A Prayer for the Church: Let the Peace of Christ Rule
Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
As we anticipate the remembrance of Christ’s death and resurrection, it’s a time many often give something up to remind them of all Christ gave on our behalf. But instead of ‘going without’ why don’t we commit to praying for the Body of Believers, we who daily represent Christ to this world, those with whom we are joined as The Church and The Bride. We should pray, too, for our sons and daughters as they are members of the Body (or if they are not, they would be drawn to know Christ).
Dark days are ahead…in fact they are here and walking faithfully requires us to be intentional. Let’s immerse ourselves in Scripture that reminds us of who we are in Christ and how we are called to live as His church.
Let's commit to pray in the weeks building to Resurrection Day that God would move and work in His Church so that we would stand strong against the enemy and would uphold one another to remain faithful. Will you commit to pray too?
Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
The phrase "Let rule" is the word “brabeuo” in Greek and it means to arbitrate or umpire, to govern.
A question for prayer and meditation:
What are we allowing to rule in our hearts and govern our thoughts and responses?
Our Prayer point:
Pray that the Church would allow the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts individually and collectively and pray the world would see this extraordinary peace and be drawn to Christ.
Pray without ceasing
Psalm 145: 17-21
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.
Lord, You are righteous, yet You love us, sinners condemned by our sin. It’s an example for us, who follow You, that we too can love others even if they don’t know You or follow You. They are image bearers and as such, we need to love them- how will they know? How can they see the love of God if we’re not willing to live it out in front of them?. Help us, Lord. Help us to love those who are ‘different’ than we, who do and say things we don’t like or approve of. Help us to know that by loving them, we’re not condoning what they do. By loving us, Lord, You are not condoning our sin, but You love us in spite of our sin. Your kindness leads us to repentance. Father, I pray that (name) would learn how to be loving to others and by loving them, show the power of God and the change it can bring in a heart and life.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Father, You affirm that You are near to all who call on You, convinced without a doubt, that You will hear and answer. They trust and know that You are not indifferent or disconnected. You are faithfully present and supporting us even before we ask. I pray that (name) would believe without waffling or wavering that You are faithful and True and when (name) calls on You, You will answer and be near. I pray that (name) would understand Your trustworthiness and see Your faithful steadfast Presence in each day and night, in each joyful moment and dark season. Lord, You ARE near to all who call on You in truth. Thank You.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
Just as we heard the cries of our children an ran to help them, You hear our cries. You save us, Lord, even when it seems like there is no way out, You make a way. “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.” (Ps 107:6-7) Lord, I pray that (name)’s heart desire would be refuge in the shadow of Your wings and a place in Your house that is their own, a belonging, a provision and a dwelling in Your Presence. Lord, lead them to a city of refuge because they fear You. Let (name) cry out to You today Lord. Direct their eyes, their heart and their plea to Your throne room where You hear and answer abundantly. Fulfill (name)’s desires in a way that brings glory and honor to Your name and that draws them nearer to You. Hear their cry and save them, Abba Father.
20 The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
Thank you, Lord, for Your watchful care. As a parent, our eyes were always watching for danger and seeking to protect them. But now that (name) is an adult, I can’t do that any more. I have to trust…I have to trust You that You will watch over and protect (name) so much better than I ever could. I pray that (name) would love You. Stir a deep desire in (name)’s heart and mind to run after You with all they have and are. Help them to see this world is temporary and the titles and promotions, the gadgets and trappings will all rot. But their heart…oh their heart is the most valuable thing they have and they need to ensure that it’s properly and rightfully invested. Please, Lord, let them invest themselves in Your kingdom. Let them surrender all they are and have to You. Don’t let them be counted among the wicked. Oh how we love them, but Lord, we know, unless they surrender to You and are counted as Your child, Your saint, Your beloved, unless that is their identity, they are among the wicked. Lord, it hurts our hearts to think that. Show us fruit, Lord! Watch over (name) and guide their steps so they remain faithful to You. If (name) doesn’t know You as their Lord and Savior, I pray that even today You would bring another believer into their life who would speak truth and share the life-giving hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lord, I pray that (name) would confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord (Rom. 10:9). Lord, watch over (name) today and do a work in their life. I believe. I know You can and will. Bring fruit, Lord.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Oh, how I love You Lord! My mouth is filled with Your praise. My heart is overwhelmed by Your goodness and I want to share that joyful praise with others. I want to know that (name) is filled with joyful praise for You. May it overflow and cause them to wonder and be amazed at how praising You brings contentment, fulfillment and joy. Lord, to know that every creature will praise Your holy name is humbling. Today give me moments to sit outside or gaze out the window at Your creation and ponder what the praise of creation for You might look like When the trees sway in the breeze, are they praising You? When the birds sing, are they proclaiming Your greatness? We can’t know, but Lord, Your Word tells us that if we don’t praise You, even the very rocks would cry out in praise of You. (Luke 19:40). Creation knows its Creator. Help us to know You more and more and to live in a way that reflects that knowledge to others.. May the generations of my family praise You and carry on a commitment to follow after You for all their days, no matter what may come. May our lives exhibit praise for Your holy name, always and through eternity. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Pray without ceasing
Grace and Peace
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
(1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philemon 1:3)
Grace and peace. Charis and eirene. Two Greek words that have a lot of impact in the New Testament. Two words that, at face value, seem pretty simple and easily understood. Yet, we’re going to see when we really dig into them, there is significant spiritual depth to each and, when spoken together, they become a powerful blessing that we’ll want to pray over our sons and daughters daily.
The greeting and prayer of grace and peace were so important that the Apostle Paul began most of his letters with this blessing (note all of the references above!) What is it that Paul wanted to draw his readers’ attention to before anything else? What is it he wanted them to understand?
First the word grace, or “Charis” in the Greek, is a word that both ‘is’ and ‘does’. It has ‘presence’ and ‘performance’ It represents more than what a five letter word might imply. The word ‘grace’ means “that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech” 1
Think about that for a moment. The presence of grace in our life is what affords us joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm and loveliness. Without grace we would be fairly miserable, no? Friends, if we just stopped here and prayed this over our sons and daughters we would have a powerful day of prayer. But there’s more!
Grace performs powerfully in us because it is what God employs to draw us to salvation and to transform our life to become like Jesus. Grace is “the merciful kindness by which God, exerting His holy influence upon souls, grace turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of Christian virtues.” 1
Grace. It’s a lot to unpack, isn’t it? So much richness right there and surely something we should ponder daily. Now it makes a bit more sense as to why Paul would begin each letter with blessings of Grace and Peace to all of the believers. But grace always comes first. Why? Because without God’s grace, one can never know and understand God’s peace.
And what is peace? The Greek word is ‘eirene’ and it means “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot.” 2
Another ‘wow’ moment, eh? When we’ve experienced God’s powerful grace in salvation and edification, why would we fear? What is there to fear? God has sovereignty over it all and we are His child! We can rest secure, knowing that we have eternal security in Christ, we have a promised inheritance and the gift of the Holy Spirit to speak into our lives, guide our steps and guard our hearts. Sin will have no power over us and death is swallowed in victory. We are chosen and dearly loved, kept by the Father.
Grace and peace. More than just two words. More than 10 simple letters. Grace and peace are powerful messages of salvation, hope and assurance. Today, let’s pray boldly that our sons and daughters would know God’s grace and peace in abundant ways.
“Father, may Your great grace bring a convicting recognition of the magnitude of our sin and of the even greater power of Your mercy toward us. May it drive us to deep repentance and a full restoration of fellowship with You, Lord, and with others. May Your grace be ever before us, reminding us of Your rich forgiveness and of Your calling on our lives (Eph. 1:4-6) May Your ever-present grace fill us and assure us that we are Your own, bought with a price and redeemed for a purpose, planned long before You ever breathed life into us (Eph 2:10). Let your grace in our lives be evident to others and draw them, too, to so great a salvation (2 Cor. 4:15, Eph. 1:7).”
“Lord, as we rest in and are consumed by Your grace, fill us with Your peace- an assured confidence that our life and eternity are hidden and secure in Jesus (Col. 3:3). You are my salvation and stronghold- I have nothing to fear (Ps. 27:1) Help me to always present my requests to You, thankful that I can call upon You for anything, and assured that the peace You give is abundant and perfectly measured and able to surpass anything in this world or in any realm beyond.”
“Father, without Your grace, we would not know Your peace. I pray that (name) would know and embrace both Your grace and peace. Help (name) to walk faithfully because they are sanctified and called to be holy (1 Cor. 1:2). Keep (name) strong to the end so they will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:8). In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”
Take some time this week to meditate on the truths of grace and peace. Don’t just make it a short visit, but plan an extended stay. Pray on the richness of these words and all they represent for the believer and the hope we have. Make this week a week of prayer for grace and peace in the lives of those you love.
Pray without ceasing.
G5485 - charis - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5485/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G1515 - eirēnē - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1515/niv/mgnt/0-1/
Fear Nurtures a Traitorous Heart
Matthew 14:22-33 “Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.””
We’ve all likely felt the emotion- that ‘hair-standing-up-sending-tingles-through-your-body’ imminent danger of fear.
But what causes fear? According to dictionary.com fear is “a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid” 1
We fear when we encounter something greater than we are that has the power to cause pain, shatter our peace or destroy us. We fear when something is out of our control. Fear sets in when others in the situation or the elements surrounding us exceed our perceived ability to manage and maintain our preferences and comfort. It’s a response to lack of control.
Fear seems to be an ever-present part of parenthood. When they’re little we fear that they’ll stop breathing, or choke on food, or run into the street or get sick or… the list goes on. As they grow, we fear them driving cars, the other drivers, the ‘creepers’ who are out there, the temptations…that list goes on, too. Now that they’re adults, the fears remain, they just change location and direction and intensity.
As parents, we can quickly descend into fear. And when we do, we become like Peter in Matthew 14:22-33 when Jesus invited him to step out and walk on the water. At first, Peter eagerly obeyed and began walking toward Jesus. But then the reality of his surroundings, the deep water, the distance from the boat, the gravity-both figurative and literal- grabbed his attention. He took his eyes off of Jesus and focused on everything around him that could threaten and harm him. Fear stepped between Peter and Jesus…and he began to sink. He permitted fear to gain power over him. He allowed the situation to dictate his response rather than the Savior who controlled the situation.
When we look around at this world, it’s not hard to feel that fear welling up inside of us. We want to protect our kids, and that’s understandable. But we can easily cripple our heart and mind with fear if we dwell on all the ‘what ifs’. But, friends, living in the ‘what ifs’ is a form of fortune-telling, isn’t it? It’s imagining and expecting outcomes over which we have no control and allowing those expectations or fears to consume and control us. We believe in the ‘what-if’s more than we believe in our Savior. We stop trusting in the sovereignty of God and His mighty power.
If we live in fear, that’s an indication that a portion of our heart and mind are not surrendered to Christ. It tells us that we don’t fully trust the Lord. An anxious heart weighs a man down (Prov. 12:25). That word ‘anxious’ means fear, being afraid. When we’re afraid, our thoughts are not consumed with God, but with whatever is threatening. When we fear, we’re effectively saying “God, I don’t trust that You can defeat this”. An anxious heart is a traitorous heart.
Here’s the incredible truth, if we are in Christ, the very power that worked in Him to raise Him from the dead is the same power that works in us.
Ephesians 1:18-20 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,”
God has no equal. There is nothing that can put Him in danger, threaten His power or position, or overcome Him with evil. He overcame evil when Jesus died on the cross for sin, descended into the depths to take the keys of death and Hades and ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. No other has that resume. No other has the power to do that.
Friends…we have nothing to fear! 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (KJV) If we are found in Christ, we are held safe in the shadow of His wing. We are held secure in the refuge of His presence. We are surrounded by the strength of His power and might. We are victorious in His record of victory!
Our fear is a tool of the enemy to get our eyes off of Jesus and onto our troubles. Fear is a poison that infects us quickly and renders us ineffective. Let’s purpose to not give in to fear but to stand firm in our trust of our Savior.
Let’s pray today that fear ceases to be a part of our parenting and that, instead, we live with confidence and joy and we exhibit an example that our sons and daughters should follow.
“Father, I pray that today You will eclipse any fear that wants to settle in my heart and mind. Help me to focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable (Phil. 4:8). Lord, You are Sovereign. You are Almighty. You have no equal and there is nothing and no one who can challenge or overthrow You. Lord, help me to remember that. When fear threatens to creep in and steal my peace and joy, I pray that You would take my face and direct my eyes to You. Lord, I pray that I would not live in fear and that I would not allow it to take root in my heart and mind. It’s a poor example for my sons and daughters. If I live in fear, I essentially demonstrate that I don’t trust You to do what You promise. Forgive me for my fear, for my mistrust, for my wavering faith.”
“I pray that You would help (name) to trust You fully and rest in Your safe-keeping. Don’t allow fear to distract (name) from following You with their whole heart and mind and strength. Don’t let them cave to the taunts of the enemy who tries to get their attention and steal their peace. I know fear is a tool of the enemy, so I pray that you would empty his toolbox and render him powerless. I pray that (name) would look to You for strength and that You would fill (name) with confidence in Your Sovereignty and Power. That same power that worked in Jesus to raise Him from the dead is the power that works in us. Lord, help us to live in that power today. Give us victory over fear. We are Your children and we know You are our Perfect Father who will always protect and watch over us. Help us to rest in that today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Why not share this today with someone who struggles with anxiety and fear? Let’s encourage one another in our walk with Jesus.
Pray without ceasing.
Dictionary.com. Fear definition & meaning. Dictionary.com. Retrieved from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/fear
Pray It Again
It’s always good to pray. It’s beneficial to bring things to the Lord again and again. He never tires of hearing us call on His name and talk with Him in prayerful fellowship. He knows what weighs on our hearts, but He wants to hear us share it with Him, trusting in His provision, intervention and Sovereign authority. Let’s pray through these prayer points one more time:
Pray that our sons and daughters see God’s work all around them today. Let’s pray they can and will testify to others about the Presence and Power of their Mighty God.
Pray that our sons and daughters would have perspective and peace despite the uncertainty of world leaders and fragility of peace.. Rather than being alarmed at what they see happening in the world, pray that they have confidence in our Mighty God and look forward to the day when He will reign forever, unchallenged on David’s throne. Pray that they long for God’s justice and righteousness over the temporary solutions offered by human leaders.
Pray that sons and daughters would realize that God requires their full attention and allegiance. Pray that they would look up, not around. Pray that they would not be distracted by all the ‘glitter’ of the season but would be committed to the Reason, Jesus.
Pray that our sons and daughters know, without a doubt, that their Mighty Warrior is rejoicing over them with singing, protecting and caring for them. Pray they have hope because of Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection. Pray for those who have faced loss this year, that they would find hope and comfort in Jesus.
Pray that our sons and daughters would know, without a doubt, that their worth, purpose and meaning are found in Jesus Christ, their Lord and Savior, and their relationship with Him.. Let’s pray they are not ‘performance driven’ but soul-stirred by the Holy Spirit to run after God with all they have and all they are.
Pray without ceasing.
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime,
A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men."
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (public domain)
You Guide Me with Your Counsel
Psalm 73:23-26 “Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.”
Healthy people typically don’t feel the need for a counselor. It’s those who are feeling like they’re falling apart, that something isn’t right and they can’t fix it on their own. When things are going badly and life seems to be spiraling out of control, we long for someone who will listen to us and tell us it will get better. Yet, it’s then, too, that we most often feel quite alone.
We all have times when we struggle with our emotions and need someone to help us find our footing and ensure that we remain grounded. When we are faced with a dilemma we want objective guidance that is wise. And if we’re suffering loss or trauma, we need someone to come alongside us, hold us up, tell us the pain won’t always be this intense. We want someone to give us glimmers of hope in our shattered world . It is in those times we desperately want someone to hear us, affirm us and give solid, comforting advice. We long for a counselor who will fulfill all those things.
Jesus is that Wonderful Counselor who is always with us. Always. He is that strong Presence we can cling to when we’re struggling. Psalm 73 says “you hold me by my right hand”… In ancient times, the right hand was the symbol of power, control and authority. So, think about it… if God holds us by our right hand, who is in control? What is God saying by coming alongside us like that? He’s saying, “trust me, hold onto me, I’ve got this and I’ve got you- you don’t need to do this alone and you don’t need to figure it out.”
Then, Psalm 73 says “you guide me with your counsel and afterward you take me into glory.” Oh, friends, when we’re at the end of ourselves, we desperately want someone to guide us, don’t we? Our wonderful counselor does that- consistently and endlessly. He doesn’t just stand by us until we’re ‘good’, He stands by us each and every moment of every day until we are in His presence, eternally. What a wonderful counselor!
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters would take Jesus’ hand and let Him guide them each and every day. Pray they would look for and listen to His counsel. Pray that God would be the strength of their heart and their portion forever. Pray, because this world is fighting to pull them in the other direction.
Christmas Season Challenge:
Pray for those who are grieving this Christmas season, that God would indeed hold them by the hand and guide them with His counsel. Pray that they would know His comfort, peace and joy despite the heart-shattering grief they also know too well. Pray that God would be the strength of their heart and their portion forever. Pray they would come to embrace and follow the Wonderful Counselor.
Pray without ceasing.
Don’t Believe the Lies
2 Timothy 4:4 “They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”
Truth-telling is a lost art. Just tune into any reality tv show and so much of the drama is based upon who can deceive others with the greatest skill and win the prize. Marketing is dependent on creating a ‘truth’ that sells an image or appeals to the ego. Far too often, we need to do so much ‘due diligence’ in order to protect ourselves from being deceived, swindled, or played the fool.
Conspiracy theories are running rampant these days as well. It seems you can find an alternative to just about any belief. And far too many people are willing to believe things that are far-fetched. Despite having far too little proof, the stories are intriguing, so people buy into the story. Why is it that the lies are often easier to believe than the truth? That’s the work of the Enemy, friends. He is the master deceiver. He delights in the fact that people are more willing to put their faith in unsubstantiated theories rather than the truth of Scripture that has been prophesied about and proven true over and over again.
What drives people to fall prey to the lies? Stubbornness and pride are two reasons, “You can’t tell me what to believe!” But really, scripture tells us that this will happen. “They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” Their eyes are blinded to the truth. They have more faith in unproven conspiracies than they do the Almighty God.
As our world spins ever-closer to the end of days, the lies will continue to spin with it. Matthew 24:24 “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” We need to pray that our sons and daughters can readily distinguish the truth from a lie. We must pray that they are not lured by ‘sweet sounding’ stories that would pull them from the truth of Scripture, but instead would remain true to Scripture as their guide and would invest the time to learn and deepen their knowledge of God’s Word.
“Lord, I pray that the Word of God will remain preeminent in (name)’s life. Let them look to you always and only for guidance, truth and wisdom. Keep their feet from straying off of your path of righteousness and keep their eyes locked onto Your face, Lord. Don’t let them be intrigued and enticed by the theories. Don’t let them question the truth of Your Word. Let them always be faithful to You in everything. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
What is Your Destiny?
Hosea 7:13-14 “Woe to them, because they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely. They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail on their beds. They slash themselves, appealing to their gods for grain and new wine, but they turn away from me.”
Hosea was God’s prophet to Israel, warning them of God’s judgment because of their unfaithfulness. God rebuked them because they strayed from His commands. Not only did they stray, but they betrayed Him with their words and actions and then, when life was difficult and painful and they suffered the consequences of their rebellion, they cried out to anyone but God, as if false gods could save them.
It doesn’t seem much has changed.
People today will look to anyone and anything but God for rescue.. Hard hearts refuse to submit. They don’t want to bend the knee to the Father, but they will sacrifice their well-being, their peace, their future, their relationships- everything is fair game when they’re in pursuit of their ‘salvation’....everything but bowing to Christ. They pursue other teachings, practices, people, yet they will not reach out to the Father for the free gift of salvation. Is it pride? “I need to earn it” or is it disbelief? “It’s got to be more complicated than that” or, perhaps it is a disdain for anything holy. Whatever the case, it boils down to deception and rebellion.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 also warns us of the danger of deception and of hardened hearts.. “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. How heartbreaking is that? The lifeline is there! The Rescuer is at-the-ready, but they refuse, sealing their condemnation and cutting themselves off from an eternity of blessing and an inheritance in the Kingdom.
Friends, this deception is here, now, and more is coming. The Enemy wants us to turn our faces away from the Lord and wallow in our misery. He delights in hearing us cry out in desperation, wailing for relief and he’s elated if we harden our hearts and refuse His rescue. This should drive us to our knees for our sons and daughters, especially if they do not know the Lord.
Finally, Revelation 16:8-10 paints a vivid picture of just how resolute these hardened hearts are. “The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.” - It’s a horrific picture and so heartbreaking, because all they would need to do is cry out to Jesus and be saved, yet they refuse.
As Hosea 7 says, God longs to redeem them. 2 Peter 3:9 also says “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” God is holding back His hand. He’s delaying His judgement. He doesn’t want anyone to suffer eternal punishment, but wants all to come to repentance. Can we pray today for those family members who don’t know the Lord? Pray for softened hearts willing to repent and follow Christ and eyes that clearly see God’s salvation and desire it more than anything this world could offer. There is so much at stake, friends. Pray and pray some more.
Maybe you’re reading this and you don’t have assurance of where you will spend eternity. Do you want to know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savoir? Do you want freedom from sin and a peace that passes understanding?
We are all sinners. Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” There is no way we could ever make ourselves worthy of Him.
Our deserved punishment is eternal death, separated from God. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Oh, but we don’t have to be eternally condemned, because Jesus paid the price for our sin, He covered our debt when He died on the cross. Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this; While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
And God says to us, that if we” confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.” Romans 10:9
The lifeline is there and along with it forgiveness of all you’ve ever done, redemption from the fate you thought you were destined to and justification in the eyes of God, because when He looks at you, He sees the blood of Jesus that’s washed you clean. You have a hope and a future. You’re a child of God!!
If you confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, would you share with us? Send a message or reply to this post. We would love to pray for you as you begin your life with Jesus Christ!
Pray without ceasing.