FROM THE DAWGHOUSE…
This week, on “Election Day” morning, I woke up especially early, almost 3:00. After restlessly tossing and turning, having various life issues come into my thinking, praying, repeating some version of these things a few times, I clearly sensed God leading me to go downstairs and start my DAWG. As I made my way to the coffee pot, even this plan of having my DAWG was sidetracked as my IPAD, which holds all the resources for my personal worship time, had not charged through the night. As the IPAD failed to come on, I literally laughed out loud and said, “OK God, I’ve come downstairs really early to spend time with you and You know this IPAD is the tool to make it happen and it’s not working, what now? Again, I had this clear sense of what to do and as the saying goes, “The rest is history” meaning the next almost two hours were such a great time of our good good Father being faithful to one of His sons!
Rather than sharing the insights I gained in this time, I’m going to share the places God led me…the verses, comments, and sermon He used to speak with me. I am inviting you to read them and I’m praying and trusting God to use them in your life as He wills.
After I thanked God for this DAWGTIME, I asked that I would know His presence and asked the Holy Spirit to give me ears to hear. I then read the following quote…
Let us then as Christians rejoice that we see around us on every hand the decay of the institutions and instruments of power, see intimations of empires falling to pieces, money in total disarray, dictators and parliamentarians alike nonplussed by the confusion and conflicts which encompass them. For it is precisely when every earthly hope has been explored and found wanting, when every possibility of help from earthly sources has been sought and is not forthcoming, when every recourse this world offers, moral as well as material, has been explored to no effect . . . and in the gathering darkness every glimmer of light has finally flickered out, it’s then that Christ’s hand reaches out sure and firm. Then Christ’s words bring inexpressible comfort, then his light shines brightest, abolishing the darkness forever…..Malcolm Muggeridge, The End of Christendom
This quote reminded me of verses in Matthew I had been reading and thinking about the last few weeks.
Matthew 9:35-36…And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
After reading these verses, I wondered if my favorite preacher(other than Pete:) had preached a message on this. He had and I spent the next hour listening to his sermon.
Sheep Without a Shepherd – a sermon from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones https://www.mljtrust.org/
I then read and prayed Scotty Smiths prayer for the day…
At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it…Revelation 4:2
Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor…1 Peter 2:17
Father, as votes are cast and counted in America today, give us all the grace we will need to love, obey, and trust you. Surely this is what is means to “fear God”—to live with affectionate awe of who you really are.
Only you are God.
Only you are sovereign.
Only you are worthy of our worship.
Honor the emperor…this will require a lot of your grace, no matter who sits in the Oval Office the next four years. In Peter’s day the emperor was Nero. In John’s day, even worse, it was Domitian. Prepare us Father, whether we are pleased, angry, or are frightened by the outcome.
Show proper respect to everyone…to believers and non-believers alike. We haven’t done a great job of this lately, Father. Help us to be salt and light, in a world of bitterness and spite.
Love the family of believers…this will never be more necessary moving forward, Father. The world will know we belong to Jesus by the way we love each other—not by the way we voted. Help us, heal us, heart-fill us with your glory and grace, humility and kindness. Renew our first-love for Jesus, and deepen our trust in you. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ triumphant and tender name…..Scotty Smith
The next morning God was still building on the previous days DAWG as I heard Him say…I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness…1 Timothy 2:1-2.
As FORGE Men, we live as sheep, in a sheepfold, with a King as our shepherd…Kelley
