prayer – Dobra Family Ministry

Household Prayer: spiritual discipline inventory

“… discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but godliness is beneficial for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7-8 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/1ti.4.7-8.NASB2020

Brothers, I read a post about spiritual disciplines. Instead of making resolutions I pray we take inventory of our spiritual disciplines and set a strategy and tactics to center our lives on Christ by ordering our days and weeks with spiritual disciplines: worship, prayer, fasting, sabbath rest, and scripture reading, meditation, and study. I pray our spiritual disciplines will be the model and set the rhythm of our households to be centered on Christ.

“A life ordered by spiritual discipline is not a cramped life. It’s a free one… Spiritual discipline is freedom… In Genesis, [God] doesn’t leave the world a formless mess… disordered days slowly produce disordered souls. But when prayer, Scripture, worship, and rest are built into a man’s week, things start to settle… When your life is structured around [Christ], you stop fighting the grain of the universe. And that’s where freedom actually is.” Pastor Michael Foster https://x.com/thisisfoster/status/2009625345536803178?s=46&t=Ag2lESY3ntUopWo1gN17hw

“… discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but godliness is beneficial for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7-8 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/1ti.4.7-8.NASB2020

Worship – start your week on Sunday with Worship

“¶Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name; Bring an offering and come into His courtyards. Worship the Lord in holy attire; Tremble before Him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples fairly.”” Psalm 96:7-10 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/psa.96.7-10.NASB2020

“But a time is coming, and even now has arrived, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”” John 4:23-24 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/jhn.4.23-24.NASB2020

Prayer What is prayer? How do I pray? – Dobra Family Ministry

“But as for you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:6 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/mat.6.6.NASB2020

“With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints,” Ephesians 6:18 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/eph.6.18.NASB2020

Fasting

““Now whenever you fast, do not make a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they distort their faces so that they will be noticed by people when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But as for you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that your fasting will not be noticed by people but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/mat.6.16-18.NASB2020

“Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them.” Nehemiah 9:1 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/neh.9.1.NASB2020

“In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and mourning rites; and many had sackcloth and ashes spread out as a bed.” Esther 4:3 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/est.4.3.NASB2020

Sabbath – end your week with rest

““Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Exodus 20:8 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/exo.20.8.NASB2020

“For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a Sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Lord; whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.” Exodus 31:15 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/exo.31.15.NASB2020

“Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.” Hebrews 4:9-10 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/heb.4.9-10.NASB2020

Scripture Household Prayer: Students of Scripture Build your House – Dobra Family Ministry

“For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/pro.2.6.NASB2020

Note: Prov. “2:6 His mouth. The words of His mouth are contained in Scripture. It is there that God speaks (cf. Heb 1:1, 2; 2Pe 1:20, 21). Wisdom comes only by revelation.”

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.” Hebrews 1:1-2 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/heb.1.1-2.NASB2020

“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture becomes a matter of someone’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” 2 Peter 1:20-21 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/2pe.1.20-21.NASB2020

“¶I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; I will certainly remember Your wonders of old. I will meditate on all Your work, And on Your deeds with thanksgiving.” Psalm 77:11-12 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/psa.77.11-12.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

Prayer Meeting: Prophetic Voice of Truth HB2827

Sing Psalm 144

https://youtu.be/XmCOpPFg1OY?si=9ttNsQ8P56MYF_Z7

being the prophetic voice against HB2827 (1 Tim. 3:15, Mark 6:17-18)

“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/

Has the Church even spoken out prophetically?

“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

2) if it passes:

a) remaining, resisting and obeying God rather than men and facing the legal and social persecution (Acts 5:29)

“If the civil magistrate does not uphold what is prescribed to him in Romans 13:3-4 and the church’s prophetic voice has been ignored, then at that point the Christian finds it his duty to resist those who act dishonorably and out of alignment with the prescriptions of Scripture (esp. Rom. 13:3-4)…

“God’s law makes it clear that parents are to rule and raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Any man who does not take care of his family is worse than a pagan (1 Tim. 5:8)… Governments that incentivize single parenting and then take on the role of absentee father, providing income and shelter, are wicked. The moment civil government inserts itself in such ways, it has moved beyond the overlap of influence and entered into overreach…

“When governments extend themselves beyond this very narrow calling to which God has tasked them [Rom. 13:3-4]… then the church with its prophetic voice must call its own magistrate back from its desire to ever expand its influence. A good example would be the role of a ‘department of education.’ Is it the state’s responsibility to educate children and young adults? According to Romans 13, that does not seem to be included. Therefore, Christians should not be silent on such matters.” 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/ emphasis added

If you and your church have not been speaking out and discipling on this issue, then confess and repent!

It does not “take a village” to raise a child! It takes one man and one woman committed to each other and to God’s purpose and plan for their marriage. In other words – a natural family. God has provided and families need support communities of extended family and church groups. These support communities and civil governments, i.e. “villages,” should support the natural family’s role in raising their children, but should not subvert the parents God given rights. Unfortunately two current philosophies endorse the “village” subversion of parental rights and duties in our culture today: communism and humanism.

The communists see all lives as economic property of the state, and therefore, for example, “‘The worker-mother must learn not to differentiate between yours and mine; she must remember that there are only our children, the children of Russia’s communist workers.’” (“The Natural Family: Bulwark of Liberty” by Carlson and Mero, page 36)

Humanists (Atheistic or Secularist) see the family as a man made system that can be altered by those in power to their own needs, and therefore, “The day care center, . . . not the disintegrating home, represented the new human order. In the former, small children could be rescued from the shallow views of their parents, and reprogrammed for life in an androgynous, cooperative socialist order.” (“The Natural Family: Bulwark of Liberty” by Carlson and Mero, page 48)

b) relocation with a great commission strategy like the pilgrims to America (Jeremiah 29:5-7, Matthew 5:14-16)

3) if it fails: plan to worship and give thanks (Gen. 14:14-16, 18-20, 1 Sam. 11:11,13b, 15)

Pray

That Christ’s church would not be silent but speak a prophetic voice of God’s truth to civil authority that has rejected its God ordained responsibility and has taken for itself authority that God has not given.

We pray God would defeat IL house bill 2827.

We pray, if it is passed, that those that choose or must remain would obey God rather than men. That God would give them wisdom on when and how to refuse to submit His image bearers to Caesar in peaceful disobedience. We pray they will not fall away into apathy and compliance with the godless. We pray for perseverance in persecution.

We pray for those that flee that they go in full trust in the Lord and obedience to the creation mandate and great commission.

If the bill is defeated, we pray God’s people would gather in thanksgiving for God’s victory and worship Him.

Sing Psalm 24

https://youtu.be/990Q_yPIKeM?si=Ra_PR0IBpv16uwl-

Inauguration Day meditation 2025

Inauguration Day meditation

Worship

First, we have to thank God for the mercy and give Him the glory for the victory. Genesis‬ ‭14‬:‭20‬

Disciple and Proclaim

Next, we the church have to get to work discipling the nation, teaching all that God has commanded. Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭15‬, Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭19‬-‭20‬

Build

Then get to work building God honoring households, churches, communities, and businesses.

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

Household Prayer: Trust in God not the Customs of the Nations

“Now this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God… and they had feared other gods. They also followed the customs of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from the sons of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel which they had introduced… They feared the Lord, yet they were serving their own gods in accordance with the custom of the nations from among whom they had been taken into exile.” 2 Kings 17:7-8, 33 NASB2020 https://bible.com/bible/2692/2ki.17.7-33.NASB2020

Brothers, meditating on 2 Kings 17:7,8,33. There is a real danger of looking for practical solutions (or placing our trust in false gods) and walking in the customs or statutes of the culture around us. We should be trusting in God alone for our daily bread. In our culture of “sprawling government bureaucracies” trying to be gods by providing for all our needs, I/we can be tempted to partake and “walk in the customs of the nations.” Beware when government want’s what is God’s (Matt. 22:21). I pray we trust in the one true God of our salvation and walk in His ways!

Tyrannical overreach can be described as “the governmental [or other] sphere either reaching beyond its [God defined] limitations of influence to rule in an arena in which it has no authority or otherwise restricting another sphere from fulfilling its own self-government and self-correction.” “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/

Household

“from a Christian perspective, the household is not just a private sphere—it is the primary economic unit through which God intends His people to exercise dominion over creation… In Genesis 1:28, God commands Adam and Eve to “be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.” This dominion mandate is given not to isolated individuals but to a covenant family—a household… Unlike modern economic paradigms that prioritize the state or the individual, the Bible places the household at the center of productivity and stewardship. In Proverbs 31, for example, the virtuous woman manages her household’s resources with wisdom and initiative, engaging in trade, real estate, and agriculture—ensuring her family thrives.” https://www.dominionwealthstrategists.com/post/household-economics-how-families-take-dominion

Education

A custom of the nations to beware of, School Choice and vouchers. “It all sounded so great… But then, in an instant, all genuine choice was abolished with one “education reform” law… Suddenly, private schools taking public money were ordered to teach the radical government curriculum… Just think of the “free” government money as the cheese in the mousetrap.” https://illinoisfamily.org/uncategorized/vouchers-school-choice-trap/

“HSLDA opposes any kind of government funding for homeschooling—these funds are most commonly referred to as ESAs, but they may also be packaged as vouchers or school choice funds… ESAs and other tax-funded accounts will provide government officials with a reason to further regulate and oversee homeschooling… The argument for enacting new restrictions could go (and has gone) something like this: Now that homeschooling families are receiving government money, the government needs to ensure they are spending that money responsibly… We’re already seeing this happen in a very public way… We’re already seeing movement across states with new ESA measures to further regulate homeschooling.” https://hslda.org/post/how-esa-funding-could-undermine-homeschool-freedom

Reminder, your children belong to God. Money, in Matthew 22 a denarius (Matt. 22:21), has the states “likeness.” Therefore, we pay our taxes to the state. Our money is political (not to be confused with labor!). But our children and we ourselves have God’s “likeness” (Gen. 1:26), therefore we belong to God. We are pre-political. https://ministry.family.blog/2021/08/01/tyranny-politics-and-the-pre-political/

“And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced… So they feared the Lord but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.” 2 Kings 17:7-8, 33 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/2ki.17.7-33.ESV

Household Prayer: Fall Fellowship Prayer

Prayer:

““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 6:4-9

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the families here tonight and all those that have come together in a unity of the faith and mission to disciple and teach our children diligently to know You our God and make You known.

May we build each other up and encourage one another in our fellowship.

God I pray for continued civil favor in Illinois. Many tyrannical voices are speaking of their desire to overreach their God ordained civil role and encroach on the governance of the family and parents. May Your people be informed and active in sharing Your truth. May justice and the rule of constitutional law prevail. Heavenly Father be our advocate and fight for Your people.

May Your will, God, be our desire. Bless everyone here and especially the children.

In Jesus Christs Name I pray – amen

Scripture and supporting notes:

Unity “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the good oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Aaron’s beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes.” Psalm 133:1-2 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/psa.133.1-2.LSB

Mission “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 6:7 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/deu.6.7.LSB

Mission “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 ESV https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.6.4.ESV

Mission “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/mrk.16.15.LSB

Encourage “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for building up what is needed, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/eph.4.29.LSB

Encourage “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/heb.3.13.LSB

Civil role “For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of that authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword in vain, for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.” Romans 13:3-4 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/rom.13.4.LSB

Civil overreach “God’s law makes it clear that parents are to rule and raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Any man who does not take care of his family is worse than a pagan (1 Tim. 5:8)… Governments that incentivize single parenting and then take on the role of absentee father, providing income and shelter, are wicked. The moment civil government inserts itself in such ways, it has moved beyond the overlap of influence and entered into overreach.” A Revolutionary Reading of Romans 13: A Biblical Case for Lawful Subjection to the Civil Magistrate and Dutiful Resistance to Tyrants https://press.founders.org/shop/a-revolutionary-reading-of-romans-13/

Civil duty “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.” A Revolutionary Reading of Romans 13: A Biblical Case for Lawful Subjection to the Civil Magistrate and Dutiful Resistance to Tyrants https://press.founders.org/shop/a-revolutionary-reading-of-romans-13/

Why Does HSLDA Get Involved in Fourth Amendment Cases? https://hslda.org/post/why-does-hslda-get-involved-in-fourth-amendment-cases

Civil justice, our King! “¶Arise, O Yahweh; O God, lift up Your hand. Do not forget the afflicted. ¶Yahweh is King forever and ever; Nations have perished from His land. O Yahweh, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will cause Your ear to give heed To give justice to the orphan and the oppressed, So that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.” Psalm 10:12, 16-18 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/psa.10.12-18.LSB

God’s will, our desire “‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/mat.6.10.LSB

HouseHold Prayer: On Mission

““Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it with a container or puts it under a bed, but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.” Luke 8:16 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/luk.8.16.LSB

Brothers, meditating on Luke chapters 8-11. I pray we walk daily in our mission. I pray we light our lamp every morning for all to see (Luke 8:16), that in our households we “recount what great things God has done for” us, “proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for” us (Luke 8:39). I pray we are ready for the mission to sow the word of God (Luke 9:2,10; 10:1-3; 11:33). Worship, disciple, proclaim, and build. “Whatever you do,” in your household, in church, at work, in your civil duties, “do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men” (Colossians 3:23-24; Gen. 2:15).

““Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it with a container or puts it under a bed, but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light.” Luke 8:16 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/luk.8.16.LSB

““Return to your house and recount what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.” Luke 8:39 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/luk.8.39.LSB

“And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick… And when the apostles returned, they recounted to Him all that they had done. Taking them with Him, He slipped away by Himself to a city called Bethsaida.” Luke 9:2, 10 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/luk.9.2-10.LSB

“Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go! Behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” Luke 10:1-3 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/luk.10.1-3.LSB

““No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light.” Luke 11:33 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/luk.11.33.LSB

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. Serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/col.3.23-24.LSB

“Then Yahweh God took the man and set him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” Genesis 2:15 LSB https://bible.com/bible/3345/gen.2.15.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: Goals for our mission this year

“we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10)

Happy New Year! Brothers, I’m not one for resolutions, but we do have a vision and mission from our King, and we should set goals to strive to accomplish the mission in the time God gives us. I pray we consider our created mandate, our great commission, and our duties in our various roles and live fully for God’s purpose and for His glory! “Duty is ours, results are God’s.”

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.

“My brave fellows, you have done all I asked you to do, and more than could be reasonably expected; but your country is at stake, your wives, your houses, and all that you hold dear.” George Washington encouraging his men to re-enlist in the army Tuesday, December 31, 1776

The family is God’s smallest battle formation

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

“The sphere of the family is perhaps the most important sphere of the three, anthropologically speaking. It was created before the fall, and thus it is a necessary component for humans to thrive in their creation mandate as well as to encourage proper roles in the other two spheres of church and state. In that way, we could say that the sphere of the family is the foundation upon which God has chosen to flourish human societies. It is the sphere in which the image God has borne upon humans will reproduce and thrive. Show me a collapsing society, and I will show you a crumbling institution of the family. We see God’s creation of the family most clearly in Genesis 1:27–28… The home is further set apart in Genesis 2.“ The Creation of the 3 Spheres of Family, Church, and State, Timothy Decker, https://founders.org/articles/the-creation-of-the-3-spheres-of-family-church-and-state/

Household Prayer: passing shadow moments

““Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him? Man is like a breath; His days are like a passing shadow.” Psalms 144:3-4 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.144.4.NKJV

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,” Ephesians 2:19 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/eph.2.19.NKJV

Brothers, meditating on a theme from Psalm 144:3-4 and Eph. 2:19. My oldest turns 18 in less than a week. “Life is but a passing shadow.” It passes so fast! I pray we treasure the moments and relationships in our households and in the “household of God.” I pray I can see what is most important, what is eternal, and I pray we don’t miss those moments. And I pray that by word and witness we pass on what is the “eternal purpose of God and the place of Christ and His people in that purpose” from Ephesians and the rest of scripture.

“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,” Ephesians 1:22 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/eph.1.22.NKJV

Remembering that the church is not a place of gathering, but a people, a people of a household with a common father, a household of households. “This redeemed society, which constitutes God’s new people, is referred to in various ways in the letter; for example, as God’s people (1:2, TCNT), God’s heritage (1:11, TCNT), God’s building (2:19-22), Christ’s body (1:22,23), Christ’s bride (5:22-31), the church (1:22; 3:10, 21, et al.), and one new man (2:14,15). The suggestion in all these figures is that God now has a people in the world who belong uniquely to Him. In them His purpose of grace is being worked out, and through them He plans to effect His intention for the universe… The most comprehensive statement of the theme of Ephesians is this: the eternal purpose of God and the place of Christ and His people in that purpose.” Founders Study Guide Commentary on Ephesians https://press.founders.org/shop/fsgc-ephesians/

Household Prayer: Surely the kingdom of God has come upon us!

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” Matthew 12:28-30 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/mat.12.28-30.NKJV

Brothers, today I am praying that by faith and the light of our lives lived for King Jesus many would be drawn to Him. Lord, I pray that we would be swift to proclaim the good news and I pray we would have eyes to see Your Spirit plunder captive souls from the devil. Surely the kingdom of God has come upon us! (Matt. 12:28) Christ has bound the strong man. (Matt. 12:29) Jesus has all authority; the victory is won (Matt. 28:18). Plunder the devil’s house! (Matt. 12:30)

“Christ has reigned from His throne in heaven since He sat down, and the obvious evidence is that the gospel has spread throughout the world in ways that the earliest Church never would have believed… when Christ commanded the Great Commission to His disciples, I believe He was giving His strategy for His Church… Jesus proves that His coming is plundering Satan’s kingdom [Matt. 12:28-30] … Satan is bound, in that, no power and no principality has authority over Jesus Christ. We know this because Christ said so: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” [Matt. 28:18] … There’s nothing Satan can do to stop the advancing of the gospel [Hebrews 10:13] … the gospel is the truth that binds Satan.” Jarrin Jackson, “Christian Nationalism is inevitable… and that’s good news!” https://livelocal.store/product/christian_nationalism_is_inevitable/

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.” Hebrews 10:12-13 NKJV https://bible.com/bible/114/heb.10.12-13.NKJV

“There are two great interests in the world; and when unclean spirits are cast out by the Holy Spirit, in the conversion of sinners to a life of faith and obedience, the kingdom of God is come unto us. All who do not aid or rejoice in such a change are against Christ.” Matthew Henry Concise Commentary

“The enemies of the gospel are wanting to undermine the world of obedient Christians by dissuading their work through calling them names that demean them and socially isolate them. And like the first “Christians” being called Christian in Acts, “Christian nationalism” is a term that is weaponized against Christians living their faith in public. If Christians are quiet, they won’t be called Christian nationalists. If Christians tolerate fornication and homosexuality and the transgender abomination, then they won’t be called Christian nationalists. If Christians don’t argue the Constitution or stand firm in their worldview in conflict with globalism or hedonism or secularism, then they won’t be called Christian nationalists. If Christians just keep their God in a box and only worship Him in the steepled buildings on Sunday – when they’re not shut down for public health emergencies – and the sermons don’t preach on the need to evangelize the lost with the exclusive salvation message of Jesus Christ, then they won’t be called Christian nationalists. The enemy doesn’t really care about Christian nationalism. The enemy hates Christ’s followers obeying Christ.” Jarrin Jackson, “Christian Nationalism is inevitable… and that’s good news!” https://livelocal.store/product/christian_nationalism_is_inevitable/