FEBRUARY 07 THE JESUS QUESTIONS JQ#02 “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you …and if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?” (Matthew 5:46-47)

 FEBRUARY 07   THE JESUS QUESTIONS   JQ#02  “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you …and if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?” (Matthew 5:46-47)

LIVING FOR JESUS Daily Prayer

JESUS, Lord and Savior, Redeemer and Friend, may every breath I take be used for Your Glory, let every thought I have be only thoughts of your kingdom, and may all my deeds be done in Your Name and for the kingdom’s sake. I have no desire but “serving" the King of kings and Lord of lords! Forgive me when I fail You with some careless thought or deed that draws me back to the world, may all my thoughts be used to grow the kingdom — keeping nothing for self.   AMEN

THE JESUS QUESTIONS

JESUS used JQ#01 & JQ#02 to focus our efforts on others and He gave us a couple of warnings to avoid “hypocrisy”. Jesus commanded us to do “charitable deeds” and “to pray” (Matthew 6:1-8) and in regards to "how" we pray Jesus gave specific instructions that when we pray (not if we pray — but “when” we pray ) that our prayers should be just as if we were talking to the Father and not just using “vain repetitions” because “…your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him…” (Matthew 6:7-8) Jesus then gives us the “Model Prayer”: 

“In this manner, therefore, pray: 

Our Father in heaven, 

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come. 

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our transgressions

As we forgive those who transgress against us.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." 

(Matthew 6:9-13) 

Jesus then amplified the importance of our forgiving others as He immediately made it plain that God forgives us because of our personal attitude that we harbor in our hearts toward others: 

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

 (Matthew 6:14-15) 

Again Jesus has told us plainly what God expects of us (After “endowing” us with Free Will CHOICE) and to make it clear Jesus gives us motivation as He lists the “rewards” and the “penalties” (CONSEQUENCES) of obeying (Actions that results from our Free Will CHOICES) the commands of “our Father in heaven.” 

After Jesus discussed “charitable deeds” and “praying”,  Jesus then instructs us in “fasting” and just like Jesus warned us about the first two steps to “perfection”, Jesus also warns about “fasting” that we should “not be like the hypocrites” putting on a show to impress men, 

“But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” 

(Matthew 6:16-18) 

It is interesting to note that the first three steps we are to take to being “perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect” is to take these steps outside the spotlight of men — for Jesus warns us that if we do anything to impress men then we will be seen as “hypocrites” in the Father’s eyes. Jesus says our motivation to taking steps to perfection should be to gain favor with “our Father who is in the secret place, and sees in secret” who will know that we took the steps for Him and Him alone and that we will TRUST GOD to “reward” us as HE DESIRES!!!

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THE (LAST) PATRIOT’S PULPIT

Announcement 2/7/24 Wednesday 4:29A - I have been journaling since 2001 but in reality I have inwardly been journaling as long as I can remember, but I am “being led” to “back off” and “Allocate” my “Resources” to living my day to day life in the here and now to be better prepared to provide for my family. 

I have not “had a vision” but my spirit within me is nudging me 

to “do more” and “say less”. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am not shifting in any of my “Patriotic” beliefs whatsoever, in fact, it is just the opposite as I feel that I need to be doing more to preparing myself for the upcoming “change” that is coming to AMERICA and the world because of the LIGHT that is being cast upon the darkness that has overtaken the world. There is going to be “wailing and gnashing of teeth” and everyone that is not prepared will be caught up and affected when the wounded creature realizes there is no escape and decides to take out as many “innocents” as possible, evil is evil and it only gets uglier the more it is exposed and we are just now getting a glimpse 

of how really, really evil that evil really is. 

I say this as a way of encouragement to “everyone that has ears, let him hear” because when it goes down it will strip the last layer of decency from  their disguise and when “they know” that “we know” then the real war between “good and evil” will begin and it will be of a magnitude that those not “spiritually” prepared will be wounded deeply and some will not recover. 

So, the “good guys” that remain after evil has exploded as it is going to explode on the innocent, we will not only have to deal with the “evil” bad guys, we will have to deal with the “wounded” good guys as well — I know this sounds awfully dark, but there is going to be a “very dark period” before final victory of the  “LIGHT” over “darkness” that will take many off guard and that my dear friends and Patriots is what I am going to try and prepare myself and my loved ones for so that when we do get “through the valley of the shadow of death” we will be able to “HELP AS MANY OTHERS AS WE CAN”! 

The reality is that my “words of warning” that I speak are not helping on any real scale and what I “do” between now and the end of the summer  of 2024 is going to have more “impact” than a few typed words. 

My parting Patriotic “advice” is to make sure that you optimize all your “Resources” and “Allocate” them wisely to prepare to provide for your immediate family for when “push comes to shove”  we are going to need strong Patriotic prepared families to rebuild after the STORM is over. 

War always produces “casualties” and there is always “collateral damage” so “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst!” 

I will continue to daily post “The Jesus Questions” on my blogspot “thelaymanspulpit.blogspot.com" and my daily prayers. I started the “The Jesus Questions and Daily Prayers” blog in February 2016 and will continue to post daily as long as the internet is up. It has never been about generating a “following” as I have only had 1 (yes that is 1 and 1 only subscriber/follower) since February 2016 (there have been over 2000 posts) and I have not missed a day posting and I will continue to post because the posts are not my writings but the words are the “inspired WORD” that were given to me and I was told by the Holy Spirit to post them (and I will continue to do so until instructed to stop posting,) I was posting “The Jesus Questions” not for other people to read but as a reminder to myself where those WORDS came from and I get great peace out of reading them everyday and in this crazy world that is only going to get crazier, we will all need the “peace that passeth all understanding” which can only be found in the 

WORD OF GOD! 

This will be my last “email” and my last “Patriot” post, I am still right here and hope to hear from you, I will answer any questions you may have so “give me a buzz.” 

Ross: Let’s get the “rabbit thing” going.

Dom: Stop by now and then, I love seeing you and your beautiful family!

Janie: Let’s get together for supper at least once a month if you and Johnny can make the time.

Phil: You have been and always will be my “best friend” and we know in our hearts that distance and time have no impact on TRUE FRIENDSHIP — LOVE YA!

PRAY FOR AMERICA!!!

Your friend, fellow Patriot, and Brother in Christ,

Lanny (of Lanny and Debbie)

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