Welcome to The Prayer Room

Worship and Self-Image

There is a correlation between worship and self-image: we become like the object of our worship.  The way the evil one has tripped us up the most effectively has been our concept and practice of worship.  If it is true that everyone worships something, and we become what we worship, then the topic becomes most important.  I am sure you have observed people that worship money, material objects (bling and clothing and shoes), cars, golf, powerful friends and positions at work. Then, you might run across someone who worships God, and think “that one is a little too devoted.  I could never be like that”.  It is our concept of worship and the concept of our self that determines how we view others.

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Good Day All:

I have not given up posting my thoughts.  In my neighborhood the summer is consumed with preparing the property to be fire safe, cutting, splitting and stacking wood for the winter, and painting everything affected by heat and snow (My new solar post caps melted this summer!).

I have also had problems with my legs which required in-office doctor’s procedures and recovery.

On the good side, I submitted “The Politicized Church”, my new 50,000 word book, to a Literary Agent.  I learned a lot about self-publishing and self-promoting with my first small devotional “A Fool’s Redemption”.  It takes time to discover who you need to market your book.

I look forward to posting some new thoughts regarding love and encouragement soon.  Two new manuscripts may result.

God Bless You All,

Elmo

The Privileges of Being In Christ

Christians should enjoy more privileges than unbelievers.  The privileges of being In Christ are many, and to be learned and tested more as we mature in Christ.  One of the most productive and beneficial is being able to address our Creator in prayer.  I had found a personal relationship with the Father in Jesus’ prayer at a church that did not teach personal relationship.  I wrote about my experience in “A Fool’s Redemption”, which is now also available for bookstores to order through Ingram, as well as on Amazon.  Prayer is a privilege for Christians because, although God hears everyone’s prayers, each Christian is considered one of God’s righteous children.  We are made righteous by Jesus’s shed blood, which is another privilege held for believers in Christ.

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Faith, Hope and Love

My thought trail this weekend started with meditations of the blessings of being around other Christians.  It feels differently to be with Christians that hold Jesus is high regard, than with even our families sometimes.  When Jesus’ Name is exalted, spoken, taught, honored, and treasured, His Spirit is pleased within us.  We get His joy to share with others as it grows in intensity within us.  Reciprocally, others who are experiencing the same Holy Spirit Joy within them share it with us.  Sharing the treasures of faith, hope and Love make a huge difference in our having joy. This is not something easily shared with anyone outside the faith until they have similar experience with the Holy Spirit.

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What To Do When Doctrines Conflict Between Denominations

When I formally asked the Lord to show me the Truth about salvation, I was torn between two opposing Christian concepts: One was that being baptized into a specific church guaranteed eternal life, and the other was the eternal life was found in the personal relationship (abiding) with Jesus Christ.  I did not know what to do when doctrines conflict between denominations. Both Churches taught that Jesus was the Son of God, and the nature of God was Father Son and Holy Spirit.  When I made the effort to read the Bible, the blessings came almost immediately. 

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Situational Ethics and the Nature of God

Many years ago, someone noted our ethics were changing, and named the new standards “situational ethics”.  We err  when we think God has changed His Mind regarding ethics. The concepts of situational ethics and the nature of God are greatly opposed. If we say ethics are fluid and change with each situation, we are elevating ourselves above God.  An example is fornication.  Is there ever a time it is not a sin?  Our doubt is evident when we ask “what if two people are in love and just about to be married?  Isn’t fornication acceptable behavior in their situation?  When these doubts arise, are we not second guessing God?

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The Best Gift Ever!

My wife and I enjoy our devotional reading together many mornings.  We are often awed that each of the three books, the Bible passages and commentaries seem to have a common theme.  Today’s was especially encouraging because it was about God and His Omnipotence.  To quote one comment “the best gift of God is to know Him and His Nature.”  Amen to that!  It is the best gift ever, amazing in its scope!  We took turns reading each book, as the theme took shape in our minds.  It has been one of those weeks.  We enjoyed the great fellowship on July 4^th, had movies and dinner with our 14 year-old grandson, and faced 30 foot flames and evacuation the day he was supposed to go home.  We celebrated the hospitality received from two very close friends and siblings in the faith.  The week concluded with the Lord’s intervention which prevented me from missing a doctor’s appointment that I waited 4 months to get. 

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The Blessings of Fellowship

Yesterday we had to evacuate our home due to a wildfire nearby.  We saw the fire across the canyon a few hours before the mandatory evacuation of everyone in the mountain valley.  We sort of expected it.  Our grandson was visiting so we could celebrate his 14^th birthday together.  He was the first to smell smoke. We were able to connect with the internet for information because he knew how.  Ah, tghe blessings of fellowship with our grandson!  I would recommend that all grandparents live with at least one grandchild for technology’s sake.  In spite of any difficulties living with your children, there are many positive reasons to live with the grandchildren.  First, they know everything about technology and how to use it.  They know more than any grandparent can hope to learn in the rest of their lives.  Second, they are delightful.  Grandparents are much more in awe of their grandchildren than they ever were with their children.  Third, there is no better love than the love of the grandchild for Grandma and Grampa. 

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The Gift of Fellowship

We had a great time yesterday celebrating Independence Day!  We spent the early evening at a Pot-Luck and Barbeque hosted by a lovely sister and brother in Christ.  That to me and my wife was the best part of the day, having the gift of fellowship with other Christians. We came from all walks of life, all manner of ethnicity, diverse churches and mixed families, and enjoyed being with everyone.  We all shared the same Spirit, which exposes Himself with a common interest in each other’s wellbeing.  I say exposes Himself, because as we gathered together, He was the unseen Host.  Our host and hostess graciously prepared the grilled items, and everyone else brought the other fixin’s which filled the kitchen and tables with a feast to fill an army.  The host prayed over us and the food for God to bless it all to His Glory.  The food was made perfect by the enjoyment of the Presence of God and each other, some of whom we had not seen much over the last year.  We were all blessed.  I could tell.  It was not just me. 

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