The writing on the wall

Thanks to Kendall Harmon for bringing to my attention Walter Russell Mead’s comparison of the nations of the world to Belshazzar in Daniel 5.

Daniel 5:22 (AMP)
And you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart and mind, though you knew all this [knew it and were defiant].

El Elyon, God Most High,
We lift up our eyes to the heavens and give praise and honor and glory to You who lives forever. Your dominion is an everlasting dominion. Your kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to You. You are sovereign over the angel armies and the inhabitants of the earth.
O King of heaven, we praise, honor, and glorify You. All Your acts are just and true. You are able to abase those that walk in pride.
As a citizen of the United States of America, I confess my nation’s consumerism. In our greed for wealth and power, we have dissembled our budgetary confinements and disguised the truth. Our lust and pride have lied to our hearts and minds.
We have been poor stewards of the great bounty You have bestowed upon us. We cry out for mercy as You weigh us in the balance.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Amen.
Daniel 4:34-37

A response to The Response

The Response was held yesterday in Houston, Texas. Over 30,000 Christians of different denominations and races came together to pray and fast for our nation. Hundreds of thousands followed it on the Internet. There were four main prayer segments: personal repentance, corporate repentance for the sins of the church in America, the first commandment, and prayer for revival in America.
The Holy Spirit flowed through the bands, and the music carried the event. Most of the songs were familiar, but I wondered if a couple had been written for the occasion. Young people were everywhere, and their passion was palpable. They knelt on the floor in penitence, clapped rhythmically, danced and jumped to the music, processed around the stadium in joy. The sight of tens of thousands of hands uplifted in prayer was moving.
The event had been paid for by donors. There was no offering collection or sale of tickets or media.
There was no mention of Democrats, Republicans, debt ceiling, bond ratings, or lawsuits. The focus was on God and on the church in America.
Two governors appeared in person and one on video. They were simply Christians participating in a worship service.
Governor Rick Perry of Texas and Governor Sam Brownback of Kansas both read scriptures. Perry read Joel 2:12-17, Isaiah 40:28-31, and Ephesians 3:14-21; Brownback read 2 Chronicles 7:12-15 and Matthew 5:2-16. Governor Perry led a prayer; I can’t remember if Governor Brownback led a prayer or not. For me, the most heart-piercing moment was Governor Perry praying for our president and his family.
I thank God for The Response. Might I have done some things a little differently? Sure, but I am not going to quibble. This was an honorable and righteous action, one that we can all emulate. There is no reason why youth groups, ladies’ Bible studies, and men’s prayer breakfast groups of different denominations can’t come together. Pray and fast for our nation, dear people. Pray that the United States will be a light on a hill. –Jill Woodliff

Matthew 14:22-33

Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Now when evening came, he was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:22-27)
      Come and meet us, Jesus, in the midst of our fears. Help us by your Holy Spirit to daily hear your word of comfort: “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

And Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. (Matthew 14:28-32)
      Father, please give us your enduring faith and strength. Thank you.

Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14: 33)
      Holy Spirit, help all your people throughout this diocese know you as the Son of God and worship you today.

A word received: Look to me — I AM waiting for you. My arms are open wide to you — so is my heart.

Sunday: 66, 67 * 19, 46; 2 Samuel 13:1-22 Rom. 15:1-13 John 3:22-36
HC: 29; Jonah 2:1-9; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:22-33
Monday: 89:1-18 * 89:19-52; 2 Samuel 13:23-39 Acts 20:17-38 Mark 9:42-50

      Notes from the Front Line

***** Date: Sat, 06 Aug 2011
From: Deacon Alan Hart
PRAYER TABLE REPORT, St. MARY’S OF LAKE LUZERNE, (Sat., Aug. 6, 2011; 11:30 a.m.-12:10 p.m., prior to our weekly Community Luncheon. We station His table outside the Parish Hall for passers-by and for those entering the Hall for the free lunch. A reading from the Gospel of Mark and a short homily on the reading is also a part of our outreach at this weekly event. Deacon Alan Hart presiding today at His table.)

a–denotes anointed with Holy Oil.
t–denotes received wooden cross made by Dennis Adams of North Carolina.

a-EDITH — She is a regular at the table. Today she asked for protection and provision for her nephew MARK, who is recently separated from his wife and has custody of the couple’s 4-year-old son. Also prayed for protection and abounding love from God for this young boy who has had such unhappiness handed to him at such an early age. Also we gave thanks for continued healing for her brother ROBERT and her sister GRACE, who are both cancer survivors. Edith also sought prayer for comfort and relief from arthritis which keeps her awake at night.

a,t,t — KATHY — First-time visitor to His table. She came with a female friend. First they asked if they could go inside the church and just look around. (“It looks so pretty from outside, so we wondered if it is pretty on the INSIDE, too,” Kathy explained.) After they came back outside complimenting about the inside, Kathy asked for prayer for her brother JOHN, that he could have healing and courage for a “journey” he is going through. Both women took a cross; the friend asked if she could donate some money to pay for the crosses, but it was explained to her that money and payment is ” … not what this is about.”

(An aside: During a lull, I offered prayer aloud for the success of the “Mission Night” event we are holding Tuesday at 7 p.m. at which recent missionaries Brittany Bala (Ireland) and Catie Love (South Africa) will offer their views on what they experienced on their respective missions. All are invited to come! May the night be a success in terms of attendance and also that it will bear fruit in the form of more people wanting to become missionaries — both outside our country as well as right here in Hadley-Luzerne. Amen.)

OLDER MAN (No name given) — He asked for prayer for his wife NANCY … “… for her many physical ailments from which she suffers.)

Albany Intercessor