ProJesus

“Dear JESUS, I have a problem...It’s me” “Dear child, I have the answer.....It’s ME”

Dear Friends:

12th edition of the ProJesus Letter. 

PROJESUS.COM  INFORMATION  LETTER Summer 2008   #12 Contact us on the web at ProJesus.com; e-mail answers@ProJesus.com

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WHY SHOULD WE PRAY FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?

I’m sure that we could take a survey and discover many reasons to pray for the United States of America.  For example, we could and should pray for our military and our politicians (leaders), our families and our health, our economy and our courts, our environment and our poor, our unemployed and our drug addicts, our  prisoners and our missionaries as well as many other concerns.

However Exodus 20:1-17 states:  And God spoke all these words:  (Words which are not suggestions)

1. "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.  "You shall have no other gods before me.”

            Do the people of the United States have “other gods”?  How much has church attendance dropped in the last 50 years?  In 1950 the population of the U.S. was 150,000,000+/- people with about 50% attending church. That’s 75,000,000+/-.  The population in 2008 is 304,000,000+/- with about 22% being church attendees. That’s about 67,000,000+/-.  We have a drop of 8,000,000+/- people going to church while the population rose 154,000,000+/-!!

 I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD

The U.S. religious marketplace is extremely volatile, with nearly half of American adults leaving the faith tradition of their upbringing to either switch allegiances or abandon religious affiliation altogether, a new survey found February 25, 2008.

Recent polling information indicated that "no religious identification" has had the greatest increase in population in absolute as well as in percentage terms. Figures are up from 14.3 million in 1990 to 29.4 million in 2001 moving from 8% of the total in 1990 to over 14% in 2001.  Do these figures frighten you?  

I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD!

Israel often disobeyed this very first commandment by worshiping the idols of other nations. This eventually resulted in her being exiled to Assyria and Babylonia.  Do the people of the U.S. worship other idols?  Other gods?

Trust God only.

Pray for the United States of America!

2. "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God…….” 

What about our obsession with cars, boats, careers, homes, TV, vacations, computers (with its porn), football, tennis and all sports, movies and the stars?                Don’t we all “bow down” to some of these things now and then?

Leviticus 19:4 - Do not turn to idols or make molded gods, I am the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 27:15 - Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the Lord.

Since God is spiritual no material representation can possibly resemble Him. To make an idol of God like something in the sky (sun, moon, stars), or on the earth (animals), or in the waters below (fish, crocodiles, or other sea life) was forbidden because God is a jealous God.  That is, He is zealous that devotion be given exclusively to Him. His uniqueness requires unique devotion. Absence of such dedication is sin and has its effect on future generations.

Worship God only.

            Pray for the United States of America!

3. "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”  

How often do we get angry and curse using the words “God, Jesus, Christ or Lord etc?  Or maybe it’s just casual language that we use everyday.  What about all the “nasty” words we use (at work, at home, etc.) that  are not specifically His Holy name? 

To curse is defined as: 1) the expression of a wish that misfortune, evil, doom, etc., befall a person or 2) to blaspheme.

The tongue should not be used to Bless the LORD and also to curse Him and our neighbor.

Psalm 19:14 - Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord my strength and my redeemer.

Use God’s Name in a way that honors Him.

            Pray for the United States of America!

4. "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work.  For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

Acts 11:26 “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.”  Acts 20:7 “On the first day of the week we came together to break bread”.

It is accepted in the Christian community that these two verses indicate that: Christians” did and would celebrate the “Sabbath” on the first day of the week which is Sunday corresponding  to the day of the Lord’s Resurrection.

However, how many of us follow the commands of the Lord to keep the Sabbath day holy?  Or are we out boating, cutting the grass, shopping because it’s on the way home from church, (I know I do once in a while)?  Can you remember back about 50 or 60 years when all the stores were closed on Sundays?  Many people went home after church and read the Bible and/or just talked with neighbors.

Rest on the Sabbath (Sunday) and make it Holy.      

            Pray for the United States of America!

 5. "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”

Just a short note about this subject:  Before the mid-20th century, there were few seniors in nursing homes.  They lived with their children and grandchildren.  However, today there are 22,500,000 seniors aged 75 and over living in nursing homes.  That figure does not include the folks under age 75.

Matt 15:3-6 "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?  For God said, 'Honor your father and mother ' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'  But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor his father' with it.

What will you do for the people who raised you, and who the LORD says you must honor?

Respect and obey your parents!

                       Pray for the United States of America!

 

The following statistics could be used for most Commandments but I would say mostly for Commandments five through nine.

With all the talk about the presidential election, the candidates seems to be ignoring one issue which needs our considerable attention: crime.  This is surprising, since in 35 years there has been a 6-fold increase in the prison population. The staggering statistic that more than 1 in 100 U.S. citizens (2.3 million) are behind bars made headlines in February. This costs the governments $50 billion a year, not counting secondary costs - for crime victims and inmates’ families, many of whom end up on welfare.  And America's high recidivism (repeated) rates-over 50 percent, according to a 2005 Pew report means the problems and costs keep compounding, to an additional $27.5 billion in the next few years.  Seems we have a home-grown War right here in America.

 

6. "You shall not murder.”

Murder is defined as: the killing of another human being.

Matt 5:21-22  “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'  But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.

God gives us further details this commandment in Ex. 21:12-36 where in addition to murder He includes fighting, kidnapping, hurting a pregnant woman and many other events all of which have a punishment attached to it.

We won’t even go into the horrors of abortion and euthanasia. 

Protect and respect human life!

            Pray for the United States of America!

7. "You shall not commit adultery .

Matt 5:27-28  “Do not commit adultery.'  “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

This is a big one mainly for the guys in today’s world.  With T.V programs and advertisements, movies, billboards, etc, it is difficult  not to see a beautiful, scantily-dressed, woman everyday.

1st Thessalonians 4:3 - For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality

Be true to your husband or wife!

            Pray for the United States of America!

 8. "You shall not steal.”

Steal is defined as: to take (the property of another or others) without permission or right, especially secretly or by force:

John 10:10   “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Have you ever taken a pencil or a pad of paper from work? 

Have you down-loaded something from the internet that was illegal? 

Have you stolen the life and soul from a person by NOT telling them about Jesus?

Do not take what belongs to others.  

            Pray for the United States of America!

 

9. "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”

Prov 25:18  Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.”

Isa 29:21 “…those who with a word make a man out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice.”

In other words, do not  lie, gossip, fib, make a false statement, tell a false story, tale or untruth, etc.

Proverbs 12:22 - Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.

Do not lie about others.

            Pray for the United States of America!

10. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Mic 2:1-2 “Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds!

At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellowman of his inheritance.”

Paul said in Rom 7:7 “For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said,” "Do not covet”

Be content with what you have. For Jesus said,  " I will never leave or forsake you."  Are you satisfied with your car, home, etc?

Be satisfied with what you have.

 

Paul further stated in Rom 13:8-10 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.  The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."  Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

         

Because the people of the United States of America basically no longer follow the Ten Commandments, shouldn’t we believe that it is a good idea to:

Pray for the United States of America!

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