Prayer List
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Health
For my old scathes and scars to be healed by Gods grace. Some are not pretty to look at.
And for my parents health so they may live longer and abide many years for godly work
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Prayer Request
Please pray for:
1. Continuous safety from COVID-19.
2. Sparing our group's property from expropriation/acquisition.
3. A parcel I've been waiting for long would arrive soon.
Thank you -
Pray for our family
Pastor Raker and church, I am requesting prayer for my family. We have been humbled after being very rebellious, pridefully refusing to wear masks or social distance. We went to the beach and a family BBQ with 60 people where no one wore masks. Now 22 family members have the virus and some are dying. This past week we lost my father, brother-in-law and aunt. My brother is not doing well and now his daughter, my 7 year old niece is in hospital with the virus. She is very sick. It is too much all at once. Only my father had a preexisting condition with lung issues from smoking for many years - he quit 4 years ago. My bother-in-law was 48 and healthy. He loved riding his Harley every weekend and worked as an electrician. My brother is only 43 and was very healthy. He is a carpenter building large offices. My father was only 65 and planning on retiring this year. My niece had no health issues. So everything we were told was false.
I note none of you wear a mask. Please start now! I now think we are bringing on this rebuke for our prideful ways. I and my family were among the most prideful. Now we are humbly begging for forgiveness. We have changed churches to where the bible is preached and less music is played. We attend virtually almost weekly. I am encouraging my husband to think about joining your church. We live in Arkansas so it would be difficult to join you physically, but everything is virtual anyway, right? Your services are a joy! We enjoy your music, announcements and especially your biblically based sermons. I too believe America's best days are behind her as our pride has made God lift His hand of blessing from us. You said America is not in the book of Revelation. That opened our eyes! What is going to happen to us now is very troubling but we are trying to have faith and get closer to Jesus for His protection while our country falls apart in an increasingly violent war between the left and right.
Back to my family, please pray for my brother, Allen and niece Sarah. They are believers as is all our family. But I fear we were shallow believers as we did not study the bible very often and only attended church 2 or 3 times a month and only our children went to bible study classes.
My daughter asked me why God was so mean. I told her that He is not mean, He is allowing us to reap as we sow, we want to be independent and judge others. We are worried about our rights, our liberty and anyone disrespecting us. Yet the Bible says nothing about our rights being greater than our neighbors. Instead of being prideful, we are to be humble. Instead of judging people by their race or skin color or even their attitudes. We are to love them and forgive when they ask for it. Please pray for us as we are determined to follow the Lord Jesus more closely, to let go of our pride, to be more forgiving and to trust God by putting everything in His hands (and not judge things ourselves).
Thank you for your wonderful broadcast. We pray the Lord blesses your church to continue sharing His word. It is a blessing during this time of isolation (but PLEASE, wear a mask!). -
Jesus teachings
Pastor Raker, I am a retired Polisci teacher having retires 8 years ago when I could not take education's increasingly liberal, anti-god stance. I am upset with both the the left and right, the Black Lives Matter protestors, our corrupt politicians (including the president), our decaying churches and a lot more. I compliment you on your teachings and especially your note that we should not be anxious watching the news because this was all predicted (Phil 4:6-7). While I do not believe this is part of Revelation, I believe it is a rebuke of His people (I mean all of us, not just Israel),. I think the shallow Christians of this country are also being rebuked for selfish pride as if their rights overrule the rights of people around them.
I am astounded at the shallow, low-IQ thinking of those proclaiming to be evangelical! As a Polisci teacher, I can say that "simple" government has never worked in history. As a Christian, I will say that we are incapable of ruling ourselves. Of course politicians are corrupt. If they were not corrupt going into politics, they soon will be as power corrupts. Compromises must be made, politicians become jaded, and all fall in the end to pride and greed. It is just mankind's nature. It is why we need Jesus as only He can rule us fairly.
Keep up your preaching on not being anxious, looking to the Bible for guidance, not putting your rights before everyone else's, and stop being so confrontational! Jesus was not hostile or prideful when He confronted people. And note He did not confront the Roman rulers of the land. We all need to step back, wear our masks FOR OTHER'S SAKE, and stop looking for a fight. God is in control, Jesus will return in His time, and pushing your "rights" onto others by jeopardizing their health (not wearing masks), is NOT godly! Jesus told us to be considerate of our neighbors. To me, that means wearing a mask to protect them in case I am infected (most of us will not be impacted and still spread the virus).
God bless your little church and your message. Preach Jesus's love and not hostility. Preach Phil 4:6-7. Thank you for your nice bulletins, they are well done. Your Issues & Answers are thought provoking. Trust He is working and our hostility toward our neighbors is not godly as Jesus preached LOVE.
I could go on (just ask my wife), but I will stop here and leave it to God to use my message to you as He ALWAYS turns all things to His will. God bless.
Paul -
Civil war in America?
Pastor Tony, I want to ask you if you think we are headed for civil war? My neighbors got in a huge fistfight over Biden and Trump signs on their lawns. Both sides pulled guns and threatened each other! Police arrived and calmed everyone (the guns disappeared when they arrived). One redneck Trumpist was arrested.
Is America finished? Will the uneducated redneck Trumpists refuse to accept the will of the majority? Will Trump pull a coup? Will Biden's large victory in November mean we turn socialist? I am VERY SCARED PASTOR!!! I fear for my grandchildren as America breaks down under Trump's bullying rule. God says to love your neighbor and not seek vengeance. But Trump's childish backers will not accept being outvoted as they seek to tear down our country, setting it back to a simple, smaller nation. America is not in Revelation, is it? I fear it will be gone, broken up soon. I think the end is very near.
What are we to do if God will not save America? Pray for a failing country as it breaks up and neighbors shoot each other? Help me accept His will even though everything falls apart as America ends it's democracy and consensus is lost to hard headed hate filled racists and socialists fighting each other. Neither side will back down! This will get ugly! Biden is no great leader either. Oh Pastor, I fear for our country! Please pray that I can know peace and teach my children and grandchildren the the same as God allows America to fall apart. Please give me some verses to be at peace and be strong as our nation falls apart.
May God guide you.
Shirly in Michigan -
Employment
I was laid off and need a job. Am hoping for an offer from one company that seems nice. If I don't receive an offer, I might be forced to work for another company where everyone seems utterly miserable.
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Dean: these are challenging days in every sense, even more so when it comes to employment. I\'m praying God will open the door he wishes for you and that you, in turn, will recognize such as His leading and walk through it. Such may prove our choice; such may prove His choice. Either way, praying He gives you conformation. Blessings!