You can stay in touch with the Brays and our CIS Missionary members by signing up for the daily “Fetch A Prayer” or by following us on our personal blogs and Face Book pages. For information, please call Bill Bray personally at 434-227-0811 or send an email to bray.william@gmail.com.

If you live in Charlottesville, join us on Tuesday nights at the Downtown Prayer Room (DPR) to Pray for All Nations from 7:30 to 9 PM. (The DPR is located opposite the police headquarters on Market Street.)

God Wants Us Fit: Ready to Serve

By Bill Bray

Some of us are acting out lives that look a bit like dirty chamber pots. That’s why I believe the Lord has sent this current economic judgment upon the United States. He wants to use us, but our lives are so disgusting that he can’t!

“Why have your forsaken us?” we cry out in our pain. “When are you going to answer our prayers and deliver us?” I’ve never seen as many depressed, whining Christians since the judgment began on President Obama and the United States last summer.

Even before the elections were held – under the rule of former President Bush – the judgment had begun. Yet people still boasted and laughed in God’s face.

I notice that not as many Americans are boasting now, especially Christians.

Instead of complaining, we believers should be thanking God that the Lord is actually going easy on us! Praise the Lord that we are not getting the “punishment judgment” we really deserve. Our current little trials have been sent from heaven to shake us up, to correct us and help us “clean up our acts” so that the Lord can use us as he wants.

It is a good sign that God hasn’t destroyed our country yet, he is still giving us time to repent and change our ways.

In II Timothy 2:20, Paul says that in a great house like our Lord’s there are many vessels – some to honor and some to dishonor – but all have a legitimate use. Only provided they are cleaned up and ready when the master needs them.

You may be a fine serving platter or a chamber pot, but no matter what, you are useless if your rebellion and sin makes you filthy in His sight.

We are responsible to keep our vessels clean. Read about it in verses 22-23. That’s one of the reasons the Lord is chastening us as individuals, as churches and as a country. If we will turn from our sin, the Lord will heal us personally and heal our land. That’s the message God is giving to us in this, the dog days of summer 2009.