Psalms 85:4-7 – “Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your anger toward us to cease. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations? Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation.” I believe we have reached a place in our culture where we need to pray, “Show us Your mercy, Lord, and grant us Your salvation.” We have been in a season of warfare. The enemy has attacked our bodies, our minds, our finances, our emotions, and our families. The Apostle Paul writes concerning this warfare in Ephesians 6:10-13 says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the dark...
In the city of Chicago one cold night many years ago, a blizzard was blowing in. Young Tom was on the corner trying to sell newspapers. It was so cold, the people were hurrying past him to their warm, cozy homes, so he was not selling very many. After a while Tom went up to a policeman and said, “Mister, you wouldn’t happen to know where a boy who doesn’t have a home could find a warm place to sleep tonight, would you? I sleep in a box around the corner in the alley, and it sure does get cold in there at night! Be nice to have a warm place to sleep tonight!” The policeman looked down at the boy and said, “Son, you go down the street to that big white house and knock on the door, and when they answer, say ‘ John 3:16 .’ ” So that’s what Tom did; he walked down the street to the big white house and knocked on the door. Finally, a lady answered, and when she did, Tom said, “ John 3:16 ,” and she said, “Come on in, son.” She took him inside and led him to a war...