A number of legislators walked out during the prayer in protest…In 6 short weeks, the Central Christian Church, where Reverend Wright was pastor (now retired), logged more than 6,500 phone calls with only 47 of those calls responding negatively…The church is now receiving international requests for copies of this prayer from India, Africa, and Korea.
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we can once again be called 'One nation Under God.'
No, this is not a false situation...Check out the link below.
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/wright.asp
Monday, July 28, 2008
Exodus 14:19-20
Exodus 14:19-20...19Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behing them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.
Exodus 3:2
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Genesis 48:14-16
Genesis 48:14-16...14But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manesseh was the firstborn. 15Then he blessed Joseph and said, "May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, 16the angel who has delivered me from all harm-may he bless these boys. May they be called by my name and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they increase greatly upon the earth."
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Genesis 28:12
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Genesis 24:7; Genesis 24: 40-46
Genesis 24:7..."The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring [or seed] I will give this land'-he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there.
Genesis 24: 40-46...40"He replied, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father's family. 41Then, when you go to my clan, you will be released from my oath even if they refuse to give her to you-you will be released from my oath.' 42"When I came to the spring today, I said, 'O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. 43See, I am standing beside this spring; if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, "Please let me drink a little water from your jar," 44and if she says to me, "Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels too," let her be the one the LORD has chosen for my master's son.' 45"Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' 46"She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too.' So I drank, and she watered the camels also.
Genesis 24: 40-46...40"He replied, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with you and make your journey a success, so that you can get a wife for my son from my own clan and from my father's family. 41Then, when you go to my clan, you will be released from my oath even if they refuse to give her to you-you will be released from my oath.' 42"When I came to the spring today, I said, 'O LORD, God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey on which I have come. 43See, I am standing beside this spring; if a maiden comes out to draw water and I say to her, "Please let me drink a little water from your jar," 44and if she says to me, "Drink, and I'll draw water for your camels too," let her be the one the LORD has chosen for my master's son.' 45"Before I finished praying in my heart, Rebekah came out, with her jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water, and I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' 46"She quickly lowered her jar from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too.' So I drank, and she watered the camels also.
Genesis 22:11-12; Genesis 22:15-18
Genesis 22:11-12...11But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 12"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said." Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
Genesis 22:15-18...15The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."
Genesis 22:15-18...15The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."
Genesis 21:17
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Genesis 19:1; Genesis 19:15
Genesis 19:1...[Sodom and Gomorrah] The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.
Genesis 19:15...With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife and two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished."
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Genesis 16:7; Genesis 16:9-11
Genesis 16:7...The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.
Genesis 16:9-11...9Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10The angel added, "I will so increase your decendents that they will be too numerous to count." 11The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ismael, [Ishmael means God hears.] for the LORD has heard of your misery.
Genesis 16:9-11...9Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10The angel added, "I will so increase your decendents that they will be too numerous to count." 11The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ismael, [Ishmael means God hears.] for the LORD has heard of your misery.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Angels Among Us...Entry #1...My Ministry Begins.
According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, there are 201 references to the word "Angel" and there are an additional 96 references to the word "Angels"...In total, that makes 297 references to the word "Angel" or "Angels"...Please keep in mind that Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible is compiled from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
Also, please keep in mind that I am a Lutheran in the Missouri Synod and we use the New International Version (NIV) of the Holy Bible...In the NIV, there are 195 references to the word "Angel" and there are an additional 99 references to the word "Angels"...In total, that makes 294 references to the word "Angel" or "Angels".
In comparison, that is 297 references in the King James Version and 294 references in the New International Version (NIV)...That's only a difference of 3 references...That's pretty close, right?
You should also keep in mind that I am not a Pastor, Priest, or Preacher...I am only a man who believes that "Angels" walk among us...It's important for everyone to realize that they can be called upon at anytime to be someone's "Angel"...The only thing you have to do is to just slow down, watch and listen...You'll know when God is talking to you.
When I was a small child, I learned that God created everything; including man and woman...And, over a period of time, I developed an understanding about the Triune God; God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit...After reading the Bible several times, I learned how disobedient mankind can be and about the never ending love of God...Time and time again, man has proven his unworthiness of going to Heaven and being with God for all eternity...And, seeing our weak nature and because God loves us so very much, God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for all of our sins so that Jesus would provide the way for us to be with God the Father for all eternity.
As I see it, in Heaven, our future home, there is God the Father and God the Son...That leaves God the Holy Spirit here on Earth to help guide us...It is my belief that all of us have been touched by God the Holy Spirit...The Holy Spirit is in our thoughts, our conscience, our words, and what we do...The Holy spirit is all around us every single minute of the day and throughout the night...The only thing we have to do is to recognize and act upon His presence...The Holy Spirit is That Presence that quietly whispers in your ear; that Vision before your eyes; the Softness in your words; the Mercy and the Generosity in your heart; and the Sharing of your time.
My goal throughout my "Blog Ministry" is to share scripture references from the New International Version (NIV) of the Holy Bible about "Angels" being God's Messengers and to help you realize that there are always many opportunities for you to be an "Angel" to someone near you.
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