Blessings to you, family and friends of BBT.  Here’s what’s coming next Sunday.

It was good to see more faces last Sunday.  Priscilla taught us to keep our eyes on Jesus and not be distracted by life’s storms.  We went right into a time of prayer and I know that people were blessed.  Pastor David spoke on being thankful from the account of the ten lepers.  It was a timely message as our trip to the fair was this week.  We have so much to be thankful for.  Thanks to everyone who made the trip possible, from those who donated the money to those who came from Pastor David’s office to help push wheelchairs.  A great time was had by all.

After writing all that I hate to change the mood, but this is something that has been on my heart for a long time.  I talked about it once before, but I’m approaching it from a different angle this time.

If you can stand to watch the news, it paints a pretty bleak picture of the world we live in.  The things that are happening in our own country can be depressing if one doesn’t keep the right perspective.  When I hear of the violence, the racial tension, and lawlessness going on I wonder if we can ever turn things around.  When I watch the presidential contest I wonder if we deserve anything better.  Our politicians are elected.  They only reflect who we have become.  When I think about millions of unborn children murdered in the womb, I wonder if it is even right to ask for any more mercy from God.  I wonder if judgment has already begun.  Yet there may be reason to hope.  God’s people hold the key.

Some Saturday mornings, I attend a prayer group here in Richardson that meets to pray for the city and beyond.  As I am sure is the case for many similar groups, we have as our theme 2 Chronicles 7:14.  It reads from the New American Standard version as follows, “and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  It looks wrong, doesn’t it?  That’s probably because you’re used to seeing it starting with “if” instead of “and.”  But that makes a very important point.  This verse is part of a greater context and maybe it shouldn’t be lifted out of that context.  So, can we appropriate this verse for our nation and pray to that end?  Maybe.  Come and let’s explore it together.

Larry