(03/01/2018) Christian "Thoughts and Prayers"

Today, reply is on the value of “thoughts and prayers” as a response to mass shootings, tragedies, and extreme weather events.  Among Christian believers, many occurrences outside the church and within the general community (i.e., the world) are recognizable as cries for help.  Crisis, emergency, and traumatic events often demand divine intervention, can include clear violations of sacred law, and are properly seen as attacks against divine order.  In spite of issues of disbelief, lack of gratitude, and skepticism, when disaster and terror events turn a spotlight on unmet needs for the ministry of Christ as Risen Lord, it is correct for Christians to apply the same solutions and tools relied on within the congregations and communities of faith.  Outreach may provide expressions of love and support through music ministry, intercessory prayer, prophecy, and selected readings from the holy writings.  Meaningful recovery, treatment, and volunteer efforts will require cooperation and shared focus that also can counteract the increased threats that workers will become overwhelmed by feelings of anger, bitterness, defeat, depression, helplessness, fear, and exaggerated pride.  One of the fighters in the “Yahoo! Answers” forum using the ID “Anonymous” (no profile data appeared) posted the following:


What exactly do "thoughts and prayers" accomplish?

Any time there's a tragedy or mass shooting, social media is plastered by conservative Christians saying "sending thoughts and prayers." What exactly does this do to help the victims?


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  (Philippians 4:  6-8, King James Version, KJV)


THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  GOD Protects the Faithful (12/19/2017); Storms to Punish America? (09/08/2017); Why Pray For Victims? (06/14/2016); Shot While in Church? (06/18/2015); Saved While in Church? (06/19/2015); Faith for Facing Tragedy? (06/04/2013); Words Spoken By GOD? (06/05/2013); Unless You Repent (03/05/2013); The Childhood of Jesus? (03/06/2013)


“Anonymous”, thoughts and prayers serve to counteract our extreme natural responses such as anger, bitterness, despair, and irrational, mindless violence.  Where people are being courteous and friendly to us during times of bereavement, emotional crisis, and stress, we often fail to realize that their responses to us that are most encouraging and helpful may have been generated by their indwelling spirit imparted from the makeup of GOD.  Christian believers are to operate as incarnations of divinity, spokespersons, and the offspring (sons and daughters) of GOD on the earth who make divinity active and present during times of trouble, and our hours of need.  Sinners who are “born again” experience the death, burial, and resurrection of their inborn spirit, and are to become vessels of divine DNA, so to speak.  As those repenting and returning to GOD, sinners in transition who undergo the permanent changes in rebirth are filled with inseparable sacred substance from the fullness of divinity.  Included are balance, faith, forbearance, holiness, humility, longsuffering, lovingkindness, personhood, respect, wisdom, and wrath against sin.

GOD is not an abstraction, an academic construct, or a human intellectual device; therefore, the sacred work of revelation goes forward to make divinity knowable, known, accessible, and approachable to created beings and living creatures.  Communication, exchange, and interaction (we say, entering into a personal relationship with GOD) are shared through multiple lives and actual members of the full body of Christ, the church.  In addition to shared worship, there are fellowship, marriage, meditation, praise, prayer, study, and unselfish service.  Our shared thoughts and prayers become acceptable gifts, offerings, requests, and sacrifices to GOD when they are presented by Jesus Christ.  Also, Christian believers are to understand that “comfort” along with “edification” and “exhortation” is one of the three works that provide divine disclosure and revelation appearing as aspects of sacred prophecy within the church.

The proclamation of the Gospel (good news) provides truth that is directed against fear, isolation, loneliness, poverty, the operations of sin, and all spiritual confusion.  On surface, the non-worship activities and programs of the church may appear little different from what goes on in community recreation and social centers.  However, the church uses simple things that impart lessons and resources that nonetheless are spiritually profound.  Included are divine assurances, emblems, opportunities to serve, seals, signs, and sacred tokens that express and establish the integrity of GOD.  Survivors, victims, and those still on the battlefield will be encouraged and refreshed when they are not answered by ignorance, blamed, despised, forgotten, ignored, condemned by indifference and silence, or rejected as being unfit.  Consider again the following that uses language from the Bible:

(1.)  2nd Peter 1:  2-4, King James Version (KJV):  2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,  3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:  that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

(2.)  Jeremiah 29:  11-13, KJV:  11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.  13 And ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

(3.)  1st Thessalonians 4:  13-18, KJV:  13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:  and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:  and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

There is far more to be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, (4.)  2nd Corinthians 7:  1, KJV:  1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(01/21/2015) When Asked to Serve?

Some points are shared for consideration among those who are asked to serve in worship.  Many fail to realize that serving the Lord also means what some account as difficult:  suppressing anger, not complaining, not continuing in fear, not lying.  A fighter challenging Christian believers at “Yahoo! Answers” using the ID “Anonymous” (no further information) posted the following:

 

Question for Roman Catholics!?

I volunteer at Little Sisters of the Poor, and recently one of the sisters asked me to read in mass every month. The problem is, I get really high anxiety when I read in front of people. (It's not just old people I'm reading to, it's my friends too) so I really want to get out of doing this! What do I say without looking like a chicken? ??

Update : I was thinking about starting a miniature girl's choir for the girls who don't want to read. (They desperately need better music)

 

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.  Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment:  because as he is, so are we in this world.  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:  because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  We love him, because he first loved us.  (1st John 4:  10-19, KJV)

 

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Asked to Carry the Cross? (07/25/2014); Good Intentions? (07/26/2014); Not A Matter Of Opinion? (04/24/2014); What Faith Makes Possible (04/25/2014); Bible and Spirit (04/26/2014); Unprofitable Servants? (01/19/2014); Should I Speak? (12/13/2013); Life Choices (12/14/2013); Chosen To Serve As Prophets (01/01/2013); Lawful Revenge? (01/02/2013)

 

Every believer experiences moments of hesitation and reluctance to participate in sacred activity that must be carried out in a public forum.  This may result from personal weaknesses and flaws such as fear of incurring divine wrath, speech impediments (like Moses), shyness, or lack of conviction and uncertainty concerning the many doctrines and teachings one is expected to know.  Nonetheless, each believer is to understand that their every opportunity to serve is also their opportunity to proclaim their gratitude, their love, and their respect to all divinity.

As with anything that demands we leave our “comfort zone,” new experience within the worship community also calls forth confession of need and intimate fellowship with Christ through prayer.  This is the example we see in the Scriptures for all those appointed as apostles and witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus.  Despite their years of companionship, instruction, and preparation by the Lord, following their anointing at Pentecost, the entire community of faith importuned before GOD that the full body would receive holy boldness to act, speak and correctly submit themselves to the unseen power.

When asked to respond to a specific need for the congregation believers are to assume the request has come through operations of the Holy Spirit.  The prophetic work they are to perform is intended to build up (we say, edify), comfort, and exhort (we say, encourage, urge on) the one who serves as well as the household of faith.  More than change in ones confidence and poise, the benefit to the one who serves may appear as an increase of their divine content such as dutifulness, humility, insight, joy, longsuffering, love, righteousness, and truthfulness.

There is far more to be said, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, The sharing of oneself for those who are born again may be understood as merely “growing pains.”  What we are called to do must be seen in the light of the crown of thorns, and the Savior’s death upon the cross.  That we endure or suffer unselfishly for his name and reputation gains for us a more certain place as joint heirs, sons and daughters of GOD, and those who will abide with Christ eternally.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to the measure of your faith.

 

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC