Forgive, and then, Forgive More
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Matthew 6:12
Debts: opheilema (Greek) that which is owed; an offense or sin. (1)
Consider this: withholding love and forgiveness from someone because of hurt they've caused us may seem justified...we want them to acknowledge just how much they hurt us. We want them to earn our forgiveness. Oh, we 'plan to offer forgiveness' once they've proven themselves sorry enough and we consider that being the 'bigger person'. We rationalize our stance based upon our rightness (and our level of hurt) and upon calling the other 'up' to what is right.
But that isn't what Christ calls us to do. He tells us to forgive, and forgive more. If He withheld His love from us until we were sorry enough and worthy enough, we'd never know His forgiveness. We are not deserving of His redemption. He saved us because He loves us. Do we love enough to forgive?
Pray about having a forgiving heart and then, forgive. Forgive again. And keep on forgiving, because it’s what God does for us. You see, forgiveness isn’t about being right. It’s not about holding others accountable. It’s about freeing our own heart to be right with God and to hear His voice because we’ve quieted our own by His truth.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:12-13
“Oh, Heavenly Father, You love us so deeply and far too often, we don’t comprehend the depth of Your love, nor the cost of forgiveness that You extend to us so freely. The depth of the dirtiness and depravity of our own sin is often lost on us. We see ourselves as ‘not THAT bad’, yet all of our perceived righteousness is as filthy rags, impure, soiled, and good for nothing. It can’t purchase our forgiveness- we don’t deserve it. We are hell-bound yet righteous in our own eyes.”
“Lord Jesus, give us a true picture of our sin and lostness. Help us to see that we are so undeserving and, in seeing how lost we are, help us to see how Your redemption is perfect, eternal, unchanging, abundant and FREE. We don’t deserve it, yet You extend it. We can’t earn it, yet You give it to us freely. Help us to see just how much You’ve given and how greatly You forgive, and then prick our hearts with compassion. Convict us to want to forgive others quickly and completely. Remind us that forgiveness is not a ‘feeling’ but a choice, an action, and a willingness to allow You to be the judge and hold the ‘other’ accountable. Remind us that if we want to be like You, Jesus, we will forgive even those who don’t understand how they’ve hurt us.”
“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’” Luke 23:34
“Holy Spirit, fill us with more of You so that we willingly forgive others. Free us from the bondage of unforgiveness that poisons us and makes it difficult to hear Your voice and obey Your will. Give us strength and conviction to extend forgiveness to others, not with a “yes, but..” rather, with an “I already have, I love you.” Help us to forgive others, just as you forgave us, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing. Forgive without stopping. Love others generously. Be like Jesus.
G3783 - opheilēma - Strong's Greek Lexicon (nasb95). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3783/nasb95/mgnt/0-1/
My Dear Children, Do Not Sin
1 John 2:1 “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”
Imagine receiving a letter that begins with the words, “ My Dear Children”. One immediately senses that it’s going to say some important things. The greeting gets our attention; it identifies us as loved, important and connected to a family. The sentiment “Dear children” tells us we are precious to the writer… a parent-figure, and isn’t that what our sons and daughters are to us? Dear. Beloved. Cherished and important. Stop and consider, if we would write to our sons and daughters, what would we say?
The Apostle John wove that very phrase into his letters to the early church. He wrote often to the believers because had a burden to encourage them in their walk with the Lord. He understood, better than most, the cost of discipleship and the dangers of our life in this earthly realm, the kingdom of darkness. The book of 1 John is filled with encouragement, cautions, and reminders of how the believers should live and why. And many of those directives start with the phrase, ‘dear children’. John loved the believers as his spiritual children and wanted to ensure they knew the words he was speaking to them, via the Holy Spirit, were words of love and conviction.
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to look at these “dear children” directives and pray through them for our own beloved sons and daughters. What better way to encourage their walk with the Lord?!
1 John 2:1 “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”
Oh what words of direction AND comfort!! Do not sin! Don’t do it! We need to pray that specifically and often for our sons and daughters because we all know, far too well, that the enemy wants nothing more than to cause us to sin. Sin leads us away from the Lord, it defeats us, it tries to define us (although that is not how our Savior sees us, we’re deceived into believing we are what we do and our value is in our efforts). We need to pray that God keeps our dear children from sin.
BUT we can’t stop there!! No! We need to pray that next portion of 1 John 2:1 because it’s vital for our dear children to understand, and us as well, that if we DO sin (and we will, we’re fallen people), we have an advocate who speaks to the Father on our behalf- Jesus Christ.
That word ‘advocate’ is the word ‘parakletos’ in Greek. It means "one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant; an advocate, and intercessor" (1) We have our very own legal counsel who comes to our defense and clearly states that the price for every sin, past, present and future, is paid for by His precious blood sacrifice and is eternally effective because of His resurrection from the dead. There is no sin that cannot be forgiven by Jesus and there is no failure for which He will not step up and advocate for us. He is our paraclete- our advocate and our counselor. He not only speaks to the Father on our behalf, but He speaks truth into us and reminds us of who we are and Whose we are. Sin does not define us.
John was so adamant that the church understood this that he said it again in 1 John 2:12, “I am writing to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of His name.” Yes, he encouraged them not to sin, but twice he reminded them that Christ paid the price for their sin and they had, and would always have, His forgiveness, not because of anything they might do, but because of His Name. Oh friends, it’s SO important that our sons and daughters understand not only God’s commands not to sin, but also God’s complete and perfect forgiveness when they do!! When the world wants to define them by what they’ve said and done and how they’ve messed up, God defines them as His child, loved, forgiven, redeemed and justified through Christ. Today, let’s pray these very words for our sons and daughters.
“Heavenly Father, (name) is my dear child, whom I love very much, but I know You love even more than I do. I pray that (name) would not sin. That’s blunt and straightforward, but it’s so needed, Lord. Keep them from sin. It destroys and rots the life You would have them live abundantly in You. Lord, please help (name) to remain in You- to abide and live a life that is consumed with You so that there is no room for sin to take hold. But I know that in this world, this life, none of us can fully avoid sin. We are a fallen humanity and the old self still lives in us. We still wrestle with it every day. So, as You keep them from sin, I pray, too, that You would remind (name) that You, Jesus, are their advocate and You are the One to whom they should run when they’ve mis-stepped, or worse, fallen into steady consuming sin. Jesus, You will always advocate for (name) to the Father, making a way for forgiveness and restoration. Lord, keep (name) running to You always, clinging to You for counsel and defense. Lord, keep them always, in Jesus’ name, amen,”
Why not text 1 John 2:1 to your son or daughter today? “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” Encourage them with scripture and pray without ceasing.
G3875 - paraklētos - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3875/niv/mgnt/0-1/
Dabbling in Darkness
“If we claim to have fellowship with Him, yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”
1 John 1:6
Kids love water, don’t they? Whether it’s a pool, a creek, or a puddle, there’s an attraction to get closer to just “look at it”. We warn them not to get wet and we might hear the response, “Can’t I just put my feet in?” And we all know, if the feet get wet, the rest of the child gets wet eventually. They can’t help it, their “whole self” ends up soaked. And when they come back, soaking wet, we ask them, “what happened, why didn’t you obey?” The responses will likely include things like “I don’t know”, “It was an accident”, “I didn’t mean to get wet, it just happened” and the list goes on.
Sin is like that too. There’s an attraction to just get a bit closer, but soon, we’re dipping our feet in and before we know it, we’re immersed. We’re soaked in it. We can tell others that we’re not dabbling in sin, but when we stand there, soaking wet with the evidence, our words hold no weight.
1 John 1:6 “If we claim to have fellowship with Him, yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”
That word, “in”, is important to note. It’s the Greek word, “en” and “denotes a fixed position in place, time or state.” Think about it. If we’re ‘in’ we have a fixed position(1). There is no halfway or just a little. Either we’re in or we’re out. There is no in between. It’s a powerful word.
When we walk in sin, even if we’re just “dipping our feet in”, we are in. We’re immersed. We’re sinning. We can’t dabble in darkness and not be impacted by it. 1 John tells us that if we claim to have fellowship with God, but walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. Our location says a whole lot about our heart condition and our commitments. Our talk, talks and our walk talks. But our walk speaks much more loudly than our talk when it comes to giving evidence of what our heart loves. We can say we love Jesus, but if our actions demonstrate otherwise, which do you think people will believe more? Are we making choices and living in such a way that gives evidence that we love Jesus…or that we love something or someone else more?
1 John 1:1-6 uses the word “proclaim” several times. That word means to give a report, which indicates one has seen evidence of something, it’s an affirmation. Yet, 1 John 1:6 uses the word “claim”...there is no pro. That’s the thing with sin. If we’re involved in it, participating in it, we can claim we walk in truth, but there is no evidence. Our lives are proclaiming otherwise and giving evidence of fellowship with darkness. How we live matters and sin impacts how we live.
This world is dark and temptation is strong. If we think we can resist on our own, we’re deceived. We cannot just ‘say’ we’re following the Lord, we have to demonstrate it, our lives need to give evidence, otherwise our words are empty and our testimony is worthless. Our sons and daughters need us to walk with the Lord and give evidence that He is our focus, our passion, our God. They need to see their parents, their elders, their role models modeling what it truly means to follow Jesus. We need to proclaim with our lives that Jesus is our King.
We need to pray for spiritual protection for our sons and daughters every day. Satan wants nothing more than to keep them from following Christ. He wants to convince them that compromising with sin is okay, especially if it’s “just a little bit”. He lures them to just dip their feet in the water of darkness, just their feet and nothing more. But we all know what happens. If you’re “in”, you can’t be in two places at the same time. When we dabble in darkness, we take our eyes off of Jesus and allow our heart and mind to put something else on the throne and then we’re walking in darkness.
Today, and every day, let’s pray that our sons and daughters will be IN Christ- that at all times, in all ways, in all places, they are found in Him and that darkness has no place in their lives. Pray that their choices in friends, in entertainment, in places they go, things they take part in and what they read and listen to all support their pursuit of Jesus and their lives give evidence of living and walking in His light.
Pray without ceasing.
G1722 - en - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1722/kjv/tr/0-1/
Fleeing Sin: the value of living with integrity
Joseph fled from sin. He turned an he ran. Oh that our sons and daughters would do the same!
Today’s scripture is a longer portion because we need to understand the context of Joseph’s situation in order to grasp the integrity, the love and fear of God that Joseph held, and to see the sovereignty of God in his life.
Genesis 39: 6-23 “So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. “Look,” she said to them, “this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.” When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. “
Joseph was a slave in Egypt, sold by his brothers, but ultimately he was there because God intended for him to save, not only his family, but the nation of Israel. God placed him in Egypt and guided him into opportunities that would eventually position him to have power, authority and ability to rescue the nation of Israel.
Joseph had three specific areas in which he gave God the Supremacy in his life.
1. Place/Location: Joseph was a slave IN Egypt, but not a slave TO Egypt. He obeyed the authority God put over him, but he still submitted himself, ultimately, to God. He didn’t use his location as an excuse for sin. He still operated with deep integrity. His actions and responses were based on what God expected and allowed, not what the culture expected and allowed. He didn’t allow his location to be an excuse for sin. We need to pray that our sons and daughters don’t allow their location to impact their integrity and walk with the Lord.
1 Peter 2:11 “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.”
When our sons and daughters are in hard places, let’s not just rush to pray for ‘rescue’ asking God to move them, but let’s be steady to uphold them in prayer for strength to stay the course and remain where God places them in order to accomplish what He has for them to do. Pray that they have perspective and can see God’s hand in their place and His purpose in their being there.
2. Possessions: Joseph didn’t value things over the right thing. He wasn’t willing to compromise or wait around to ‘save’ something of temporal value and risk his character, integrity, and testimony. When Potiphar’s wife grabbed his cloak, he didn’t think twice. He turned and ran. He ran!! He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t back away. He didn’t wrestle to keep his cloak. He turned and ran. The cloak was a symbol of identity and protection in Biblical times. Joseph was willing to let go of his ‘identity’ for the sake of his godly testimony and he gave up his physical ‘protection’ in exchange for Godly protection of his character and testimony.
We need to pray that when our sons and daughters are confronted with temptation that they turn and run with all their might, their will, their mind and intention. That split-second moment they make the rock-solid decision that NOTHING (no thing) is more valuable than obedience to God.
3. Position of heart vs. Position of title: Others in Egypt recognized Joseph’s integrity. Both Potiphar and the jailer gave Joseph much responsibility. They trusted him because he was trustworthy. And because he lived with integrity, it opened the doors to opportunity, position, and power. But Joseph wasn’t willing to compromise to maintain those positions. He trusted that God had a better plan and God rewarded that obedience and trust.
I Peter 2:12 “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
When Joseph chose to do the right thing, he lost his position in Potiphar’s house. He could have grieved that, but instead, he trusted that God protected him from something dangerous and believed that God had purpose in his ‘demotion’. Indeed, He did! God needed Joseph in prison so that Pharaoh could see his ability and integrity. Think about that!
Joseph valued his heart being right with God vs. a title and position achieved through earthly values and choices. Had Joseph compromised and given into lust and sin, he may have kept his position in Potiphar’s house, but he would have forfeited the greater role of being second in command of all of Egypt and part of God’s greater plan for Israel. Greater still, he would have damaged the testimony of the Living God to those around him. His story may have ended as a cautionary tale rather than a record of God’s triumph.
Sometimes God removes the titles and achievements to make way for more impactful opportunities. Sometimes He takes us to harder places but it’s never without intention, never by mistake, and always part of His greater plan. As we pray for our sons and daughters, let’s be careful not to quickly grieve when things take a turn toward what we might see as a loss or demotion, a setting back or giving up of something valuable. Instead, let’s pray for Godly insight and protection from short-sightedness. Let’s pray that God shows our sons and daughters that He’s working, protecting, and leading them to accomplish what He intends.
Temptation is real. It is frequent, and it is everywhere. We can easily succumb to the lures and we can quickly make excuses, because it surrounds us and can easily consume us. We are immersed in a culture of sin, compromise, and self-satisfaction. Achievement is celebrated. But God calls us to live lives in this world that reflect we are citizens of another place with a standard of living that reflects our submission and commitment to an eternal King in whose Kingdom we are not only citizens, but daughters and sons of the Most High. We love Him. And if we do, our lives, our choices, and what we hold dear will determine how we respond and will give a testimony to the world around us. “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all!” 2 Corinthians 4:17
Joseph didn’t compromise. He didn’t make excuses. He didn’t bemoan his ‘misfortune’. He trusted God. He knew God had a better plan and, though it may not have been obvious at the time. Joseph responded to his brothers in Genesis 50:20 - the same brothers that sold him into slavery and essentially brought Joseph to a life of bondage…but servitude to God, in Egypt. He said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” Joseph rested in the knowledge that God loved him and would guide his steps. He needed only obey and act with integrity. Sin wouldn’t prosper him, but following God with his whole heart, mind and strength, well, that would provide protection all his days.
“Heavenly Father, Protector, Provider and Guide, I pray for (name) today. Keep them from sin. Lord, when they encounter temptation, give them strength of conviction and presence of mind to flee, to leave behind anything this culture may deem ‘valuable’ in exchange for what is of eternal value. Father, I pray (name) would hear your voice, not the voices of those around them calling them to compromise. I pray that (name) would have confidence and conviction that their position in Christ is of greater value than any title or position this world can offer. Lord, help them to hold things here loosely so that they hold onto the cross and to Jesus with all their strength. Lord, I pray that (name) would “Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes, …for the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the LORD takes care of the godly. Day by day the LORD takes care of the innocent and they will receive an inheritance that lasts forever….The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. ” Psalm 37:7, 17-18, 23-24 Lord, use this scripture in (name)’s life this week and throughout their life. Keep them from sin. Strengthen them to follow You without turning. Convict them to live with integrity and to never swap their eternal inheritance for temporary things of this world. Help them to flee from sin. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
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
The Decay of Sin & The Master Builder
1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”
Have you ever taken time to look at an abandoned house…I mean really up close? They can look rather intriguing from a distance. But the closer you get, the more you begin to see the decay. Windows might be broken out, letting the weather inside. And if the weather gets in, everything starts to decay. What once was a beautiful home, filled with love and life, becomes a shell, rotting from the inside out.
It’s kind of like sin. Sin takes a toll, doesn’t it? Oh, we start out sturdy, solid and beautiful, but the effects of steady sin weathers us. Sometimes the choices we make and the lives we choose to live wear us down over time and leave us battered and worn. The inner beauty we once had gives way to rot and ruin. Sin does that to us.
The window in the picture once framed a beautiful room. It protected it from the elements, yet it also let the light in so that the room was filled with the golden rays of the sun. And at night, in the darkness, it shone from the inside out so all could see its warmth and beauty.. But at some point, those living there left. Then, that window broke and what was once a barrier to the elements and a protector of the beauty within no longer worked. Now instead of a beautiful room, the glass is broken and lying on the ground, the curtains are shredded and the room inside is ruined by the elements. The floors and walls are weathered with rain and it is no longer a place of love and shelter.
There are so many analogies we could use. But, suffice it to say, we’re a lot like those houses, aren’t we? Oh, we may only leave our ‘window’ open but a crack, yet the weather of sin gets in and it slowly begins to destroy. It might not be much at first, but after time, it’s catastrophic. Even a small opening is enough for the Enemy to slowly creep in and begin to erode our foundation. Sin ruins. It ruins heavily, destructively and it’s not easily recovered from. We might not see the effects right away- that’s another deception of the Enemy. But the slow, steady influx of sin begins to rot our inner beauty into a dark, joyless heart that is in desperate need of God’s righteousness. Our holiness departs. We squelch the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and we slowly decay.
Look at the picture again… and look through the window not at the room, but back out the other window to the sky! You can still see the light of day- not darkness! It’s a fresh new day on the other side of that window! You can see hope! You see, despite the decay happening inside, each day there is a new morning that surrounds this house.
Though it would take time and would come at a cost, this window and this room could be restored. God sees through our brokenness and provides redemption and restoration for anyone who asks! You see, God isn’t in the business of ‘redecorating’, He fully rehabilitates and restores. He renovates and brings us back to life. He sees the wreck that we are right now and the beauty that we will be once we allow Him to work in us.
Do you look at your son or daughter and see how their choices have caused damage and decay with the effects of sin? It hurts our hearts because we know what they once were and we long to see that inner beauty restored. But right now, all we can see is how the enemy has wreaked havoc. The disease of sin and selfishness has stripped away the beauty and left a mess. You know they ‘know’ the Truth, yet they’ve chosen to open their lives to everything else, and it shows.
Friends, be brave enough to see through the damage and believe in what God can do! He is the Master Builder! Just as someone who comes along and begins restorative work on that abandoned house, there is hope when God begins to work on us! We only see the house as it is now, but you know the Builder is at work and oh! It will be beautiful again!! Friends, that is how God can restore a life. Pray to that end. Trust in His skill. He’s the Carpenter. He’s the Creator. He’s the Great Physician. He can do artful work on even the most devastated life. He is Faithful and True and what He promises, He will do. “He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”” Revelation 21:5
Prayer for Restoration:
“Father, I pray in Jesus’ name that You would begin a restorative work on (name) today. Lord, bandage their spiritual wounds, clean out the damage in their life. Evict the things that don’t belong, tear out the rot and ruin and rebuild their life to reflect Your glory. I know (name) is made in Your image, but right now, they don’t reflect that. Lord, do a work in them. Renovate their heart. Restore their mind. Holy Spirit, I pray that You would sanctify them to obedience to Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:2) Lord, bring repentance and follow it with abundant grace and peace. May the joy of the Lord be (name)’s strength. Help (name) to forsake all others and follow You solely, completely, wholeheartedly. Lord, I know that You can do a work unlike anything I could ask or imagine. I pray that You would restore (name) today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Prayer for Protection:
Lord, I pray for (name) today. I know they love You, Lord. But I also know that as believers, we are all a target of the Enemy. Lord, I ask that You would do some maintenance on (name) today. Seal up any ‘cracks’ in their character or their life that would allow the enemy to get in and cause destruction. I pray that they would put on the full armor of God: the helmet of salvation to protect their mind from spiritual attack; the shield of faith to deflect the fiery darts of spiritual warfare; the sword of the Spirit to defend against attack; the belt of Truth to guard against deception and lies; the breastplate of righteousness to guard their heart from deception and from temptation that would lure their love away from You; and feet shod with the gospel, so that their life, their words and their actions would be a testimony to others (Ephesians 6:10-18) . Help them to live without compromise and to daily take stock of what they choose to watch, read, and listen to so that nothing sneaks in and begins to weaken and destroy. Lord, I pray that you would guard them from ‘sneak attacks’ by the enemy. Make their foundation solid and their protection sure. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Do you have a loved one who needs prayer? Feel free to reach out! Leave a comment or send an email. There is an army of sisters in Christ who are ready and willing to pray along with you!
Pray without ceasing, friend. And believe that God can restore a life!
Down the Garden Path
1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
What was the original sin, committed by Adam and Eve? It was these, the lust of the flesh, the cravings of the body and senses, “Oh, that fruit looks sweet- I bet it tastes good, if I could just try it...take a bite, satisfy my craving….” It was the lust of the eyes and mind- the knowing better than, “And, really, I’m sure God didn’t mean what He said, right? Think about it… why would He deny us something that He placed right here in the garden for us to enjoy?! It only makes sense that we should be totally fine. And, really, we’re smart, right?” And the pride of life, not needing God because we know better… “We would be just like God, knowing good and evil, why, we would be even more compatible with Him- we deserve to be like Him!” Interestingly, Strong’s Concordance defines the pride of life as “an insolent and empty assurance, which trusts in its own power and resources and shamefully despises and violates divine laws and human rights, and an impious and empty presumption which trusts in the stability of earthly things” (1) Ah, knowing better than God…a surefire attitude that ruins any life.
It boils down to these: what we crave and desire, what we see with our eyes and think we know and understand in our minds and the prideful arrogance that tells us we are able to control our own destiny, we know better than God. It’s a full and total rebellion against God and His rightful Lordship in our lives. It’s the very trap with which Satan delights to ensnare us….since the beginning of time.
John is warning us of the lures and traps because not much has changed. Sin is sin. Yet, people still resist the warning, why? (go back are re-read the previous two paragraphs). We have a sinful heart that rebels against God. The desires and cravings that lead us down that garden path are the very same that lured Adam and Eve, the first man and woman living in the perfect garden in the Presence of God, into abandoning their perfect relationship with God.
Oh that we could protect our sons and daughters from these traps!! They lead to death. They ensnare us in darkness. They rob us of joy and purpose. Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters would cling to life in Christ and would avoid those sins that would damage their relationship with God. Pray protection over and around them. Pray for discernment and a submissive spirit.
“Father, I pray that you would control the cravings of life. Do not allow (name) to long for thing that are ungodly or sinful. The lust of the flesh needs to die and the longing for the Spirit needs to be strong. I pray that you would help (name) to hunger and thirst for righteousness, not for things that would satisfy their sensual desires. Put a guard on (name)’s eyes. Keep them from craving things that would not support their relationship with You. Don’t let them see things that would distract them from You or that would put thoughts and desires in their mind that would war against Your will for them. I pray that they would guard their eyes and thoughts so that what they fill them with are good and Godly, not dark and sinful. Lord, I pray that (name) would be fully submitted to You, recognizing their deep need for Your lordship in their life. Let them daily surrender to You so that You are Who they trust in, and not themselves. Let them lay their will aside to follow after You with their whole heart, their whole mind and with all their being. I pray that they would seek to do Your will and bring You glory in everything. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
G212 - alazoneia - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g212/kjv/tr/0-1/d