God Bless the Military

I have had overwhelming response to my last post. The feedback has been the same from work, church, friends and family. They all want me to pray specifically for our military. I do all the time. This post is for our Warriors. I really hope it makes it to some folks in little camouflage hats. I really want them to know how much this Texan loves them.

Righteous Father who makes nations rise and fall, you give us power we cannot imagine. You give boys the power to bring down Giants. You give wanderers without a country the power to bring down walls with a trumpet blast. You blessed them at Jericho and turned away from them at Ai. You are the One who decides the battle. Your angels defend us from the evil powers of this world.

Lord, you did not turn away from Washington when he was unscathed while his clothes were bullet ridden. You blessed our marines in Tripoli ridding the world of the Corsairs’ tyranny. You blessed small groups of freedom fighters to defeat the world’s largest army in Texas. You blessed us to defeat fascism and communism in lands around the world.

We understand that You have been with us because we served Your good purpose. You establish all authority and can use it as a tool of Your wrath. You will use the military of sinful nations for the good of Your Will. We are not worthy yet You bless us with victory anyway. No nation on Earth deserves your favor. So we commit to doing what is right. We do not take to battle for conquest so we will ask your blessings as our military defends the life, liberty and property of those You love around the world.

Bless the American Military my King. Make their hearts pure. Make their minds wise. Make their backs strong. Make their feet swift. Make their aim true. Deliver the enemy into their hands. Bless the sailor who controls the tomahawk. Bless the Marine who drives the Tank. Bless the SEAL who braves the icy waters and the ranger swinging from the rope. Bless the airman that delivers destruction to those who destroy the innocent. Bless the infantry man as he protects the convoy. Bless the green beret as he teaches folks to defend themselves. Bless the wounded and ones who carry them. Bless them all my Lord. Bless the American warrior.

Give the American military the strength to deliver the rights that You bestow to us.
Your grateful servant in the Big White Hat.

a little prayer for America

Almighty King, You created the universe and every detail in it.  You are the source of every good thing.  You have blessed my country with wealth beyond any nation since Solomon.  The Greeks, the Egyptians, the Romans, the Babylonians and the Mongols never could have dreamed of the wealth and power you have given my country.

Yet, we don’t see this.  We live in this splendor with no regard for You.  We enjoy the freedom that having no other king but Christ affords.  Yet, we do not thank You.  Among our people are those who hate You and want to remove Your very name from everything good and pure about America.  We mock Your graciousness with licentiousness. Our misconduct is intense.

Oh Lord, do not remove Your blessings from America.  Consider the good we still can do in this world.  Consider how our war on terror will open parts of the world to Your good teaching.  Use us to knock down the walls and open the doors for the Gospel and the free practice of Christianity.  Use this sinful nation to defeat those who slay your children and sell them into slavery.  Use us to stamp out the murderers who target the innocent.

Murderers stand against the new nations of Iraq and Afghanistan.  They wish to make these nations return to the control of men who oppress in name of righteousness.  These imposters persuade gullible people to wrath by sighting my countries sins and twisting our good deeds to sound like sins.  They are self-righteous accusers who hide their fascism behind Islam.  They wear the robes of holy men but are dead inside.  Death and destruction follow them like a dark cloud.

Many in my country are losing heart and giving up.  They stand against doing what is right even invoking Your name to their cause.  They embolden murderers and slander the righteous.  Lord give comfort to America that we will not lose our courage.

America’s military is protecting the freedom nations around the world in hope that free people won’t make war against each other. In Kosovo we join many nations to prevent war.  In Germany we insure that Europe is safe from those who would destroy it.  In Iraq and Afghanistan we protect the fledgling governments who are opening their wings before us.  God, bless our military to do these things well.  Shower Your blessing on the Iraqi and Afghan people that they continue in their progress.

Lord, bless all the freedom fighters in the war on terror.  Help their minds to be sharp, their feet to be swift and their courage to be powerful.  Keep them safe.  Deliver their enemies into their hands.  

I ask for all of this inasmuch as it is Your will.
Your lowly servant in the Big White Hat.

Over-Haulin

Sorry that it has been so long between posts. I have been quite busy.

It is not funny how singing songs you have known for years and reading scripture you have read a million times can bring sudden inspiration. Yesterday in church we sang “My hope is built,” and listened to a sermon that used Hebrews 6:19. This hit me like a hammer.

Fist the lyrics and passage in question are:
“In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.”
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one that enters within the veil, (Hebrews 6:19 NAS)”

For some time now I have persuaded people to optimism by taking account of blessings and successes in their lives. This is to give folks a concrete reason to take heart. Now I see that people of faith have a hope, an optimism that is based on something far more intense. This hope is not in the knowledge of things past but in unknown things. The key words are: within the veil. You see this is not merely a reference to God. This refers to the unrevealed things of God.

I can look at my blessings and trust that the same God who gives me these has bigger things in store for later. He has told me about some of them but not all of them. Even the things I think I know about, will surprise me when I see them.

It is like an episode of “Over-Haulin’”. You know Chip Foose is going to do incredible things to this person’s car because he always has done remarkable things in past episodes. He still never fails to have plenty of wow factor.

Chip puts his pants on one leg at a time just like me. Imagine the wow factor involved in your life. You are being overhauled by The Creator of Heaven and Earth. Just imagine what could be in His workshop. Just imagine how you will jump, scream and bawl when you see your new custom life.

As for me, I’m going to smile each time I think about what is behind the curtain.