“Praying For Israel”
Anyone who knows me well can tell you I am a very patriotic American citizen and that I love my country. I love to place my right hand over my heart and say the Pledge of Allegiance to our American flag and to sing the National Anthem, all while standing. When I do these things my heart swells with pride and thanksgiving for the wonderful country in which God has allowed me to live. I thank God and all of our veterans and servicemen and women now serving for all the freedoms we enjoy.
However, I must say that there is another nation I thank God for and love equally as well, and that is the little nation of Israel. Our own country, America, has been mightily blessed by God, but I believe she is in trouble and needs our prayers. I fear we, as a nation, have forgotten the God of Heaven Who made us great and blessed us so much.
The Bible tells us, however, that we should pray for the nation of Israel, also. The question may come to mind, “Why should we pray for Israel?” There are many people, I realize, who are critical of Israel and, sad to say, many of these are professing Christians. There is a lot of anti-Semitism, and the extent of it in America has astounded us in recent months. Nevertheless, I for one love the Jewish people.
The Bible says in Psalm 122:6, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love thee.” This Scripture gives us a command and a promise which is one of the greatest reasons we should pray for them. While this is a command for the Christian, it is a promise of prosperity to those who love Israel.
Israel is a relatively small country about the size of the state of New Jersey. It is a nation that has, is and shall be persecuted, and today it would be destroyed if not for God. Therefore, it stands in need of our love, support and prayers.
God made Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, this promise in Genesis 12:2-3, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curseth thee: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. God has already declared the doom of those who hate His people.
There are four Biblical reasons for loving and praying for this small but great nation that I want us to consider in addition to the obvious command. First, Israel gave us a miracle birth. It is such a blessing to realize that little Baby Who was born in a manger in Bethlehem was Christ, the virgin-born Son of God. A virgin woman named Mary from Israel gave birth to the Savior of the world (Luke1:34-35).
Matthew 1:23 gives us a second reason we should love, support and pray for Israel. They gave us a marvelous book, the Bible, which tells us about God, His love for us and that He would send us a Savior. The Apostle Paul informed us that the law was given as a teacher (school master) to bring us Christ (Galatians 3:24).
A third reason is because of magnificent blood. The blood that flowed through that Jewish Baby was not human, but it was divine and has the power to cleanse our sin (I Peter 1:18). A final reason is because Israel gave us a mighty blessing. God has blessed us greatly because He has given us salvation through Israel in the person of His Son, Jesus (Genesis 12:3). He has blessed our nation for its stand for Israel as promised (Psalm 122:6).
Pray for the peace of Israel. How they need it today!
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Randy Zinn is pastor of Russell Missionary Baptist Church, Russell, Ark., formerly of Okmulgee.
Cornerstone Foursquare Church
Follow Cornerstone on Instagram at CornerstoneOkmulgee and Twitter at @CornerstoneOK, and stream its services live on Facebook at 10:30 a.m. Sundays and 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Doors open at 10 a.m. Sundays with Café Hope with passionate worship starting at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays are Navigating Finances God’s Way, which begins at 6 p.m.
For information, call 918-756-4787 or text 918-815-2430. Visit us online at www.okmulgeefoursquare.org.
#followme #GodsWay #storiesofhope #forokmulgee #hopeishere #hurting #tears #anxiety #depression #healingfortoday
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Second Baptist Church
We at Second Baptist Church invite you to join us as we celebrate the risen Savior each Sunday morning! We begin Sunday School with small groups for Bible Study at 9:30 a.m. with a class for every age. Our morning worship service follows at 10:45 a.m.
The adults meet at 4:30 p.m. Sunday evenings in Fellowship Hall and the youth meet in the Youth Room.
On Wednesdays, children and youth activities begin with a meal at 5:30 p.m. and classes begin at 6 p.m. Our adult Bible Study begins at 6:30 p.m.
Coming up in the month of April:
- April 19-20 – Women’s Retreat @ Falls Creek
- April 21 – Youth to Tulsa & Children’s Dept. Lunch/Kite Flying
- April 26-27 – Men’s Retreat @ Falls Creek
- April 27 – Men’s Ministry Breakfast
Visit the Okmulgee Second Baptist Church Facebook page for more information and activities.
Second Baptist Church is located at 1003 N.Alabama Ave. in Okmulgee. If you need to contact the church office for more information, please call 918-756-6027. The phone is answered Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If there is no answer, please leave a message. If you need assistance in the church office, please call the church phone as we do not have regular office hours. We hope to see you this week at Second Baptist Church, where “God’s Love Comes First.”
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Trinity Lutheran Church, Okmulgee
This Sunday, April 21st, 2024, is The Fourth Sunday of Easter. The readings for this Sunday are from Acts 4:1–12, 1 John 3:16–24, and John 10:11–18
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Lays Down His Life for the Sheep
The Lord Jesus is “the good shepherd” who “lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). His life is not taken from Him, but He lays it down willingly, of His own accord, because He knows and loves the sheep. As the One sent by the Father, He has the “authority to lay it down” and the “authority to take it up again” (John 10:18). So has He done, and now He continues to love and serve as the Good Shepherd of the sheep by the voice of His Gospel. He thus calls all people into the fold of His Church, so that there may be “one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16). That is why the apostles “were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead” (Acts 4:2). Since “there is salvation in no one else,” His voice rings out to this day through the preaching of His name, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). His voice comforts our hearts against all condemnation and gives us courage to “love one another” and “to lay down our lives for the brothers,” as He laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16, 23).
Pastor: Rev Richard Dailey
Elder: Jeff Schmeder
Lector: David Helliker
Activities for this Sunday:
Sunday School – 9:30 a.m.
Divine Service – 10:45AM
Trinity Lutheran Church is located at 1314 E. 6th in Okmulgee. Our office phone number is 918-756-6046 and the office hours are 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 1-5 p.m. on Friday.
First United Methodist Church – Okmulgee
8th & Seminole Streets
www.fumcokmulgee.org
Join us this coming Sunday morning! Sunday School for all ages begins at 9:30 a.m. Our combined Traditional/Contemporary Worship service begins at 10:50 a.m.
Opportunities of the Week
Sunday, April 21st
9:30 a.m. Sunday School
10:50 a.m. Worship Service/Children’s Church
Wednesday, April 24th
10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Food Pantry
5:30 p.m. UMM Dinner
7 p.m. Chancel Choir
Thursday, April 25th
10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Food Pantry
Upcoming event- May 3rd and 4th the church will be having a rummage sale.
Food pantry update: As of April 3rd, requirements to get food assistance for existing and new clients will be the following: UP to Date ID, Proof of Address– Examples are a utility bill, credit card bill, cell phone bill, bank statement, rental or mortgage contract/statement, Your car’s registration, etc.
