Faith – Dobra Family Ministry

Household Prayer: labor in faith as a husband and father

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me…” Philippians 1:21-24 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/php.1.21-24.NASB2020

Brothers, meditating on morning reading Philippians 1:21-24 and Thursday’s Advent reading Matt. 1:20 led me to this prayer… when it is my time, take me Lord, but if it is Your will that I live another day, may I labor to bear fruit, and as a husband and father to provide, protect, proclaim, instruct, and disciple to the glory of God forevermore – Amen!

Get to work subduing and ruling, working and keeping, being fruitful and multiplying (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15), and making disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20) for “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sakes.” Philippians 1:21-24 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/php.1.21-24.NASB2020

“But when he had thought this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:20 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/mat.1.20.NASB2020

“God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”” Genesis 1:28 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.1.28.NASB2020

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and tend it.” Genesis 2:15 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.2.15.NASB2020

THE GOOD NEWS

There is a God that created the heavens and the earth. We humans are created in His image.

We are sinners, we have rebelled against Him, our Creator. Our rebellion has brought “all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice… envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness” to the world. Romans 1:29-31 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.1.29-31.ESV

Therefore we justly deserve our due punishment of death and damnation, “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’” Romans 3:10-12 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.3.10-12.ESV

But good news! God is merciful and loving. Jesus is God the only begotten Son and He took our punishment upon Himself in our place. Jesus rose from the dead, defeating death and securing the hope of our salvation.

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.15.3-8.ESV

““Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”” Acts 2:36-38 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/act.2.36-38.ESV

We need only repent and believe it. Repent: turn away from our sins, proclaim Jesus is lord and savior, and we will be forgiven our sins and have life ever after! “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”” Romans 10:9-11 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.10.9-11.ESV

There is hope. Believe in Jesus! ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.3.16.ESV

It doesn’t matter who you’ve been or what you’ve done, God stands with arms wide open, ready to forgive you. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1jn.1.9.ESV

Peoria Area Activism Hub a Turning Point USA Chapter Prayer Vigil 9/22/2025: Pray for America

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)..” Ephesians 2:4-10 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/eph.2.4-10.NASB2020

Devotional for Peoria Area Activism Hub a Turning Point USA Chapter Prayer Vigil

Charlie Kirk, I believe, is one of the great evangelists of my generation, much like the Apostle Paul, and now a Christian martyr.

Paul in Athens

How was he like the great Apostle Paul?

Let’s look at Paul in Athens and his sermon on Mars Hill. Acts 17:16-34 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/act.17.16-34.NASB2020

Charlie understood the times in America like Paul observed the idols of Athens in his day.

And like Paul, Charlie found our marketplaces of idol worship and philosophy and went right into the center of them and reasoned for gospel truth.

And he brought thousands to the faith.

The ultimate soul saving message!

Darrell B. Harrison said, “Movements are transient and impermanent. But, when all has been said and done, what Charlie was engaged in, fundamentally, was apologetics—contending for and defending the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is a message not a movement, one that changes not only minds but hearts—which should be our ultimate goal. We must remember this as we work to honor his legacy.” https://x.com/d_b_harrison/status/1966875128102375884?s=46&t=Ag2lESY3ntUopWo1gN17hw

So what is the message?

The message is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Gospel means good news, but to understand the good news you must first understand the bad news.

There is a God that created the heavens and the earth. We humans are created in His image.

We are sinners, we have rebelled against Him, our Creator. Our rebellion has brought “all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice… envy, murder, strife, deceit, [and] maliciousness” to the world. Romans 1:29-31 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.1.29-31.ESV

Therefore we justly deserve our due punishment of death and damnation, “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’” Romans 3:10-12 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.3.10-12.ESV

When we die and stand before our creator we will be judged and given our just and righteous condemnation of hell.

That is bad news!

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the boundless riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4-10 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/eph.2.4-10.NASB2020

““Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent [turn away from sin] and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”” Acts 2:36-38 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/act.2.36-38.ESV

Praise God for the good news that we can receive the gift of forgiveness and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of God.

He became a man with no sin, and in accordance with the Scriptures He “died for our sins … he was buried…” and He was rose from death on the third day. Jesus is alive! 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.15.3-8.ESV

Jesus has taken all of the sins of those who believe in Him upon Himself so that we might be saved!

All praise and glory to God!

The mission

That’s the message, and all who believe and have been made new have a mission.

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” The great commission, Matthew 28:18-20 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/mat.28.19.NASB2020

Truth

The Declaration Of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Let these truths be our message and the foundation of all we think and do.

Household Prayer: house building

“The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands.” Proverbs 14:1 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/pro.14.1.NASB2020

Brothers, meditating on Prov. 14:1, what can we do to love, disciple, equip and encourage our wives to help them build up our households? I can’t remember the last time I asked my wife if she needed anything. I pray we take time to take an inventory of how we are doing in this regard, ask our wives, and put our faith into practice. As head of our households (Eph. 5:23), I pray for the wisdom to build our households (Prov.24:3).

“By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; And by knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.” Proverbs 24:3-4 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/pro.24.3-4.NASB2020

“For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are parts of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, as for you individually, each husband is to love his own wife the same as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.” Ephesians 5:23-33 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/eph.5.23-33.NASB2020

Household Prayer: set apart from detestable practices

“… keep oneself unstained by the world.” James 1:27 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/jas.1.27.NASB2020

Brothers, I’m meditating on Deut. 20:17-18, “so that they will not teach you to do all the same detestable practices of theirs” and James 1:27, “… keep oneself unstained by the world.” There is a tension between becoming accommodating and affirming of sin or stern and legalistic like the Pharisees. But there is good reason not to turn our children over to the pagan and detestable government schools, to keep them away from that influence. Be encouraged and stand strong. I pray we walk in the tension by faith and support and encourage our wives in their role.

“Education without religion, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.” – C.S. Lewis

If God commands that all the wicked people of the promise land be utterly destroyed “so that they will not teach you to do all the same detestable practices of theirs which they have done for their gods, by which you would sin against the Lord your God.” (Deut. 20:17-18), then why would a Christian send their children to be discipled by pagans in the government schools?

“Instead, you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, just as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that they will not teach you to do all the same detestable practices of theirs which they have done for their gods, by which you would sin against the Lord your God.” Deuteronomy 20:17-18 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/deu.20.17-18.NASB2020

Easter bonus. It’s likely the Levites would have been singing Psalm 24 the Sunday Jesus rode the colt into Jerusalem and the Sunday of His resurrection. Sing Psalm 24 and be encouraged today https://youtu.be/990Q_yPIKeM?si=DoLGsIRyvgeQ2Jbf

The return of the Ark to Israel, described in 1 Samuel 6, is generally placed in the early 11th century BC around 1050–1000 BC, before Jesus’ triumphant arrival. 1 AD to 2025 AD = 2024 years. Total = 1050 + 2024 = 3074 years since King David wrote Psalm 24 to celebrate the return of the ark of the covenant!

Household Prayer: keep the way of the lord

“I will make your descendants as plentiful as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can count the dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted… For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”” Genesis 13:16 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.13.16.NASB2020 Genesis 18:19 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.18.19.NASB2020

Happy new year, Brothers! A new year, a new Bible in a year reading plan. Meditating on Gen. 13:16 and 18:19. This is the specific covenant promise to Abraham, but there are principles for us as fathers of households under the new covenant and the great commission (Matt. 28:18-20). I pray we command our children to keep the way of the Lord (Gen. 18:19, Eph. 6:4)! I pray we are faithful to our fatherly duties to be fruitful (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15), to teach and instruct, and to perpetuate the Gospel into the future through our families until the Lord returns!

Rule yourself well, rule your household well, and bring God’s truth and grace into every sphere of life that you enter into until every nation proclaims “Jesus is Lord!” – Amen

I’m reading the @YouVersion plan ‘One Year Original Order Reading Plan’. Check it out here: https://www.bible.com/en/reading-plans/23295

“I will make your descendants as plentiful as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can count the dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted.” Genesis 13:16 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.13.16.NASB2020

“For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.”” Genesis 18:19 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/gen.18.19.NASB2020

“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/eph.6.4.NASB2020

Household Prayer: Acts 7 – God’s Political Providence

““But as the time of the promise was drawing near which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until another king arose over Egypt who did not know about Joseph. It was he who deceitfully took advantage of our family and mistreated our fathers to set their infants outside so that they would not survive…” Acts 7:17-20, 34 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/act.7.17-34.LSB

God’s Political Providence

Brothers, meditating on Stephen’s proclaiming of God’s providence in Acts 7. Praying specifically that we trust in God in times of political change and hardship. Even when “another king”arises and takes “advantage of our family” we know God is working for his glory and our good. I pray we act, vote, and proclaim “As the pillar and buttress of truth (1 Tim. 3:15),” but always trusting in God that His will be done even if it doesn’t seem to be going our way. John Quincy Adams said, “Duty is ours, results are God’s.”

“As the pillar and buttress of truth (1 Tim. 3:15), the local church is to have a prophetic voice in various spheres of society, promoting biblical truth… how else can magistrates be held accountable to that message except from the prophetic voice of the church? In this way, Christians, especially ministers ordained to gospel ministry, ought to engage in this governmental sphere prophetically… John the Baptist serves as a prophetic example… Mark 6:17-18.” From “A Revolutionary Reading of Romans 13: A Biblical Case for Lawful Subjection to the Civil Magistrate and Dutiful Resistance to Tyrants” Timothy L. Decker, Founders Press 2023. https://press.founders.org/shop/a-revolutionary-reading-of-romans-13/

Pastoral Negligence – Pulpit Malpractice

“It is difficult to fathom that our local leaders and representatives would practice their authority in legislation and administration righteously when the church remains silent as to how they are to serve their constituents righteously… Acceding to the common evangelical mantra to keep politics out of the pulpit is not an option if one is to preach the whole counsel of God… for the preacher to say nothing would be nothing less than pulpit malpractice.” From “A Revolutionary Reading of Romans 13: A Biblical Case for Lawful Subjection to the Civil Magistrate and Dutiful Resistance to Tyrants” Timothy L. Decker, Founders Press 2023. https://press.founders.org/shop/a-revolutionary-reading-of-romans-13/

“If [a gospel minister] shall speak straight out & boldly, fearless of man, & only fearful lest he should grieve his God, he will stir the kennels of hell, & make all the hounds of Satan howl at his heels.” Charles Spurgeon

Judgement for Government Negligence

“A government not willing to protect its citizens from vandalism, rioting, looting, theft, [illegal migrant invasion], and all sorts of criminal activities, including physical violence, is in severe danger. This danger stems from the fact that they will incur the wrath of God for abdicating their primary role tasked by God himself.” https://ministry.family.blog/2024/07/13/civic-duty-principles-2024-07/

““But as the time of the promise was drawing near which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until another king arose over Egypt who did not know about Joseph. It was he who deceitfully took advantage of our family and mistreated our fathers to set their infants outside so that they would not survive. It was at this time that Moses was born, and he was lovely in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home… I have surely seen the oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their groans, and I have come down to deliver them; come now, and I will send you to Egypt.’” Acts 7:17-20, 34 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/act.7.17-34.LSB

“And a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we. Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply and it be in the event of war, that they also join themselves to those who hate us and fight against us and go up from the land.”” Exodus 1:8-10 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/exo.1.8-10.LSB

Household Prayer: Prayer and fasting for America 2024-09-16

“Now it happened that when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” Nehemiah 1:4 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/neh.1.4.LSB

Brothers, meditating on Nehemiah’s prayer (Neh. 1) as I ponder the state of post-Christian America after a second assassination attempt on a presidential candidate. On receiving bad news about Jerusalem, Nehemiah wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed (Neh. 1:4). Christendom, the economic, political, and social life as inspired by Christian principles, also known as ‘the west’, appears to be dying in America.

I pray we weep, mourn, fast, and pray for our country. My wife and I are doing a 3 day fast and prayer focus. I pray we learn to fear God rightly, grow in our love for God and hatred of evil (lawlessness or sin) as we should (Prov. 8:13, Ps. 5:5, Ps. 45:7, Rom.12:9), and I pray we proclaim the gospel (Mark 16:15-16 , 1 Cor. 15:3-8, Acts 2:36-38), reject apathy and complacency, and stand in Christ’s righteousness against lawlessness (Eph. 5:11,6:10-18).

“Now it happened that when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. I said, “I beseech You, O Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and fearsome God, who keeps the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your slave which I am praying before You today, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your slaves, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. We have worked in utter destruction against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments which You commanded Your servant Moses. Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been banished were at the ends of the sky, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.’ They are Your slaves and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your slave and the prayer of Your slaves who delight to fear Your name, and make Your slave successful today and grant him compassion before this man.” Now I was the cupbearer to the king. Nehemiah 1:4-11 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/neh.1.4-11.LSB

““The fear of Yahweh is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the mouth of perverted words, I hate.” Proverbs 8:13 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/pro.8.13.LSB

“The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all workers of iniquity.” Psalm 5:5 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/psa.5.5.LSB

“You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your companions.” Psalm 45:7 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/psa.45.7.LSB

“Let love be without hypocrisy—by abhorring what is evil, clinging to what is good,” Romans 12:9 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/rom.12.9.LSB

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.” Mark 16:15-16 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/mrk.16.15-16.LSB

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. After that, He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/1co.15.8.LSB

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men, brothers, what should we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”” Acts 2:36-39 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/act.2.36-39.LSB

“And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even expose them.” Ephesians 5:11 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/eph.5.11.LSB

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. In addition to all, having taken up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one, also receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times with all prayer and petition in the Spirit, and to this end, being on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,” Ephesians 6:10-18 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/eph.6.10-18.LSB

Household Prayer: Give thanks, repent, reprove, rejoice

“¶Alas, sinful nation, People heavy with iniquity, Seed of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have forsaken Yahweh; They have spurned the Holy One of Israel; They have become estranged from Him… ¶Your land is desolate; Your cities are burned with fire; Your fields—strangers are devouring them in your presence; It is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.” Isaiah 1:4, 7 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/isa.1.4-7.LSB

Brothers, couple prayer thoughts as I start Isaiah in my reading. First, a nation under God’s judgment will face many woes and food scarcity is one of them (Is. 1:4, 7; 5:5-7). Second, His people need to be repentant, faithful, and bold in the truth (Is. 1:16-17). I pray we have faith, repent of sin, rejoice in our salvation, and praise God and declare His great works to others (Is. 12:2-4).

Give thanks to Yahweh, call on His name!

““Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not dread; For Yah—Yahweh Himself—is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.” Therefore you will joyously draw water From the springs of salvation. And in that day you will say, “Give thanks to Yahweh, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; Make them remember that His name is exalted.”” Isaiah 12:2-4 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/isa.12.2-4.LSB

Reprove the ruthless…

With love, correct and disapprove of the merciless, cruel, and hard-hearted. Reenchant the world with God’s truth.

“¶“Wash yourselves, purify yourselves; Remove the evil of your deeds from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Execute justice for the orphan, Plead for the widow.” Isaiah 1:16-17 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/isa.1.17.LSB

A land under judgement

““So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge, and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall, and it will become trampled ground. “I will lay it waste; It will not be pruned or hoed, But briars and thorns will come up. I will also command the clouds to rain no rain on it.” ¶For the vineyard of Yahweh of hosts is the house of Israel And the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He hoped for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.” Isaiah 5:5-7 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/isa.5.5-7.LSB

Food scarcity and supporting local producers

I’m watching The Tavern on Warrior Poet Society with Rick Green interviewing Texas Slim about The Beef Initiative. The Beef Initiative – The Tavern EP35 on Warrior Poet Society http://www.watchwpsn.com/videos/the-beef-initiative-the-tavern-ep35 (Subscription required)

The Beef Initiative https://beefinitiative.com

Rick Green of Patriot Academy https://www.patriotacademy.com/

Household Prayer: Gardening https://ministry.family.blog/2023/03/07/household-prayer-gardening/

FARMLAND LOST IS FARMLAND LOST FOREVER https://americanpolicy.org/2023/07/10/farmland-lost-is-farmland-lost-forever/

Power shortages, start planning

“Mike Shelby here, and here’s what’s on my radar… I just posted Power Shortages: 2025-2032 to YouTube because this is critical information for Americans to understand… Start planning for the panic buying, food and fuel rationing, supply chain disruption, blocked financial transactions, and other society-stopping conditions now. You have to reduce your dependency on fragile and failing systems if you want to navigate future gray zone conditions.” https://youtu.be/Qu91WpzBHmQ?si=GbFIgUy3UBQJm-lE

Trust in God and not dread!

“¶Arise, O Yahweh; save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to Yahweh; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah.” Psalm 3:7-8 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/psa.3.7-8.LSB

Household Prayer: Saint Patrick’s example – proclaim the excellencies of God

”But you are a chosen family, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;“ 1 Peter 2:9 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/1pe.2.9.LSB

Brothers, I’ve been meditating on 1 Peter 2:9. We find our identity, a chosen people, and our purpose, to proclaim the excellencies of God. I pray we proclaim God’s excellencies in our households and as Saint Patrick exhorts, I pray we “bear witness to his great wonders before every nation under heaven.”

“… I cannot be silent – nor would it be good to do so – about such great blessings and such a gift that the Lord so kindly bestowed in the land of my captivity. This is how we can repay such blessings, when our lives change and we come to know God, to praise and bear witness to his great wonders before every nation under heaven.” Saint Patrick https://www.confessio.ie/etexts/confessio_english#

“”St. Patrick: His Confession and Other Works” from Catholic Book Publishing gives the listener an excellent perspective on this beloved Saint, making him even more relevant for modern times. This book details two of the Saint’s written works: Confession and Letter to Coroticus, providing a deeper understanding of the Saint who converted Ireland. https://mycanonplus.com/tabs/search/audiobooks/6163

“Each local church plays a vital role in the great commission… How do we go forward as the people of God in 2024? As pastors, if our congregation is to function as a public witness for Jesus Christ in the twenty-first century, we must prepare our people for it. Our people must know the message of the gospel that we are to proclaim. They must be firmly committed to the means that God has given us to share the gospel, namely, the proclamation of his Word. And as pastors, we must seek to train and disciple leaders who will then go out and proclaim the gospel on the streets. To encourage public witness in the church, Spurgeon would do two things. First, he would make public evangelism [a] regular pray[er] in the life of the church. Second, he would actively encourage and development evangelists in his local church. We can do the same as we seek to be salt and light in this dark generation.“ Charles Spurgeon’s Public Evangelism (Part 1), https://founders.org/articles/charles-spurgeons-public-evangelism/

Household Prayer: Priorities, Goals, and Resolutions

”I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.“ 3 John 1:4 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/3jn.1.4.LSB

Brothers, meditating on 3 John 1:4 today. Praying that the number 1 priority in our households, churches, neighborhoods, and workplaces is that every member will know “the doctrines of the gospel, the life of Christ, and the great precepts of Scripture.” Praying for the wisdom and energy to bring God’s truth into every conversation possible (Deut. 6:7). Praying that every goal and resolution is founded on God, His truth, and His purpose for us!

Priority

“I hope no parent will allow their children to grow up and leave their roof without knowing the doctrines of the gospel, the life of Christ, and the great precepts of Scripture—without having as clear an understanding as possible of the great principles and plan of salvation. It should be the holy ambition of every parent that his entire family should be renewed by the Holy Spirit. Happy as a marriage day is that day when a parent sees his child surrendered to the people of God, having first given his heart to Christ. The joy of the text is that the children “walk in the truth”—the actual demonstration of the power of the gospel in their lives. This proves that the teaching was well received, the feeling was not mere excitement, and the profession was not a falsehood but was done in truth.” The Spurgeon Study Bible

Goals

This year, 3 years, 5 years, 10 years…

Roles

Family/household sphere, the ministry of health, education, and welfare.
Church sphere, the ministry of grace and peace.
Civil sphere, the ministry of justice.
Self-Government, by God’s grace, born again, the ministry that makes the other three possible.

By faith (Heb. 11:1-3,4,5…), get to work subduing and ruling, working and keeping, being fruitful and multiplying (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15), and making disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20) for “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10) Rule yourself well, rule your household well, and bring God’s truth and grace into every sphere of life that you enter into until every nation proclaims “Jesus is Lord!” – Amen. God willing, to be the good and faithful servant until He calls me out of this world.

“Duty is ours, results are God’s.” – John Quincy Adams

”“Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our God, Yahweh is one! You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.“ Deuteronomy 6:4-7 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/deu.6.4-7.LSB

Warnings for getting our priorities wrong

”“If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” …“ Psalm 11:3-4 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/psa.11.3-4.LSB

”My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from ministering as My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I Myself also will forget your children.“ Hosea 4:6 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/hos.4.6.LSB