Weekend

Posted by Admin on Jun 8, 2013 in June 2013, Weekend | Comments Off on Weekend

I realize how frequently all the recent bad news keeps smacking us in the face, and because of that, I want to focus my weekends on the mighty works of God, whether in the Bible, in history, in my life, or in the lives of some of you. What God has done for others, He is more than capable of doing for you. What God has done for me, He is able to do for you. What God has accomplished for you, He is willing to do again.

In 2 Chronicles 20, the nation of Judah was on the verge of being invaded by the armies of several kingdoms. In his alarm, King Jehoshaphat cried out to God and reminded Him of His promise to deliver them. He ended his prayer with these sobering but stirring words, “… we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You” (2 Chron. 20:12b).

God responded through a prophet named Jahaziel. God’s plan was revealed; God would deliver the people of Judah. The following strategies were outlined:

• Do not fear or be dismayed because of the great multitude—the battle is not yours, but God’s.
• Tomorrow go down against them. Yes, they will come up and you’ll find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel.
• You don’t need to fight in this battle, but station yourselves, stand, and see the salvation of God on your behalf.

And then God reminded them again:

• Do not fear or be dismayed—tomorrow go out to face them for the Lord is with you.

Upon hearing these words, Jehoshaphat and all of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the Lord in worship. The praise was thunderous.

The next day they arose early in the morning and Jehoshaphat said, “Put your trust in the Lord your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and you will succeed” (2 Chronicles 20:20b).

Then he appointed the singers to go out before the army, saying, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

When the singers began to sing and praise God, the Lord set ambushes against the armies coming against them and they were routed. In fact, the enemies rose up against each other, destroying one another.

Judah approached the wilderness and looked at corpses littering the ground; none of their attackers had escaped.

Take some time this weekend to get quiet before God. You don’t have to know the answers. He is all you need right now, and as you put your eyes on Him and praise Him, you can trust that He will come through for you–and the nation.

Dorothy

Surveillance

Posted by Admin on Jun 7, 2013 in June 2013, Timely Excerpts | Comments Off on Surveillance

In light of the administration’s recent admission to collecting phone records from millions of Verizon customers (a group to which I, myself, belong), I thought I’d throw out an excerpt from Chapter Two of my book for your reading pleasure.

“In a prayer-drenched society, led by leaders covered with prayer, you and your fellow citizens abide by the law and have no need to be spied upon. Your privacy is a given because both citizens and leaders typically do what is right within a structure of fair laws with just consequences for violating the laws. In a quiet, privacy-respecting society, you have freedom to work, buy, sell, communicate, travel, and assemble without need for surveillance. As prayer decreases, however, temptation within the nation—for everyone—becomes more and more difficult to resist, and crimes of all kinds increase. Sweeping lawlessness gives rise to the idea that infringement on individual privacy in order to safeguard society at large is the only solution. This is one reason why communist governments so commonly violate the privacy of their people; they don’t trust them to do the right thing. Why not? When there is no absolute God to whom individuals are accountable then traditional values of right and wrong are meaningless, discarded along with the concept of Creator. External coercion and intimidation become the only methods to ensure order. When your right to a quiet, private life is violated on an ever-increasing scale, you can bet that prayer coverage for your nation has diminished.”  (Excerpt taken from pages 46-47; First of All, Pray: Prescription for a Nation in Crisis;  © 2013–Dorothy Frick)

Observation of kindness

Posted by Admin on Jun 6, 2013 in Everyday Observations, June 2013 | Comments Off on Observation of kindness

I just finished working with my church’s vacation Bible school this week. Now, I’m not in the state of Texas, but my church may as well be!  Almost everything it does is BIG, especially this summer outreach to kids. My job was to help direct traffic as parents dropped off their children, aiding as kids hopped out of vehicles, and directing them to “walkers”–individuals from age fifteen to eighty–who walked them to the crosswalk and then to their stations.

As I participated in this massive movement of munchkins, I was very aware of the friendliness of the volunteers serving all around me. Kind words, gentle humor, and great encouragement filled the atmosphere as hundreds–no, literally thousands–of kids said goodbye to their parents and hello to the fun-filled environment awaiting them.

And I observed parents in their cars, vans, SUVs, pick up trucks, and jeeps respond to the thoughtful smiles, waves, and well-wishes just as much as their children. I watched, in more than one case, as tension seemed to drain away from a frazzled mom when a volunteer acknowledged her with a smile and a parting word of encouragement.

And I thought, “This is how we are to operate everyday.”

• Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:5-6
• Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.  Philippians 4:5

Despite the chaos swirling in the world, we can walk in confidence that our God is on the throne. And we can also know for a fact that He longs to show forth His love and stability through us as we engage more and more consistently in everyday random acts of kindness.

Dorothy

Scrambling

Posted by Admin on Jun 6, 2013 in June 2013, Prayer Perspective | Comments Off on Scrambling

As scandals in this administration are being exposed and more details are coming to light, it is not surprising to observe all the subsequent scrambling by the various players. A virtual game of “musical chairs” is happening before our very eyes, and instead of housecleaning, the administration appears to be rearranging the deck–same old “chairs” in new, upgraded positions.

One radio commentator suggested yesterday that this was done on purpose as an “in-your-face” thumbing of the nose at anyone who had the nerve to stand up against the corruption. Be that as it may, Truth trumps nose-thumbing. The apostle Paul said, “And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God” (Phil. 1:28, AMP).

As you pray about the events in our government, do not be moved by power’s maneuverings for advantage and intimidating effect. Stand your ground, joining your faith for truth to prevail with the faith of like-minded men and women from sea to shining sea. Trust God to direct your prayers, knowing that He is actively searching for someone to pray big, bold, audacious prayers. I challenge you again: stand your ground in prayer and disrupt the destruction.

Dorothy