F4S: Ever heard or tweaked in prayer.. the original "serenity prayer"?

Sunday, March 28, 2021

Ever heard or tweaked in prayer.. the original "serenity prayer"?

So many issues in the USA today for us to address. Believers can be change agents by faith. I want to be, to pray and to act practical so that others can be helped. Let's leave this world better off than how we found it. Why not, we're better off.. not better than.. just better off. Practical living starts on two knees for us, as we rely on God to use us in making things better. We can glorify the Lord by being his reps here.   
I've run into some wonderful people and more than one group that prays the "Serenity prayer" like daily. Yes, some in every meeting they hold. It's interesting to look at the wording, but have you ever see the original prayer? 
"God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did,

This sinful world as it is,

Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right,

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,

And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen." ~ Herr Reinhold Neibuhr, Friedrich Oetinger, Boethius in 500 AD

Praying in Jesus' name.. I personally like to verbally tweak this prayer. Yes, to personalize it, to customize all of such prayers on occasion ..according to the word and my/our own needs at the time.. and you can too if you like. A personal vertical relationship allows for us to personalize. 

There are so many issues to consider on our prayer lists. Like what? 
When our borders open for the diseased and infected before our schools do for healthy kids.. you'll know you obeyed only to have been played. 
Hiking, hiking, hiking, hiking, hiking, hikin’ north.  We get it.  I enjoy hiking to a much better destination where wonderful people reside.. even if the Land is temporarily led by foolish leaders.
If America is such a horrible, racist country as the Liberals and their media want you to believe, then why are there more and more caravans of immigrants hiking  over thousands of miles just to get in?
Some things remain simply out of our control, but we can control our own thinkin’, attitudes and behavior and witness well to many people. One by one or won to more than one. Yep, God can use us to win these strangers headed our way. That are now in my town.  

"The Lord is fair in everything He does and full of kindness." Psalm 145:17

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!” Lamentations 3:22,23

“Wise people keep what they know to themselves, but fools can’t keep from showing how foolish they are.” Proverbs 12:23

America has what’s like a petrified stump as president now, with a pliable and totally corrupt press willing to go along with the charade to continue to dupe the people (personal opinion for whatever that's worth). Factoids...

 2017 — “Kids were in cages at the border!” 

 2018 — “Kids in cages!” 

 2019 — “Kids in cages!” 

 2020 — “Kids in cages!” 

 2021 “To be clear, while technically minors, what we’re talking about here are mostly 16- and 17-year olds, most of them males. These aren’t young children.”

Bottomline.. sin has consequences, yep. repercussions. This is an invasion, not good for any here or for those incoming. Is completely foolish. Sadly, it’s DC against the American people. Everything going wrong in America (including in families) today is due to people’s sin. Everything whack policywise in the USA is the Uniparty (GOP Rinos with the Democrats) fault. Yep, Joe Biden and his party’s fault. Lord, help our nation. 

Musing on this today: 40,000 people are on the rolls as members in my local church in Plano -- makes one wonder. Billy Graham estimated that 70% of all churchgoers are spiritually lost. Going to a healthy church is important but knowing the Lord is far better. It's imperative, Bucheroo. 
Q. Did you know what hypocrite means.. to wear a mask. : ) 
Religion is external, judgemental, hypocritical, legalistic, temporal, and all about works and fakeness and death, but the Gospel is internal, life giving, just, eternal and real. Jesus is alive, honest, and just.
"..the restoration of the church will surely come only from a new type of monasticism which has nothing in common with the old, but a complete lack of compromise in a life lived in accordance with the Sermon on the Mount in the discipleship of Christ.  I think it is time to gather people together to do this..'" ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer (martyred during the '40s for taking a stand for Christ)
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness! Lamentations 3:22, 23

"There is a conflict from time to time with science and scriptural teaching. But I don't think there's a conflict as it relates to vaccines. Jesus would endorse vaccines. Based on the parable of the Good Samaritan in the Bible, I would have to say — yes, I think Jesus Christ would advocate for people using vaccines and medicines to treat suffering and save lives. Vaccines have worked for polio, smallpox, measles, the flu and so many other deadly illnesses — why not for this virus?” ~ Franklin Graham

You and I have a part to play here. You and I don't want to go beyond God's word and will for each of us. We really don't want to live outside of God's word and will, believer. In 1 Corinthians 4:6, the Apostle Paul uses metaphors and images saying: “..that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written..” What? 
Well, when Paul talks about what “is written,” he is invariably referring to the writings that are 100% true. What's going to become part of your Bible. Yes, he's referring to the truth of ScriptureSo considering the world's issues locally or nationally, what's kind of an example of how I might get spontaneous with Herr Reinhold Neibuhr's prayer today? 
- Dear God, please give me Your strong GRACE, ANOINTING, and DUNAMIS POWER with godly WISDOM to simply accept the things that I CANNOT CHANGE. Yes, so that I can learn from You, and really KNOW what You want AND DO NOT WANT me involved with doing here, or WOULD NOT HAVE ME EVEN TRYING TO CHANGE on my own by my limited power here. Refill me with Your Spirit. My world seems to be getting more messed up each year. And I can't witness well, or live this Christian life by my own power. Who among us can?

- God, please give me Your strong grace, fresh anointing, peace, dunamis-Power, great wisdom and courage TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN CHANGE right here in your will. I mean, the things that You do want me involved with.. involved in wisely changing for your glory. People need solutions and You are the Ultimate Solution for us all. Lord, help me live this way each day. Right in the middle of Your will, not going beyond even one step outside Your plan. Help me to know in my knower the small and big steps to take, even all the specifics in Your will for me. Jesus, help me find and do the work and ministry that you have planned for me to take part in. Be glorified. Help me see the good opportunities that You place before me.

- God, in Jesus' Name please give me Your strong grace today, Your dunamis-power, discernment, clear understanding, insight, and wisdom to know the difference of what I need to take on.. to change.. or just need to completely leave alone.. so that I can walk in the will of God pleasing You.. yes, real close with You.