"In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."
This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."
Barna Research: How the Faith of African-Americans has Changed
From the earliest days of America’s history, a deep-rooted spirituality has been one of the hallmarks of the black population in the country. A new study released by The Barna Group underscores that the passage of time has not diminished the importance of faith in the lives of African-Americans. The study examined the religious beliefs and behaviors of the black population, today and in comparison to 15 years ago, as well as comparing the faith of blacks to that of the U.S. population as a whole.
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The Barna study compared current statistics for African-American faith with that measured 15 years ago and found substantial change during that period.
Six of seven measures of belief had changed significantly. Blacks today are more likely than they were in the early 1990s to believe that the principles taught in the Bible are totally accurate; to say that their religious faith is very important in their life; to have a biblically orthodox understanding of the nature of God; and to be born again. They are also less likely to strongly affirm that Satan is symbolic, not real; and to contend that a good person can earn his/her way into Heaven.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling-- even the LORD, who is my refuge-- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
A friend of mine sent a chain-email about the ways to pray for President Obama. How do YOU pray for him? Here's my reply...
Indeed I'll pray for President Obama... notably that he rules with justice & mercy... and that he's successful in bringing about 'change'... especially for those who need it most.
I'm praying that he'll use his every opportunity to defend the most defenseless in our land -- children not yet born and relying solely on the whims of their mother to keep them alive. I'll pray that he models godly wisdom, acknowledging primarily the God in whom we live and breathe and have our being... and that under Barack's watch, every American will have an optimal chance to know Him and have reconciling peace and redemption thru His Son.
As President Obama has any opportunity to name justices to the Supreme Court of our land, I'm praying that he'll do so with our children in mind... to spare them an early death... and who will grant access once again to an education with our historic godly values for them. And name justices who will once again level the playing field among ALL strongly held beliefs... 'religious' or 'secular'... in the quest for human flourishment -- that is, that 'religious' values need not be checked at the public door, but rather, have an equal opportunity to be heard, seen and discussed in the public square and the public educational institutions. To do otherwise is to limit free speech, short-changing our children and grandchildren. And especially in the age of our growing government sector.
I'll pray that he not laden our children and grandchildren with yet more national debt. I pray that he'll be the first to tell the nation's dirty-little-secret that any president can get by for 4 years if they have a money-printing-press. I pray that he'll shut down its excessive use, and that he balance the national budget just like all the rest of us have to.
I pray that he'll bless those who are freely blessing our communities with their nonprofit services, including churches, ministries, heath-care units, food pantries, jobs-ministries, charter schools, housing, etc.... May he encourage even more such organizations to form, thru tax incentives and reduced government paperwork requirements. And not handicap the most effective ones -- the religious nonprofits -- by barring them from an equal footing as they compete for grants and other regulated activities.
I pray that he'll be an advocate for families -- the families that God designed with a purpose. And I pray that President Obama will do everything possible to help families stay together, and be impactful in their neighborhoods.
And I'll pray that he treat the alien with the same compassion that God commands him (and us) to do. I pray that Barack will initiate practical reform of our immigration system -- that he will immediately fingerprint and allow people who will swear allegiance to the values of our country... into the U.S. to work and pay taxes and to thrive here with their families intact... the dream of our fathers. And allow those who accumulate 5 years of working & paying taxes... to qualify for citizenship and the benefits thereof.
Lastly, I'll pray that he frees us from a portion of the enslavement of working for the government without pay January thru May.
In short, I'll pray that President Obama acts in accordance with the 'Christian faith' that Candidate Obama said he had.
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