Luke 18 : 1-8
1. Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,
2. saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.
3. There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’
4. For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,
5. yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’”
6. And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said;
7. now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?
8. I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
NASB

This parable is an answer to those who have asked God something and you don’t seem to get an answer. You think God is just holding out on you; God is blessing and answering everyone else’s prayers but not mine. This can seem to be the case unless we understand prayer. Look at what Paul wrote to the Ephesians…

Ephesians 6 : 18
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
NASB

Two words I want to really focus in on- perseverance and petition. These are key components to effective prayer. Let’s define them…

perseverance

  • steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

petition

  • a formal written request made to an official person or body (as a court or board)
  • a written document signed by a large number of people demanding some form of action from a government or other authority
  • a formally drawn request, often bearing the names of a number of those making the request, that is addressed to a person or group of persons in authority or power, soliciting some favor, right, mercy, or other benefit:

I cannot stress the importance of exercising this in our prayer life. You can’t be a lawyer and not know about making a “petition” and you cannot pray effectively without “petitioning”.  Look at the third definition for petition where it states “…soliciting some favor, right, mercy, or other benefit:” If you have ever had a prayer answered it’s because you requested something God had already spoken as being a right or benefit- or because He gave you favor or mercy. A petition is a legal request to a government or authority based on rights or promises- when we pray we’re making a legal request to God based on rights…

Matthew 5 : 7
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
KJV

or benefit…

Psalm 103 : 2
Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;
KJV

Psalm 116 : 12
What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me?
KJV


Some may read this and at first think to themselves “I don’t have any rights… I’m just at God’s mercy because I am just a lowly servant who’s at His mercy.”
My reply to you would be the same as Job to His worthless friends, “What a help you are to the weak!”, he says sarcastically.

As a citizen you do have rights, why? Because that’s the way God setup His government system. Rights are for citizens and you have to understand your rights in order to have access to them. If God says in His word “blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” then you have to remind God of that in your prayers. He’s a King so if He says something it becomes law! So we pray…

“Lord, you see adversity coming against me from these individuals at work and the stress and humiliating situations I have found myself in; God I have shown mercy as my reaction to these things- I could have acted completely different in response to these events but I have remembered Your word “if I am merciful, I will obtain mercy“. So Father in Heaven I remind you of Your word and my right as a citizen- because I have shown mercy, mercy shall I obtain.”

Praise God! I’m telling you if you find yourself in need of a prayer like this and you petition God with your request in this manner, you will begin to see favor come upon you from those around you and even from those in positions of authority. God will turn their persecution into shame because you have laid claim to the right of mercy. THIS IS POWERFUL! THIS IS A TRUE PRACTICE OF FAITH!

Faith is the strength of your convictions, in the time of testing, that His word is true. That means no matter how bad things get, you believe His word and that it will prevail. If you can get understanding of this, trials will be something to weather rather than something sent to destroy you. God knows your benefits and rights… He’s the one that created them when He spoke them- He just wants you to believe His word enough, that you will remind Him of His promise and then wait for the answer.

Now back to my first scripture
Luke 18 : 1-8

1. Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,
2. saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man.
3. There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’
4. For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,
5. yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’”
6. And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said;
7. now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?
8. I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
NASB

This is an area where we overlook much of the time. We expect to pray once and see results immediately. It’s OK to pray and expect- in fact the bible encourages this- but when you don’t see results and you know you’re in line with His word in your request- you must continue to petition. Jesus gave us this example about this widow woman. He says to continue and press in on the Lord for your request. If in the parable this evil man gave in because he didn’t want to be wore out by her constant pleas- how much more will God answer your request when you continue to request of Him your petition. IT EVEN SAYS WILL HE DELAY A LONG TIME TO ANSWER HIS ELECT YOU CRY OUT DAY AND NIGHT! WOW!

BUT when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth… That’s another article for another day…

Continue to request and petition day and night unto the Lord- He will answer. Don’t give up! I could go into the Jewish culture of how a child must ask his father three times to get a yes- but I’ll leave you with this to meditate on. But BE WARNED if you request and petition something of God day and night be ready to receive it. If you’re asking for direction, an answer, for God to use you, for your purpose- He’s going to give it you- so don’t ask anything unless you’re ready to use what He gives you.

-For The Kingdom

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Deuteronomy 18:22
22. When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

I am praying for all those hurt by this mans false predictions of May 21st 2011. It came and went… but nothing happened. The bible specifically says it is NOT for man to know the time. We’ll see signs of the season, which we do, but the day and hour is not known. It will happen one day- but it’s not the end of the earth destruction that is thought of. The bible clearly says the earth shall abide forever and the meek will inherit it. God is so committed to His kingdom influencing and impacting the earth that one day He’ll renew the earth.

!ATTENTION! Quit worrying about the end of the world and instead focus on influencing the earth and making a difference for the Kingdom of Heaven! You’re a citizen and an ambassador in the earth- so do your job and impact the earth with the culture of the Kingdom of Heaven! We have become so preoccupied with leaving the earth that we’re not being effective in our calling! You don’t know when He’s returning, nor the angels- neither does the son- so get back to the kingdom!

-For The Kingdom

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Dec 282010
 

Luke 6:46
46. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
KJV

Simple verse but something God asks me every time I…

  • display fear
  • display worry
  • question Him
  • lack faith
  • forget to pray
  • neglect to read His word
  • disobey
  • display any character trait other than that of His kingdom

It hurts but we must adhere to His chastening. (By the way, chastening is another way of saying “butt whipping!”) We don’t realize what we’re doing when we disobey His word. It’s not a practice… religion practices obeying the King, but to kingdom citizens obeying the King is our culture.

Is it your culture? … or are you obeying His word on a trial basis? …until the next temptation comes? There are some things we know we would not do in front of God Himself, but we do them from time to time without much of a thought. We sometimes, with these types of slip-ups, say “I’m still struggling with this.” Struggling is a word we like to use synonymously for things we know we should not be doing but we do them anyway. It’s these kind, the simple things, that keep us from obtaining the level of depth we desire of God. It’s these small things that separate the majority of Christians from the Elijahs, Elishas, Isaiahs, Pauls…

Song of Solomon 2:15
15. Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
KJV

It’s the small foxes that keep us from the precious fruit, the best fruit…

If we’re to be an influence to those around us impacting them with our culture, the kingdom of Heaven, we must display after the manner of our Lord. We must be good stewards, representatives, ambassadors of the kingdom of God. Taking no offense of His Word lightly. That doesn’t mean we’re perfect, but we try our best to obey Him.

-For the Kingdom

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Dec 172010
 

Because of my wife I am constantly aware of how much sugar we take in in our diets. Due to this awareness I usually drink water most of the time other than my regular coffee. However I just cannot seem to resist the urge for the occasional Sunkist. I don’t know what it is about it, I just love it.

What’s funny about this is when I am opening it up I am thinking about all the sugar I am getting ready to take in, but I decide in my mind that this will be the last one for a very long time. In fact I even think to myself “I may not drink one of these ever again”. This is really easy to convince myself of because I am getting ready to enjoy the drink.

Isn’t it funny how easy it is to make a commitment NOT to do something when you’re about to DO the very thing you’re vowing against? I started thinking how easy it is for some people to say say they’re not going to go against God’s laws in a certain way again, while they’re in the act.

“After I finish this night of drinking with my friends, I’m not going to do it anymore…”

“After I finish this pack of cigarettes I’m not going to buy another…”

“Starting tomorrow I’m going to read my bible everyday…”

“Starting this January I’m going to go on a diet…”

It’s easy to make a commitment for later when you have what you’re desiring now… therefore it means nothing. Cancel that night out, throw the rest of that pack away, read the bible now, start that diet today… now that’s hard. How do you feel about discarding what you have now and starting that resolution today? A much tougher sale to make to yourself isn’t it?

Commitment can’t be forced, it is a decision that must be made. There is an old saying “Those convinced against their will, are of the same opinion still” which is still true today. All we can do is plant seeds with people and pray to the Lord of the Harvest for their germination. Sometimes it can be hard to watch those we love hurt themselves, but no matter how much we want to go up and knock some sense into them- we have to use wisdom in our communication with them.

Plant seeds, water and then let the Lord draw them to His purpose.

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Nov 162010
 

Would you go to a lawyer for legal advice who didn’t understand the difference between interpreting the “spirit of the law” and the “letter of the law”?

Would you let someone cut your hair whose experience is primarily their 4 year old child’s?

What about having a health diagnosis made by a Doctor… of Veterinary Medicine?

Of course these are all ridiculous questions- the answers are fairly obvious. The point of these questions is not to say one needs a specific education from a particular university to be chosen, but that we want those associated with a certain field of study… to have studied! We want someone who has a passion for what they believe in,  a passion for their purpose.

Most would agree with the above statements… but when it comes to being citizens of the kingdom of God, the country we associate our self with, whose King we say we follow… many times it doesn’t seem we understand God’s laws nor his word. I say this because of those who, I dare say, say Jesus is their Lord but they don’t do what He says.

Remember Lord comes from the word Adon- where we get Adonai which means Owner. So if He owns you, why do we still disobey His commandments. I’m afraid in today’s theology of many peoples we have made grace a religion. I have heard it said of those “I’m no longer under the law, I am under grace.” And this is a scripture that is wonderful to us… but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted by many and is used as a weapon against God’s laws in order to break God’s commandments. Many have set in their minds that they cannot obey God’s laws and so they live as if grace covers any sins they continue to commit and live in… because after all, their not under the law any more. Paul said “God Forbid” that we may break God’s laws just because we’ve been grace. We’ve been given grace so we can be once again in the kingdom of God, be in right positioning with the kingdom, right standing with the King because of the blood of Jesus.

Will a judge pardon someone for theft so that he can now break into as many banks as he wants to without fear of consequence? No. If he was pardoned it meant he was released from the judgment that was due for his crimes, so that he can be a part of society again. He was deserving of punishment according to the law but he was pardoned by grace given from the judge. This is what Jesus did for us.

Ask yourself this… if grace is given to cover every sin you could ever commit going forward… then what is the purpose of repentance anymore? If you are on your way to heaven no matter what you do, because of grace, what is the need for repentance?

God gave us grace, ability, to keep His laws again- Not sacrificial law, because that was the works that Paul was speaking of that cannot save, but ability to keep God’s laws- which never change.

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Nov 042010
 

Where is the discipline of His disciples? We have interpreted grace as a weapon that destroys having to be obedient to law- when actually grace came to destroy the condemnation of the law we were under and the sacrificial law of the past. Every where you look there are people who claim to belong to God but “they don’t do what He says.” Did God give us grace so that we could violate His commandments all of our lives? God forbid. It is time for His citizens to return to obedience.

Myles Munroe is currently this year teaching on “Kingdom Law for Kingdom Living” and I was deeply inspired by just the few short messages that I heard on the subject. God begin to reveal things to me in my own life that I needed to put under subjection to the King of glory. God began to open up revelation to me on the subject and show me His desire for us to walk in His ways. The result is blessings, benefits, and an abundance from Heaven being poured out because of the natural laws that are built into being obedient to His commandments… and it will overtake you.

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Nov 012010
 

A pastor of a mega church has come out and said “Being gay is not a choice.” He claims his wife has known about this secret for a long time and he is now breaking it to his kids and church.

http://freakoutnation.com/2010/10/30/megachurch-pastor-comes-out-being-gay-is-not-a-choice/

You can go to the above link to see the pastors personal views on this.

Me personally? I have no opinion on the matter because my opinion doesn’t matter. I represent the kingdom of God and if I will to remain in His kingdom, I will only reflect His values and His laws. To go against His word is to go against the word of the King. So let’s see what the king has to say about this…

Leviticus 18:22
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

KJV

Leviticus 20:13
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

KJV

Romans 1
26.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27
. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
KJV

Jude 1:7
7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

KJV

I must be obedient to God’s word and to His commandments. The kingdom of Heaven is a country with a government. Jesus is the King of that government, and the decree of a king is law. So I must adhere to His laws. See in religion you can vote and allow someone to be ordained a gay bishop… but not in the kingdom of God. You can commit adultery and be in a religion, but not in the kingdom of God. Citizens of the kingdom of God must hold to God’s word and not the compromise of man. I know this is becoming unpopular today but we’re going to have to make a choice of whom we serve. There isn’t any “wishy-washiness” in the kingdom of God.

Unfortunately there are many denominations covered under the umbrella term of “Christianity”, but there is only one “Kingdom of God”.

Let me make one more thing clear- it is horrid to label degrees of sin. There isn’t any degree- the bible says if you commit one of these you have committed them all. So if you tell… what we like to call a “white lie”, you have disobeyed God’s word. If you commit a homosexual act, you have disobeyed God’s word. If you take something that is not yours, you have disobeyed God’s word. Disobeying God’s word is an act of unrighteousness, which means to be unaligned with the kingdom, to not be in right standing, to not be in right positioning. You cut off interaction between you and the home government, Heaven. You distance yourself from the King and ultimately sever your relationship with the King and the influence of the kingdom of God in your life… no matter what commandment or law you break.

If you continue to only listen to your pastor’s point of view on any subject in the bible you will only reflect your pastor’s point of view. We must all read, study and meditate on God’s word until we understand His precepts and then can reflect the culture of the kingdom of Heaven in our own lives because… after all… culture is natural. You must know God’s word for yourself and have a relationship with God yourself. No one is a citizen of the kingdom of Heaven by association- only by divine emancipation- by acknowledging Jesus as your Lord,  Adon, Adonai, your Owner. And if He is our Lord, our Owner… then we’ll do what the King says.

Let us pray for this pastor, his congregation and our nation.

-For the Kingdom

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Oct 282010
 

Colony • a group of people sent to a new land in order to influence and impact the settlement with the culture and ways of the parent country from which it was sent and is subject to.

Are you demonstrating the ways of Heaven in your life? Can people see you and know you’re from another country?

Numbers 15:16
There is to be one law and one ordinance for you and for the alien who sojourns with you.
NASB (Emphasis Added)

What laws do we live under? The laws of God? Or do we overrule God’s laws with man’s ways.

If you’ve kept up with our video lessons, you will know we have been studying on the “purpose of prayer”. I haven’t been able to do another video yet on prayer because the Lord has really been speaking to me about obedience. Without obedience we drift into sin because we violate God’s laws and our prayers cannot be heard because of iniquity.

There is a dangerous teaching that must be addressed and only those who really want to be citizens of His kingdom will hear instruction. Jesus said “If ye love me… keep my commandments.” The question is… why are we not?

Because of grace?… ahhh but grace is misunderstood. We define grace as if it is the opposite of law.

Romans 6:15
What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
KJV

The problem lies with our misunderstanding of law. See there are two laws. There is sacrificial law which was abolished with the coming of Jesus and there is the laws of God which never change. The law said we should die because of sin but God gave us grace from the condemnation we were born under so that we could live.

Live how? If we are under grace why can we not just rob all the banks, covet our neighbors things and take what we want, commit adultery and kill anyone we don’t like? …after all we’re not under the law we’re under grace… Does that make sense? No.

Grace in the Greek comes from the word “charis” where we get “charismatic” which is ability.

So what has He given us ability to do? To walk in newness of life, to be forgiven, to become a holy vessel unto Him.

He did not give us grace so that we can… continue in sin perpetually without consequence. Where did we get this definition? A judge grants you mercy not so that you can do whatever you want, but so you can be given the ability again to fulfill the law. You cannot decide to become a legal law abiding citizen when you’re still a convict. You have to come before the judge and plead.

Thanks be to God Who gave us grace, not to make a mockery of His kingdom, but to be out from under the law, the judgment we deserved, in order to be able to continue in His grace forgiven for the old and being obedient to His commandments.

I have a video I will be shooting this week and will have it online shortly afterward. I pray His knowledge will bring revelation to your spirit and awaken His purpose in you. The Lord is calling His people to return to Him, to return to His ways, His laws, His commandments and experience the full weight of His kingdom in our lives.

-For the Kingdom

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Aug 242010
 

Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
KJV

We must be careful what to call things in life. What we call something determines how we respond to it. When an emergency vehicle comes down the street, we move over in our cars and let them through, why? Because we know there is an emergency, whether a fire or a medical emergency, and they are trying to get to the scene in order to help- so we call those vehicles emergency vehicles. We respond to them because of what we know them as and we move so they can get through. We don’t do this for any other car.

Depending on the person and the need, cotton may be responded to differently. For one person, their mind being on designing, they may make clothing out of it. For another person, their mind being on mechanical work, they may grab it and think “shop towel”.

We must be careful in what we call things in life, because it determines outcome. If the doctor says “You are sick and you’ll be dead in six months.” If we make ready our will, tell everyone goodbye, get comfortable in a place to pass away, and give up fighting all together- then they’ll die. Their mind has determined this is the end. But if that person fires up and says “I shall not die!” and they start making future plans, pray unto God claiming His word for healing, exercising, and believing this is not the end- then they have activated their faith and they will live! They have chose to believe God’s word more than the doctor’s report.

Let’s look at Jesus and what He did. Lazarus was sick unto death, they said, and they sent word to Jesus. Jesus’ reply, “This sickness is not unto death.” Then Lazarus died and they sent word to Jesus. Jesus responds, “He is not dead, but asleep.” See if He called it death then that’s the end, but if he’s only asleep then all you have to do is wake him up. The disciples didn’t understand and so He told them “Lazarus is dead.” But He did this to teach us something. What we call a thing determines how we respond to it. So you know the rest of the story. Another time Jesus did the same thing with a young girl. He goes into the house and says “She’s not dead but only sleeping, child arise.” THIS IS POWERFUL!

Our mentality has to change about our situations. Another good example is in the beginning when God created the earth. The bible says the earth was dark and without form. You don’t see God say “Man, it’s so dark…” He just spoke what He desired of the situation, “Let there be light.”

As a man thinketh in his heart so is he. So when your boss or co-workers come against you at work, your normal reaction may be “Oh no, trouble!” But stop this cycle there! Remind yourself of who you are! Say this and claim it…

I am not from this place, but was placed in this place for a purpose! My Father in heaven sent me to do a work and has called me according to His purpose. No weapon formed against me can prosper. I was made in the image of my Creator and given power and dominion over the earth in His like manner over all creation. I am never alone and He always hears me, because I am His child and a citizen of His kingdom. The kingdom is in me and is never desolate of ideas, never bankrupt, never breached. I overcome every obstacle put before me, because my God can never let me be destroyed, for His namesake. Nothing is trouble unto me, but rather and opportunity. Every trial is an opportunity for my increase. Every battle has been allowed by God for my growth and my strengthening in Him. I will not fear for I trust in my deliverer, my shield, my buckler, the LORD! He is the Owner over all the earth! I will praise His name in the midst of any circumstance because through Him, I am guaranteed to win!

Now believe that and walk in it!

For The Kingdom!

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Jul 312010
 

Luke 11:3
Give us day by day our daily bread.

KJV

Alright I had to do some research on this part for a few days so this one took a little longer to gather everything on.

Bread is such an important thing in Jewish culture. This word can mean so many things- hence why we have used it in modern terminology for many things. Someone comes up to you and says “Throw me some bread man.” What are they talking about? Money! That’s why we also use the term “bread winner” which is the one who brings home most of the money.

But in the Lord’s prayer the word bread is referring to more than just food, dough, or money. It is sustenance. It’s what you need to sustain for that day. So when you pray for “our daily bread” you are praying for everything you need to sustain for that days needs. Everything that you need to suffice for the work the kingdom must do on earth.

In the Jewish culture bread is everything that you need to make bread. To make bread you need soil, water, grain, sun, nutrients, care, yeast, dough, hands, work, spices, heat, time… anything I’m forgetting you cooks out there?

You’re not just praying for bread- but for everything that you need to get the bread. This is an important part of the Lord’s prayer. All this time you thought you were praying for food. Noooo… we don’t even have to pray for food- Jesus taught us that the Father knows what we have need of… We’re praying for everything that day has need of to sustain for that days needs. Lord- give us our daily bread: opportunity, courage, strength, ability, skill, knowledge, wisdom, path, ideas, words, doors, patience, mercy, grace, guidance, necessities, friends, answers, results… for today!

Now once you pray for daily bread… expect it! Expect to receive it! Did you know that if you’re His people- you have a right to it? God made it that way for you! He taught us to pray this way because He wants you to ask Him for it! He was teaching us that it is something that is natural in the kingdom of God! It’s not a miracle to have your needs met! It’s natural in the kingdom of God to have your needs met- you just have to make sure you’re in His kingdom. His kingdom is naturally, supernatural. That’s why it wasn’t a big deal for Jesus to walk on the water, or to multiply the loaves and the fish, or to heal the sick, or to open blinded eyes. Are these miracles?… well yes! Of course they were! But Jesus was trying to show us something more important. That’s why you don’t see Jesus with the disciples afterward saying “Did you see that miracle? Did you see what I did? Wasn’t that awesome?” No, Jesus would calm the entire sea, then turn to the disciples and say “Oh ye of little faith?” He wanted us to look beyond the act and understand the way. He was teaching us that the kingdom of God brings these things… it’s normal in the kingdom.

Where we fight for gold and pearls and precious metals down here… Heaven is built with these things. Can you imagine if our highways were built out of gold? We build our highways with asphalt or cement- because gold is too precious. But in the kingdom, there is so much surplus, they build the streets out of gold! We struggle until we understand Who our Father is and His will for his children. He has surplus… so you know He has your needs. It’s normal in the kingdom to have everything you need… you just have to ask.

Give us Lord our daily bread.

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