A Brief Pause…
Join the PAC is taking a brief break and we will rejoin you on September 1.
In the meantime, review some of our prayer points and take time to encourage one another!
Thanks for understanding!!
A Brief Pause…
Join the PAC is taking a brief pause and we’ll be back with you on September 1.
Meanwhile, pray through some prayer points from the previous weeks and take time to encourage one another!
Thanks for understanding!
Guaranteed: A Just Judge
Acts 17:31 “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.””
We want to see justice, don’t we? We long to see evildoers put in their place and good triumph over evil. Sometimes we try to take matters into our own hands...other times we look to someone in leadership: the next celebrity or politician who promises they will make things right and better.
But here’s the thing. No individual, political system or ideology can accurately bring justice that will truly satisfy. If we let ourselves get caught up in that line of thinking, we’re letting ourselves be deceived. And if we encourage our sons and daughters in that line of thinking, we’re not leading well as godly parents.
We need to start by supporting healthy, solid theology both in our own lives and in those of our sons and daughters. Have they moved beyond the basics to develop a deeper understanding of God and His nature? When we deepen our understanding of God we are more apt to dive deeper in His word and understand the complexities of what is written there. When we do that, we realize that His word holds the answers that this world is longing for.
When we have a deeper understanding of God and His word, we can read Act 17:31 with confidence and understanding. “For He (God) has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed…”
He has set a day. There is a timeframe on this. It’s not open ended. He knows exactly when judgement and justice will come. He knows we’re anxious to see it, yet He has a perfect plan in place- let’s trust Him.
He will judge the world. He won’t leave it to another. God himself will judge.
He will judge with justice
He will judge by the man he has appointed.
Now, those who don’t know the Lord, may begin asking, ‘what man?’. But we know, WE KNOW exactly Who is spoken of here when the next statement says “He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” THAT man!! Jesus is the only One who fits the description and has those credentials. We know Him personally and we trust His character. So when God says He will bring just judgement, we can believe Him.
Friends, let’s encourage our sons and daughters with these words today. Let’s not let them fall into disillusionment- a deception of the enemy.
Yes, our hearts should be heavy with what we’re seeing in the world and we should feel a sense of urgency that should help us all refocus on what is to come. But we should also rejoice that God has appointed Jeses to judge justly and we must be confident that day will come when we will see justice served. Are our sons and daughters mindful of what is to come...and are they ready?
Today, pray for perspective, a heart that cries out against injustice and a soul that longs to see our risen Jesus step into His role as judge, appointed by the Father and given authority to judge justly.
Pray without ceasing.
The Lord Loves Justice
Psalm 33:5 “The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.”
Look around. Watch the news. This world is a mess. If we’re honest, we worry about our sons and daughters- what will it mean for them? We worry about their children, what kind of world will they live in? If we dwell on it, our own anxiety can spiral out of control. We risk losing sight of Who is in control.
So how do we calm our own hearts and point our sons and daughters to Jesus when they get discouraged about life and the circumstances of this world?
Psalm 33:5 is a sweet nugget of truth that can help us refocus. “The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.” If we still and quiet our hearts and look around us, we can see God’s unfailing love at work. Ponder these scriptures:
Psalm 113:3 “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.”
Isaiah 40:28 “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.”
Psalm 95:3-5 “For the LORD is a great God And a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth, The peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.”
Proverbs 3:19-20 “By wisdom the LORD laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place; by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew.”
All of creation knows the Lord is God. All of creation dares not question His sovereignty. Creation bows to the Lord in reverence and obedience. Can we do the same?
The Lord laid the foundations of this world and He will bring everything into submission under His lordship. He loves righteousness. He will ensure justice. We can rest in the knowledge that He is Creator and Sustainer. He will bring all of creation into submission under His rule and reign.
“Lord, I pray today that you would calm our hearts. Help us to focus on Your righteousness. Reassure us that You will indeed bring justice. When our world is spinning out of control, help us to stop and ponder all that You do each day to show us your unfailing love. We know you love righteousness and it grieves Your heart to see such evil and disregard for life and for Your Authority. We know you desire justice and one day you will bring it. Help us to refocus on the reminders You give us each day that testify to Your Sovereignty. Give us opportunities to encourage our sons and daughters to follow after You. Help us Lord, to not lose sight of the knowledge that You have a plan and You will work out every detail. Even when things seem dark, You are still the Light of the world. Help us to walk in Your light each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Praying Even When Things Seem So Unjust
Psalm 11:4-7 “The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord is on his heavenly throne.
He observes everyone on earth;
his eyes examine them.
The Lord examines the righteous,
but the wicked, those who love violence,
he hates with a passion.
On the wicked he will rain
fiery coals and burning sulfur;
a scorching wind will be their lot.
For the Lord is righteous,
he loves justice;
the upright will see his face.”
Friends, in light of what’s happening in our world right now, especially in the Middle East, let’s just take time today to read this scripture out loud and pray:
Acknowledge Who God is- Holy, True and Sovereign
Because He sees everything, talk to Him about what you are seeing that is grievous, heartbreaking, frightening and unjust. He sees it too.
Ask Him to examine our hearts- we should humble ourselves before Him and be willing to identify and repent of our sin.. We want to be righteous and obedient.
Pray that He would stop the wicked. STOP them. But pray for His timing, as well. Trust God. He sees. He knows. He will justly judge them.
Remind yourself that He is a righteous and just God. Take time in prayer to praise Him for His attributes and His wonderful character. Reminding ourselves of the greatness of God helps us get perspective and renew our hope. Focus on Him, not this spiraling world around us.
Celebrate the fact that we WILL see Him face to face.
Come quickly Lord Jesus!!
This is a great formula for prayer that we can go to when life is uncertain or downright painful. It’s a great way to pray when we’re overcome by anger or frustration at the injustice we see. It’s a great format to guide us in prayer when we bring our sons and daughters before the Throne. When we start by focusing on God, we set our hearts and minds on things above, not on earthly things. Then we can talk through the hard things with the Lord, knowing that we have His full attention and He has ours. We know He sees and hears us. We know He grieves with us and is angered at the impact of sin. But then we our eyes and hearts back to Who He is and we end by praising and exalting God and set our hope on His promises.
Pray without ceasing..
A God Who is Just
“I will proclaim the name of the Lord.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he.”
Deuteronomy 32:3-4
What does the word ‘just’ mean? According to Dictionary.com (1),
“Just” is, “guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness:
done or made according to principle; equitable; proper:
based on right; rightful; lawful:
in keeping with truth or fact; true; correct:”
Our hearts know there is such a thing as justice and we long for it, but in a fallen world, we rarely see it. We have leaders who promise it, but don’t deliver. We have a legal system that is often more concerned with politics than truth. We have systems that are flawed and people who are selfish and greedy. We demand justice in difficult and unfair situations, but we’re rarely satisfied with seeing it delivered. And when it isn’t delivered, we cry foul; we feel deceived and deprived of what is right. We get angry and we struggle to find our balance. Then, we risk our hearts growing bitter because what we long for is denied. And, too often, we blame God. But here’s the thing. We are looking to flawed systems and people to deliver what is an attribute of God. We need to look to God. We need to see the bigger picture.
God IS just, and all He does is guided by Truth and fairness. What He does is principled and based on what is right. It is True. But in our fallen world, the presence of sin distorts and destroys anything good and true and our limited human understanding can’t grasp all that He is doing. We only see the unfairness of the injustice right here and right now.
God’s plan is bigger than the current circumstances and He uses each and every situation to accomplish His purposes. Consider the following:
The injustice of Joseph being sold into slavery was the very thing that rescued
his family and the nation of Israel. What man meant for evil, God meant for good. (Genesis 50:20)
The injustice of Esther being brought into the King’s harem
was the very thing that ensured the plot to annihilate the Jews
was brought to light and prevented.
The nation of Israel was protected and preserved.
God used her for such a time to accomplish His purposes
and preserve His people. (Esther 4:14)
The imprisonment of the Apostle Paul brought the gospel to Rome,
to the Roman Guard and into the House of Caesar himself.
(Acts 23:11, Philippians 4:22)
God uses difficult things to accomplish his purposes and He promises justice will come.
Matthew 12:18 ““Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
Matthew 12:20 “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.”
Acts 17:31 “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.””
Revelation 15:3 ““Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations.”
Today, let’s proclaim the greatness of God.
Trust that nothing is out of His control or beyond the scope of His power. He is just. He will accomplish justice. He does no wrong and He uses what the Enemy means for evil and turns it into good for His Kingdom.
Pray that our sons and daughters can understand God’s just nature and trust that He works everything for His glory and our good- even the hard things.
Pray without ceasing.
(1) Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Just definition & meaning. Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/just.
Sunday Worship-His Mercy is More
It’s Sunday. Take some time to be still before the Lord. Ponder His greatness. Be humbled by His mercy. Rest in His love.
His Mercy is More
What love could remember no wrongs we have done
Omniscient, all knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father, so tender, is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment, His life was the cost
We stood 'neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Matt Boswell / Matt Papa
Saturday Review
Once again, lets review our prayer points from the week and pray over them one more time. “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16b
Pray Hebrews 4:16 over our sons and daughters, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Ask the Lord to help them draw near to Him and be willing and expectant to receive His mercy and grace.
Take a look at that list you made this week of the most unlikely people to be prayed over. Pray for them again, sincerely. Pray for those you struggle to love. Pray for those whose actions repulse you. Pray for those who seem too far gone to ever be saved. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” Pray for them by name or affiliation and ask God to work in hearts and minds. Ask Him to let them see Jesus. His mercy is great. Be willing to plead His mercy for others and pray that our sons and daughters would be willing to do the same.
Pray that our sons and daughters are the aroma of life because of God’s mercy shown to them. Pray that they fully grasp the greatness and beauty of God’s mercy and all it has rescued them from. Pray that they have a heart for the lost, to pray and share the gospel to those who are dying.
Ask the Lord to help our sons and daughters realize the wonderful forgiving mercy of our Lord and Savior. In their failures and shortcomings, His mercy is great and it’s what they need to continue moving forward, accomplishing what God has planned for them.
Pray that we, as believers, would wait for God’s justice and would look for His mercy in even the most difficult and painful situations. Let’s pray that our sons and daughters would realize the blessing of His mercy, held for them and showered on them by a God who is willing to wait and show patience.
Pray without ceasing.
Wait for it….
Isaiah 30:18 “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.”
The Lord waits to be gracious to us. He waits...for us. Strong’s Concordance says that the Hebrew word for wait also means to ‘long for’ (1) He ‘tarries’. He doesn’t want us to miss his mercy, so He waits. Friends, think about that.
But, He doesn’t just wait, He exalts Himself. He makes His greatness known. He needs no other to announce His greatness. His position does not depend on His followers. He alone is worthy and is exalted above all. We have a great and mighty God who is without rival or comparison and He raises Himself up in order to show….mercy. Not His power. Not His might. But His mercy. Oh, friends, our God contradicts all of the expectations of this world for His glory and our good.
Blessed are those who wait for Him. Today, let’s pray together that we all, as believers, would wait for God’s justice and would look for His mercy. Let’s pray that our sons and daughters would appreciate His patience and would realize the blessing of His mercy, held for them by a God who is willing to wait.
Let’s pray too that this world sees the mercy God extends and would grab hold of it and of Him.
Why not print this verse out and meditate on it today. There is so much richness in this scripture- don’t miss out on it because you’re in a hurry. Tarry here and consider His mercy.
Pray without ceasing.
H2442 - ḥāḵâ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2442/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Start Chiseling…
Exodus 34:4-7 “So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.””
Exodus 34 follows the whole debacle of the golden calf and the Israelites exchanging their worship of God for worship of something made by their hands (Ex. 32). Moses saw what was happening and was so outraged, he smashed the stone tablets on the ground. Yes, THOSE tablets, given by God, showing the 10 commandments. Moses had just come from the presence of God and then walked into the scene and totally lost his temper.
Oh, friends, how many times do we do that? We come out of a beautiful quiet time or time of worship and immediately our human nature takes over- we speak harsh words, cast judgement, or show selfish behavior and then, like Moses, we have to go back to the Lord and face our errors.
God could have told Moses that he’d blown his one and only chance. Sure….but He didn’t. The Lord could have banished Moses and chosen another to take his place. But He didn’t. The Lord could have berated Moses and made him feel worthless and a failure, yet He didn’t. He showed mercy. He simply told Moses to ““Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.” (Ex. 34:1)
God’s mercy is more than we could ever fully comprehend. Yet, too often we gloss over it or disregard it. Too often we want to withhold it from others because we’ve decided they’re not deserving. Oh, we are so foolish and full of ourselves. Our pride and arrogance stand in the way of the most wonderful gift God could give us- His bountiful mercy. He is a loving God, faithful and slow to anger. Do our sons and daughters understand this?? Do they really know what God’s mercy is and that it can be theirs?
Friends, our kids will mess up. They will make poor choices. They will focus on the wrong things, yet, they are still learning. If we’re honest, we are still learning too. Can we show mercy as God does or are we going to hold it against them because they didn’t meet our expectations?
Today, let’s pray that when our sons and daughters ‘mess up’, they realize the wonderful forgiving mercy of our Lord and Savior. Rather than berating them or telling them all the ways they disappointed Him, He simply hands them another tablet and says “start chiseling”. Can we do that with our sons and daughters as well?
“Lord, I pray that You would help me to be merciful. Keep me from arrogant sin that would elevate my expectations and my abilities over someone else and cause them to feel inferior, insufficient or incapable. Help me not to do this to my sons and daughters. Lord, if you did that to us, we would never survive. Yet, in Your mercy, You reach down and support us, encourage us and give us the strength we need to complete the task You’ve given us. I pray for (name) today. Let them focus on You, not things, people or accomplishments. Help them to trust You and rest in You for all they need. May they securely find their identity and meaning in You. Give them insight to understand how Your great mercy is the very thing that sustains their life each day. I pray that they would humbly acknowledge You and all You do for them and then, following Your example, show mercy to others who need to know You too. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Oh, His Mercy Brings Life.
Ephesians 2:4-5 “ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
Roadkill is something we’re sure to encounter if we spend any amount of time driving. And roadkill in the summer...well, that is a whole other experience that is difficult to put into words. It smells...no, it reeks. It is pungent and awful and we can smell it long before we see it. We might quickly put up the windows and hold our breath until we’re past the offensive carcass, but somehow the stink of death lingers and we remember it even when we are long past the location. And somewhere, someone is tasked with cleaning that up, but it’s not a job to be envied and few would admit to doing it.
What if we took that roadkill and ‘dressed it up’? It would still be dead and stinking. Oh, we could put it on a pedestal, give it a title, but, even then, it would still be dead. The process of decay would continue and the stench with it. You see, it’s dead. It is unredeemable. No amount of effort, attention, accolades or affection will revive it. It will just continue to bear the stench of death. It has no life and cannot mimic it.
Friends, that was us. We were dead in transgressions. We were rotting corpses of sin, stinking and decaying spiritually. Oh, maybe we tried to dress ourselves up and go through the motions, but we were still decaying. Perhaps we tried to give ourselves importance and align ourselves with others who could give us value, but death ruled and robbed us of any worth.
And then came Jesus. He was and is bold and brave enough to step into our death and misery. He could tolerate our stench because He already faced death and won. He paid the price for our sin. Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. He loved us when we were unable to love Him. He made us alive in Christ when we had no power to embrace life on our own.
He wasn’t afraid of our stench. He wasn’t repulsed by our rotting souls. He could have swept us aside, scooped us up with the refuse or walked away to a cleaner, more pleasant experience. But He saw our worth despite the death that surrounded us and He took hold of us and redeemed us. He gave us a new name and called us His child. Now, we bear the fragrance of Christ, the fragrance of life.
2 Corinthians 2:15-16 “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.”
God’s mercy is powerful.
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters are the aroma of life to those around them because of God’s mercy in their lives. Pray that they fully grasp the greatness and beauty of God’s mercy and all it has rescued them from. Pray that they have a heart for the lost, to pray for and share the gospel to those who are dying.
Pray without ceasing.
Time is Short but His Mercy is Great
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
The events going on in Afghanistan are heartbreaking. The news is devastating. Desperate people are scrambling to get into the airport for a chance to leave the country. They’re climbing walls and fences and even clinging to the sides of a transport plane as it taxis for takeoff. Parents are desperately trying to give their children to anyone who might carry them to safety outside of the reach of the Taliban. They’re trying to leverage who they know and what they’ve accomplished to buy their way out of the country. The panic on their faces and the fear in their eyes communicate much more than words ever could. They see how this is going to end and they want to do everything possible to save themselves and their loved ones.
But why didn’t they leave last week? Yes, there was concern in Afghanistan, but no real desperation. Although the threat of evil was present, it wasn’t as visible. They thought they had more time.
Friends, this scenario is very much akin to the spiritual condition of the world right now. Things are getting worse and Jesus’ return is near, but few seem to be concerned. People think they have ‘more time’, they’ll get right with God ‘later’, yet, when that moment of Jesus’ return is upon us and believers are taken from this world, there will be massive panic and desperation. People will be scrambling to find a way out. The pages of Revelation will come to life and those who thought they had more time to get right with God will be desperate. But who they know and what they’ve accomplished will mean nothing.
Admit it. We are overwhelmed with the evil that we see and we just want God to smite the evildoers and be done with it. Yet, He waits. Why? Because He wants to give many the opportunity to turn their hearts to Christ. He doesn’t want any to perish...and neither should we.
Rather than complain and worry about how bad things are getting, let’s pray. Really pray. Let’s point our sons and daughters to the value of an eternal focus and get them to pray as well. Pray for those being persecuted. Pray for those who fear for their lives. Pray for believers, that they would stand strong in their faith and pray for unbelievers, that they would come to know Jesus. We can do that, right?
But here’s a challenge for you….pray for the evildoers. That’s a shocking thing to think about. Maybe it startled you to read it. Good. Jesus died for them too. They are image-bearers. Despite the evil that indwells them, they have a Father in Heaven who longs to have relationship with them. 2 Peter 3:9 says “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” That “ALL” includes even the most evil people. They need Christ. It is not for us to decide who deserves prayer. It is just up to us to follow Christ in obedience. Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”
God has the power to do more than we could ask or think. Today, sit down and make a list of the most unlikely people to be prayed over, and then do it. Pray for them, sincerely. Pray for those you struggle to love. Pray for those whose actions repulse you. Pray for those who seem too far gone to ever be saved. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” Pray for them by name or affiliation and ask God to work in hearts and minds. Ask Him to let them see Jesus. His mercy is great.
And then pray for our sons and daughters that they would have a heart that longs to see others know God’s mercy.
Pray without ceasing.
Expect Mercy
Hebrews 4:16. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
As a school-aged child, the thought of being sent to the Principal’s office was often an anxious one. If we were sent there, it likely meant we did something wrong and we would have to face the consequences. We knew enough about the Principal to know he was an authority figure who we feared. We likely carried our backpack and waited with trepidation to hear our sentence. We expected punishment.
But, if the Principal was a friend, someone we trusted who treated us with kindness, we might find ourselves eager to stop in and say hello. The office wasn’t a place to be feared but a welcome place where we were seen and encouraged. We could drop our backpack, unload our worries and likely get a sticker and a smile to encourage us. Even if there we’d done wrong, we trusted those there to treat us fairly.
When we mess up in life, what is it that we fear most? If we don’t know the Lord, maybe we fear the consequences of what we’ve done- the fallout from our choices, actions and words. Perhaps we struggle with the angst of ‘karma’ and the just repercussions of what we deserve. We drag our baggage with us with no sign of relief or rest and no expectation of any mercy. Or maybe we know enough to understand the wrath of God is to be feared… and we fear how it will impact us.
But knowing about God and knowing God are two very different things.
If we know the Lord, we should understand the mercy of a Loving Father. He welcomes us into His throne room. We can run in without hesitation, drop our baggage and throw ourselves into His merciful embrace. He’s got mercy for us in abundance. No, He won’t excuse away our willful sin, but He will forgive our trespasses when we come to Him with a contrite heart. He wraps His loving arms around us and tells us that His mercy is enough to cover all of our mistakes, completely and for all time. We can approach His throne of grace with confidence, not fear and expect mercy.
What do our sons and daughters understand about God’s mercy, really? Let’s pray Hebrews 4:16 over them today and ask the Lord to help them know and have confidence in His mercy.
“Heavenly Father, I pray for (name) today that they would, with confidence, draw near Your throne of grace. Lord, don’t let them be anxious or fearful, but to come before you knowing that You love them and want to welcome them in, show them grace and mercy and help them in their time of need. Lord, work in (name)’s heart this morning. Help them not just know ‘about’ You, but to know You personally and to love you deeply. Help them to be confident they can trust You with anything, even their worst mistakes, knowing You will treat them with grace and mercy. Lord, be near to them today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Sunday Worship: Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me
Songwriters: William M. Runyan / Thomas O Chisholm / Eric Allyn Schrotenboer
Saturday Prayer Review
Don’t stop praying!! Even when we don’t see progress, God is working! Even when we can’t understand what He’s doing, He’s got a plan!! Trust. Pray. Believe.
Take time to name your worries and lay them before the Lord. Remind yourself of God’s faithfulness and that He is the Creator who commands the wind and the waves. He can calm the storm in our hearts and minds. Meditate on the Lord’s faithfulness, strength and protection. Trust Him with your precious ones and pray for them by name.
Pray for that our sons and daughters would walk faithfully with the Lord. Pray for those who are wandering off or running away. He knows what path they will take and, like a watercourse, He can and will direct it. Remember, sometimes He allows us to follow our rebellion, but He’s still in control. We need to trust Him and pray for softened hearts and ears that hear, eyes that see spiritual truth and minds that understand.
Thank the Lord for all of the times He’s shown His faithfulness to you and to your family. Recount the ‘Stones of Remembrance’ that will serve as reminders for future generations.
Pray Lamentations 3:22-23 for our sons and daughters today. “The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”
Now, pray Psalm 33:4 “For the Word of the Lord is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness.” Thank the Lord for His faithfulness and ask Him to continue working in the hearts of your sons and daughters.
Pray without ceasing, friends. God is faithful!
Daily, Abundant Faithfulness
“The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
“For the Word of the Lord is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness.” Psalm 33:4
“Tomorrow is another day” “Things will look better in the morning” “One day at a time” These are all good reminders that hint at something of more substance, something that is coming that should encourage us. But as believers, Lamentations 3:22-23 are the ‘golden nugget’ verses that we should carry with us. God’s lovingkindness never ceases- never!! And...it’s new and fresh every morning!! His compassions NEVER fail and his faithfulness is great. Wow!! (Someone should put that on a poster! ;-))
Friends, how do we encourage our sons and daughters? Do we just tell them ‘things will look better in the morning’ or do we go all-out and give them Lamentations 3:22-23? What would WE find most encouraging?
When our sons and daughters say “I messed up today” “Today was awful” “I can’t wait until this week is done” - it’s a perfect opportunity to encourage them with those promises from Lamentations.
But, when things are difficult for a prolonged time, what then? Friends, this is when we talk to our sons and daughters like the adults they are. This life was not meant to be ‘all the things’. We live in a fallen world and what God intended for us was corrupted by sin. Yes, there will be pain and suffering. Yes, we will face disappointment, betrayal and injustice. But ALL of God’s work is done in faithfulness. His work in our lives is to make us more like Christ- a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3) If we lived our best life here, would we long for Heaven? If everything was pleasant all the time, would we realize our need for God? Oh, ALL his work is done in faithfulness. We need to trust Him. His mercy is new everyday and is always enough for what we will face while we walk with Him. Today, encourage your sons and daughters with these scriptures.
“Lord, thank You for the promises You give us in Your word that assure us of Your faithfulness and strength for each day. I pray that You would work in (name)’s heart and mind today to encourage them. Give them Your assurance. Help them to see that You are always faithful and You have purpose in each and everything they might face. Give them strength to keep walking with You. Feed their soul today with Your Word. Bring others alongside to encourage them. I pray that they would personally know your new mercy today and would draw on that to sustain them. Don’t let them try and ‘conserve’ or hoard it… it’s new every day, let them lean on it fully. Let them drink eagerly from Your well of living water and know with confidence it will never run dry. Lord, sustain them today, I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Faithful Promises
Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
Have you ever held onto a certificate or coupon, guarding it carefully, only to realize it expired, lost its value and is now worthless? That once-treasured ticket of much value is only paper now.
Hebrews chapter 10 explains how Jesus’ blood sacrifice and resurrection open the way for us to stand in the Holy of Holies- in the very presence of God. If we have faith that Christ’s substitutionary atonement was and is sufficient to atone for our sin, we have an eternal promise from that Lord that He sees us as His own. He is faithful. He doesn’t go back on His promises. His guarantee never expires and the seal of the Holy Spirit on our lives, marking us as saved, redeemed, adopted and beloved, that seal will never lose its value or expire.
Let us hold fast to the confession of our faith without wavering- because He who promised is FAITHFUL!!
Friends, do our sons and daughters have this depth of confidence and security in their faith? Do they trust that once saved, they will always belong to the Lord? God doesn’t offer salvation and indwell us just to change His mind and cast us aside. We have an anchor for our souls that can weather any storm, whether physical or spiritual. Our Lord is faithful!!
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters fully understand the depth and longevity of God’s faithfulness to them.
“Heavenly Father, thank You for your Faithfulness to us- it’s hard to comprehend with our finite minds the infinite nature of your Faithfulness and Goodness to us. I pray that even today, (name) would begin to really understand just how faithful, reliable, and true You are. Lord, grow their faith and deepen their trust. Strengthen their grip so they can hold fast to the faith they have. Make them strong, Lord, so they don’t waver. This life is unpredictable, but You are steadfast. Circumstances can become difficult and tumultuous, people can be unreliable and hurtful, but You are steady; You are peace; You are the anchor for our souls in the hard of this life. I pray that (name) would know this, believe this and live with confidence in Your faithfulness to them. Lord, build their faith and trust today. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Faithful Through the Generations
Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,”
Often when we gather as families, we reminisce about significant events, fun times, funny things that happened to us. We laugh and recall with joy those things that stand out in our memories. But do we take time to recount the ways God has been good to us? Do we really share the miraculous and mundane ways God made Himself known?
Friends, if we are believers, we are building a legacy of faith for our children, grandchildren and generations yet to come, if the Lord tarries. It’s hard to imagine next week, but a thousand generations? Yet, this is what God promises!! It’s likely very few people in history thought their story would have significance, yet, how beautiful is it to read stories of those who lived faithfully for the Lord? What about the stories of those who left all they knew to carry the gospel to another land and people? They were doing what God called them to- yet we learn so much about His faithfulness in the midst of their daily obedience. What is it that we want our children, grandchildren and future generations to know about God’s faithfulness to us?
Let’s be bold and share those stories of God’s faithfulness. Write them down. Share them with your family. Record them where they can be heard. Someone, someday, will read or hear them and be encouraged. They will become the treasured stories that evidence God’s goodness and faithfulness to your family through the generations. What accounts of God’s faithfulness can you recall today?
Today, take some time to write out the accounts of God’s faithfulness to you...then share it with your sons and daughters. It may feel awkward at first, but go on and do it. The more you testify, the more excited and appreciative you will be of God’s faithfulness and the more you will come to love Him. Create those ‘Stones of Remembrance’ so that when future generations ask “What is that?” You can beautifully testify to God’s loving faithfulness to you...and to them!
Pray without ceasing!
Faithful, Despite Our Choices
2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
Sometimes our hearts ache to see the path our children choose. Oh, as a child they loved Jesus, so very much. They were excited to go to church. They sang songs with their whole heart; and the joy they had in knowing the Lord was contagious. Their passion and energy inspired us!
But along the way, something changed. They grew indifferent, or even cold. They bristle at the mention of His name. They are arrogant and confident that they don’t need the Lord.
Friend, is your heart aching this morning?
Jesus sees and He knows. His word does not return void. Even the hardest hard isn’t impenetrable by the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. If our sons and daughters made a commitment to the Lord, He will not disown them. ! Corinthians 6:17 says “But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.” He will remain faithful. He cannot deny Himself.
We only see what is ‘right now’. We can’t see the future. But we can pray and trust, because God is already there. He exists outside time and He is the Master of all things, time included. He knows what path our son or daughter will take and like a watercourse, He can and will direct it. Sometimes He allows us to follow our rebellion, but He’s still in control. We need to trust Him and pray for softened hearts and ears that hear, eyes that see spiritual truth and minds that understand and discern wisely..
It’s not too late, really, it’s not. Keep trusting and resting in the sovereignty, power and faithfulness of God.
“Lord, You know the burden in my heart for (name). I pray that even today, Holy Spirit, You would move and work in them. Open their eyes to see the rebellion they have puts them on a spiritual trajectory to a dead end. Bring them back to the joy and passion they had for You when they were a child. I pray that even as they sleep, the verses they memorized would flow through them and ignite a hunger and thirst for righteousness. As they go through their day, bring those beautiful scripture songs to mind to renew their first love. Thank you for Your faithfulness Lord. I pray that even today, You would bless us with a glimmer of change, a softening of (name)s heart and a step toward repentance and restoration in Jesus. It’s in His name I pray, Amen.”
Pray without ceasing. God is faithful.