Lenten Meditations- Live Like Jesus
Philippians 2:5 "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus."
Let’s keep on praying for believers, worldwide. We are the Church, the Body, and the Bride. How should we live in these days?
It's not about us speaking our mind, it's about us living, walking, and talking as if our relationship with Jesus is the most precious thing to us- it should be! The Church needs to have the same mindset as Jesus-
"Who made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:7-8
What do we need to die to today? What do we need to surrender to the Lord for His purposes and glory? Let's take on the role of God's servants- willingly doing what He calls us to do and finding joy in it.
Today, pray for the global body of believers that in these last days we can live like Jesus and model what it means to follow Him with our lives.
Pray without ceasing
Lenten meditations to prepare our hearts for Resurrection Day
How Should We Live?
"Be on your guard;
stand firm in the faith;
be men of courage;
be strong." I Corinthians 16:13
How might we live differently if we KNEW Jesus would return today? Would we share our faith more boldly? Would we live without worry and fear?
If our sons and daughters are believers in Jesus, they are members of the Body of Christ, the Church, the Bride of Christ. We need to pray they will actively pursue their relationship with Jesus and live it out so others can see the fruit.
Today, let’s pray the Church lives purposefully (confident in our 'why') and intentionally (making it happen), ready to meet our Savior and actively sharing the hope that we have with those who don't know Him.
Pray that believers around the world are watchful and vigilant, that they will stand fast and persevere in their faith in Christ, pray they would be brave and be ever-strengthened in their faith and commitment to Jesus.
Pray for the Body of Believers to live in genuine love.
John 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Love: agape= affection, benevolence.
By THIS. By living in and showing love everyone will know we are a Christ follower.
Not by our knowledge. Not by our music. Not by our preaching or spiritual words. Not by our approval. Not by our service. But they will know because they see the evidence of our love toward one another and toward those around us. It’s a love that’s given freely, it’s not earned. It’s not to be used as leverage, it’s poured out generously. It doesn’t ask to be reciprocal and doesn’t wait for an equal exchange. They will know that we, the Church, the Body of Christ, are His followers because our love is unlike that of this world; it is God-generated and God-sustained.
Our sons and daughters need to understand the 'basics' of what Christ calls us to...and we as parents, role models, older believers, need to live it out so that they can clearly see what Christ means by this.
“Lord, please work in the Body of Christ today so that everything we say and do is motivated by and eclipsed by Godly love. I pray that we would not show love based on how others treat us, accept us, or affirm us, but that we would love unconditionally. Help us to love the unlovely. Help us to love when it’s not the natural response we might have. Help us to love as Jesus loved so that when others see us, they really see Him. Work in Your Church today. Help us to love like You love so that others will know we are Christ followers, not by our words, but by our actions. Build up Your Church, Lord. Protect us and deepen our walk with You so that as days grow darker, we can be salt and light to show others You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
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
Dear Children…Don’t Let Anyone Lead You Astray
“Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”
Have you ever been deceived? It’s an awful realization, isn’t it? When you believe and trust in someone or something, only to realize that what you believed to be true, thought you understood and wholeheartedly supported is not what it seemed. It can throw you for a loop. And watching someone go through it can be equally as difficult…especially when that other person doesn’t recognize the deception.
Deception is a slippery slope that pulls people further and further from the Truth and into false hope, misdirected loyalty, and often, victimization. Deception leads to loss of resources, relationships, and hope. It’s a ploy of the enemy to convince people to believe a lie, isolate them from one another and keep them from following Christ.
But how do you recognize deception? How can you spot a ‘fake’? Those who are trained to spot fake money and art look for certain characteristics and inconsistencies. But in order to do so, they have to have intricate knowledge of the original before they are able to spot a fake. Our sons and daughters need to have strong knowledge of Scripture and a consistent, growing relationship with the Lord in order to protect themselves from deception. Inch-deep knowledge and casual practice of spiritual disciplines leave us vulnerable to being led astray by teachers whose teaching “sounds similar” but whose doctrine weaves in error and deception.
The enemy will try to convince us that what we’re following is “okay” or “not really as bad as we might think”, or even label it as “my truth” so others cannot tell us it’s wrong. If he can do that, then he is accomplishing his goal of deception and disruption. Lord have mercy! Our sons and daughters need to be on guard!!
1 John 3:7-8 says, “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”
So, how do we recognize and avoid deception? How do we remain faithful? We need to pray that our sons and daughters will:
Recognize God’s Truth:
Colossians 1:9-14 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Be able to identify falsehood
Jude 1:17-19 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.”
2 John 2:7, 9-11 “I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work.
Avoid evil:
Proverbs 16:17 “The highway of the upright avoids evil; those who guard their ways preserve their lives.”
I John 1:6 “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.”
Fellowship with other believers who walk in the Truth:
Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
Listen to the Holy Spirit Who lives in us- He will help us recognize those who walk with Christ in genuine fellowship vs. those who are ‘posers’.
1 John 4:6 “We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.”
Strive to maintain a testimony that gives evidence of Christ in us- our life should speak truth and give evidence of Christ to others
3 John 1:3 “ It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.”
Today, let’s pray these scriptures over our sons and daughters. But let’s also pray for the Body of Believers. Satan is strong, yes, but the God that lives in us is stronger and He holds the victory!! Let’s pray He will surround us with His mighty protection and keep us walking faithfully.
Pray without ceasing.
My Dear Children…Continue in Him
“And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.” 1 John 2:28
Ask any parent who loves the Lord what they truly want for their sons and daughters. Most would be quick to say they want nothing more than to know their children continue with God, walk faithfully, hold tightly, trust unwaveringly.
Persistence is a characteristic necessary for life, isn’t it? If we don’t persist, we don’t learn, accomplish, grow, or survive. There are so many sayings that tell us to keep going- it’s a theme across all generations and cultures. Dory, in Finding Nemo, sang, “just keep swimming,” and people quickly picked up on the melody…and the positive message…to remind themselves to press on. Country music croons to us to “keep on keeping on.” Elisabeth Elliott, a Christian author and teacher, faced extraordinary circumstances when, as a young mother with a 10 month old baby, her husband was killed on the mission field. In the days following, she would remind herself to “just do the next thing” because life was so difficult and she struggled to know how to manage it.
Those who lived in Biblical times struggled to manage and persist, too. Life was hard. There was loss and grief; there were obstacles and opposition. The Apostle John knew there was even more to come- the Christian life was not easy and persecution was very real. He gently and lovingly wrote 1 John 2:28 to encourage the believers, “And now, dear children, continue in Him, so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.”
Dear children, continue! Don’t give up! Persist!! Press on! It wasn’t a rallying cry for the sake of survival, but for the promised reward of standing before the Lord, confident and unashamed. John redirected their focus from the circumstances to the Purpose and the goal.
When we pray that our sons or daughters ‘continue’ in the Lord, we might picture a steady walk in the right direction, not wavering or wandering. But if we look at the word ‘continue’, ‘meno’ in Greek, it actually means, “to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy; to abide or remain” (1).
If we’re serious about praying for our children to continue in the Lord, we need to pray for these aspects of ‘continuing’ specifically.
Our place: When we hear someone say, “Know your place”, it’s often a reprimand to keep quiet, don’t presume you have a right to speak or interject. But in Christ, we have a place that qualifies us to step into His presence, speak to Him freely, live with confidence, and face the future with hope. We are children of the King! We have home and a place at His table. We’re not a visitor or a stranger, we’re family. We’re brought into His protection, welcomed and adopted as His very own. We have a place and we belong.
Psalm 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
Ephesians 2:6 says, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,”
Our state: As believers, our condition is confirmed. We are no longer condemned! The state of the believer is one that brings hope! We are forgiven, redeemed, justified, sanctified, and accepted with the promise of eternity in His presence. We are no longer slaves to sin and our sinful nature.
Romans 8:1-2, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.”
Our relationship: Our relationship with and to the Lord is confirmed; we are His children and his heirs.
Romans 8:15-17 “...rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.”
Our hope: We can live with eager expectation and hope because we are His heirs and He’s promised us a life in His presence.
Ephesians 1:18-19 “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.”
Revelations 21:3-4 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
When we pray for our children to continue in their faith, we’re not praying that they have the personal strength to keep walking…we’re praying they will remain in Christ, unmoved, not deceived, not led astray by false teachers or lured by temptation. We also pray that they would have a fixed position that is anchored in Christ. We pray they would understand God’s precepts and would live with conviction as a forgiven, redeemed, justified and sanctified child of God. A child who holds fast to their position in Christ and to their inheritance as an heir of the promise. We ask the Lord to help them live with hope, not looking to this world for satisfaction, joy and rescue, but to Christ alone. He provides everything they need for this life and for eternity. Finally, we pray that they will stand unashamed at His coming because they truly understand who they are and Whose they are.
Today, let’s pray that our dear children will continue in Christ and all that it means to do so. Colossians 1:9-12 is a great scripture passage to pray over our sons and daughters. Or take time to write out a specific prayer naming your child/children and praying over all of the aspects of what it means to continue in their walk with the Lord.
Colossians 1:9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, 14 in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Pray without ceasing
G3306 - menō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3306/niv/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/
May the Lord Guard Your Coming In and Your Going Out
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip- He who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life;
The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
The LORD will watch over your coming in and going out both now and forevermore.
As we prepare to wrap up 2023 and head into a new year, we likely will look back at what has been and forward to what might come. We cheer the accomplishments and mourn the losses. We keep count of what matters and resolve to do better in the new year to come. We ponder those things that made us laugh and cry and those people whose presence made our year more memorable and meaningful, whether for good or for difficult. We grieve what was lost, or what could have been, but was not. The turn of the calendar is nostalgic and full of hope.
Yet, the change of date, turn of the page and setting of a new calendar year doesn’t change anything. God is constant. He doesn’t need a refresh. He isn’t moved by new starts or resolutions. He always was and always is and always will be.
The photo above shows scripture from Psalm 121. It was found embedded in a mosaic on the floor of an ancient 7th century church in Jerusalem. “May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.” As the believers traversed the floor, it was a ready reminder of God’s protection and goodness.
What a sweet and powerful blessing to pray over those we love! As we come into 2024 and go out of 2023!
The Lord IS mighty and able to guard us in anything we might face. That’s such a comfort as we step into a new year, isn’t it? The word ‘guard’ in Hebrew is ‘samar’ and it means, “to keep watch, preserve, to hedge about, as with thorns, guard, protect, and attend to”. It’s more than just watchfulness, it’s an all-encompassing protection. When shepherds would care for their flocks, they would construct a hedge or barrier of thorns to keep the sheep safe from predators, especially those who lurked in the darkness. When the Lord guards out going out, He encompasses us on all sides with His powerful protection and His attentive watchfulness, ready to keep us from harm and from the enemy that would seek to destroy us. This world is dark, but our Lord is mighty to guard and protect.
He guards out going out (yasa). In Hebrew it means “to go, bring or lead out, both literally and figuratively. It can also mean to go abroad, send with a commandment, spread, go to and fro.” (2) You see, whether we step out with intention, of maybe we wander a bit, perhaps we receive orders or a call to go somewhere specifically or take a step into something new, God is guarding and guiding. He is good to go and be wherever we are. What a sweet assurance and comforting blessing! No matter where our sons or daughters go…or are sent, our God is with them. We can rest knowing He’s there, even when we cannot be.
God guards our coming in, our ‘bo’ in Hebrew. Bo means “to come, call, carry, enter, fetch, follow, pull in, grant, lead, or send.” God may bring us in willingly, or maybe we are kicking and screaming…either way, our Father is present and active. He grants us entrance into so many things: a new season, a new year, and new opportunities to learn and grow. We may be called, led, carried or pulled, but God is right there. Our going out and our coming in are all in His hands, and we are assured He will guard every step.
The amazing thing is that God’s guarding is not dependent on clock or calendar, nor on our willingness or submission. God is not limited by those things that limit us. He guards both now, right at this present moment and forevermore for all eternity, time without end. Always. Ever. Without fail.
“May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.”
As we get ready to step into 2024, we don’t know what the year may hold, but it’s certain that some will have great joys and others, deep sorrow. Some may be waiting, and the new year will be a time of expectant hope. Some will recognize blessings overflowing while others may have abundant blessings, yet not recognize them for what they are. There may be peace and joy or pain and longing. But there is one constant of which we can be assured. The Great I AM. Jehovah- the Existing One. Our God is steady and unchanging. Though the calendar may change, and the weeks and months fly by, God remains ever present and watchful, always providing and protecting. Nothing surprises Him or catches Him off guard. There is nothing out of His reach or too strong for His mighty hand and outstretched arm to overcome. Long before December 31, 2023, arrived, He knew what the day would hold and the year leading up to it. And when we wake to see His new creation of January 1, 2024, we can know we are watching God fulfill His plan, set in motion before the world began, for that good day.
Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
The calendar shouldn’t determine how we approach the next day or the next year, God is our portion forever. Forever! Though a new year will bring something new, our God is the Ancient of Days. The LORD will watch over our coming in and our going out both now and forevermore. Forevermore!! Change is inevitable, but our Lord is unchanging and always present. He is good and we can trust Him to work and do what is for our good and His glory. Let’s not look to the ‘ball’ that drops as the sign that a new year will bring hope and good change. Let’s look to the Lord who stands, ever present and strong.
“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- He who watches over you will not slumber; Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand- The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life; The LORD will watch over your coming in and going out both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121
Today, let’s pray for our loved ones as we welcome the new year. Pray that what is behind doesn’t define or derail them. Pray that what is ahead is powerfully held in the mighty hands of the Father and that they trust His strong grip on their life. Pray that they look to the Lord for their strength and hope. Pray that the Lord would watch over their going out of 2023 and their coming into 2024 and would keep them ever pursuing Him, following His steps carefully and listening to His voice attentively, a sheep of His pasture, eager to be His child, surrounded by His watchful care.
“May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.”
What a generous blessing to pray over our loved ones!!
Pray without ceasing.
1. H8104 - šāmar - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8104/kjv/wlc/0-1/
2. H3318 - yāṣā' - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3318/kjv/wlc/0-1/
3. H935 - bô' - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h935/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Giving Right Gifts
Any parent knows, our kids are not shy about telling us what they’d like to receive when it comes to birthdays, Christmas, or special occasions. When they were little, their ‘wants’ were often communicated by the toy catalog left conveniently on the table with items circled in sharpie on nearly every page. As they grew, their lists transformed to notes on the fridge and texts to our phones. Now they have apps that help them share their lists, and there’s the ever-convenient Amazon wish list is always handy. They’re always keen to let us know exactly what they really want.
And gift giving is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? It’s fun to receive them, but as a parent, we know how much joy we have in giving them! It’s so much fun to shop for someone we love and wrap up that special gift so that it’s beautifully presented. Then we wait in anticipation while the recipient eagerly opens the gift. But sometimes….sometimes we shop with OUR wants in mind, we choose things that we think they will like…or that we want them to like. Then, as the open their gift, we watch their eyes go from sparkling with anticipation to thinly veiled disappointment when they realize we didn’t follow the request. We didn’t give them the gift they really wanted, the thing they specifically asked for. We didn’t follow directions and the gift falls flat.
Don’t we do that with God, friends? We tend to offer him what we think He would like, giving Him the things we want to give rather than what He’s really asked us to offer. We make sacrifices according to our preferences, but we neglect to pay attention to what God asks of us. Then, we wonder why His response toward us is not what we hoped. We gave. We sacrificed. But we didn’t obey. Our gift wasn’t welcomed because it wasn’t what He asked us to give.
It’s important that our sons and daughters learn how to make right offerings and sacrifices to the Lord. Because it’s not about what we think the Lord will like, it’s very specifically about what He asks of us.
Genesis 4:2b-7 “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
Abel brought the right sacrifices. He did what the Lord commanded. He offered the best of his flock and shed blood to atone for his sin. Cain brought what he considered a good sacrifice, his best produce- the fruit of the land. Yet, it wasn’t what God commanded. It wasn’t acceptable. It was a poor substitution and unworthy. We know that Cain went on to kill his brother out of jealousy and then lie to God about the whole thing.
But we need to ask ourselves, how often do we bring to God what we consider our ‘best’ yet it isn’t what He asks for at all? We give what we want to give Him rather than what He requires.
Do you see? It wasn’t the quality of the fruit and produce Cain brought, it was his disobedience toward the Lord in not bringing what the Lord commanded. What God warned him of was exactly what happened, “if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” The sin of jealousy and murder took over.
Later in Scripture, the same was repeated with King Saul when He didn’t obey God’s instructions to completely destroy the Amalekites.
“The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?” “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” 1 Samuel 15:17b-21
Saul did what HE thought best. And his actions impacted the nation of Israel and threatened their very survival. You see, years later, in the book of Esther, Haman, an official in the court of King Xerxes, tried to kill all of the Jews. He plotted to destroy them and wipe them from the earth. And who was Haman? He was a descendant of Agag (Esther 3:1), the very king Saul was told to kill and did not. Had it not been for God’s intervention through Esther and Mordecai, Israel would have been destroyed. Saul’s disobedience had serious repercussions. And his sacrifices meant nothing when they came from a heart that followed its own desires and not the Lord’s.
Our actions have consequences. We teach our sons and daughters that very lesson when they are children, that obedience is important. But as they grow into adulthood and gain their independence, the ease and desire to do what they want comes easily. Obedience to God can become secondary. We need to pray fervently that our sons and daughters will remember and practice the importance of obedience to God. We need to pray that they will understand what right sacrifices and offerings are that God requires and not lean on their own understanding for what is acceptable (Proverbs 3:5-6). We need to pray that they don’t ‘outgrow’ obedience.
The prophet Samuel called Saul to account for his selfish disobedience:
1 Samuel 15:22-23a ““Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.”
Ultimately, his disobedience led to Saul losing his role as King, and his life as well. God doesn’t want our attempts to win His forgiveness and approval after we do what we want. He wants us to obey him first and always. He desires our obedience. Let’s not try and ‘guess’ what God might want from us, instead, let’s dig into His word and learn what He calls us to do.
God promises blessings when we obey, and not just on us, but on our children and grandchildren:
Psalm 103:17-18 “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”
Isn’t that a gift worth giving? Let’s commit to pursue obedience so that we can gift the Lord’s love and righteousness to our children’s children and leave a legacy of obedience and joy in following Jesus. Then, let’s pray that our sons and daughters do the same.
“Father, You call us to a life of obedience. How silly of us to think that our limited, flawed, selfish hearts would know better than You what You desire from us. Lord, when we veer off to our own ‘wish list’ of things we think You want from us, we selfishly pursue what our own hearts want rather than what You ask of us. We know the heart is deceitful above all things. Help us to do what is right because sin is crouching at the door, waiting for the opportunity to lure us away. Give us an Abel heart- one that desires to sacrifice what You ask and to obey your commands. Help us to pursue You with an undivided heart because double mindedness will certainly be our downfall. May our obedience to You be the evidence to others of our faith and our hope. “But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:” 1 John 2:5 Lord, help us to set a right example for our sons and daughters and let them do the same for their children. I pray that our family would have a Godly heritage that points others to Christ and brings honor and glory to Him. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
What IS Perfect Love?
Ah, we all long for that ‘perfect love’ don’t we? As parents, we hope and pray our sons and daughters will find ‘the one’. When the main character looks at his love interest and says, “You complete me”, we melt and hope that someone, someday, would say the same to us. We all love a sweet love story and a beautiful wedding. We gush over the newlyweds as the “perfect couple” with a perfect love. Everything is rosy.
And then life happens. What was once beautiful can become ugly. What was once perfect compatibility becomes irreconcilable differences. Love as we know it can fade and cool. Its endurance and length of days are terminal. Love is used as a tool for manipulation, a weapon to gain control, a bargaining chip to leverage and win battles. It is meted out to those ‘deserving’ of it and withheld from those who do not. There are separations and divorces, and attempts to try again, after the healing. Love between two people will never be perfect because we’re all flawed and sinful and in reality, perfect love seems elusive. We are prone to hurt one another because, at the heart, we are selfish people, aren’t we? We all want and need something in return. And when we look to another flawed person to fill that void, we expect them to provide something that, in their limited capacity, they cannot perfectly supply.
And those are the parameters by which we, as fallen sinners, learn to define love. We are finite and our experiences and understanding are as well. We have an incorrect, even corrupt, understanding of love. We must ask, are we setting our sons and daughters up for a Biblical understanding of love, especially if we’ve experienced flawed relationships, hurt, pain, and disappointment ourselves. What have our sons and daughters witnessed to shape their understanding of love?
God tells us, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18. What is perfect love? The word perfect in Greek is the word “telios” which means to be complete, lacking nothing to be brought to full completion (1). And love, agape, means affection, goodwill or benevolence, to be charitable (see a need and move to fill it) (2).
But nothing we see around us seems to fit that description, does it? And love, the lack of love, the need for love and the attempt to find love can generate such fear and heart-crushing disappointment. Oh, friends, this is a prayer point that should drive us ALL to our knees- that we, our sons, and our daughters would have a correct, Biblical understanding of love.
Let’s look at perfect love through Scripture:
First, the focus of perfect love never resides with another person, but with God Himself. When we look to another human being, even those who are in the family of God, to provide perfect love, we are expecting them to deliver something that exceeds their capacity and capability. No man (or woman) is perfect. Yes, they can mirror and reflect Christ, but they will never be perfect. Perfect Love is from and in Christ. His love is limitless, boundless, and eternal.
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Jesus demonstrated that perfect love for us when He gave His life on the cross to pay for our sins and make a way for us to be justified, redeemed and restored to the Father.
Romans 5:8 “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Perfect love is only and always generated from and sustained by God Himself.
Second, God’s love will never fade or become incompatible with us. His love will not cool. He will never become disinterested or disillusioned. His is the ministry of reconciliation, always working and moving to bring us into intimate fellowship with Himself. He’s always reaching out and drawing in.
Colossians 1:19-20 “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Him (Christ), and through Him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Romans 5:17-19 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
Third, God will always, always, always remain faithful. There is nothing we can do to make Him not love us. He won’t find comfort in the arms of another. He IS perfect love and so He doesn’t need to look elsewhere for it nor does He need us to fulfill His needs. No, He chooses to love us unconditionally so that we will find our complete fulfillment in Him! He completes us!
2 Timothy 2:13 “if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for he cannot disown Himself.”
Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”
Fourth, our limited minds will always struggle to comprehend the unlimited magnitude of God’s love. Though we try, we always default to what we know and have experienced, and thereby we evaluate God’s love by our own experiences. But that is faulty and, honestly, that’s sinful. We must teach our sons and daughters to have spiritual discretion, Scriptural wisdom and a heart and mind trained to hear the Holy Spirit and submit to and follow His teaching. We cannot judge God by human standards, nor can we gauge His love by what we know in this fallen world. The Apostle Paul gave us a powerful explanation in Ephesians 1.
“Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.” Ephesians 1:6
The rulers of this age love to tell us what we should believe and how we should think based on their own ‘wisdom’. They continually trot out their standard of “perfect love” that, given time, shows itself as short-lived, broken, and incapable of truly meeting the needs of the ‘other’. It’s faulty.
“Rather, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no heart has imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed it to us by the Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” Ephesians 1:9-10
God’s love far exceeds what we could EVER imagine!! Isn’t that mind-blowing? Nothing we’ve ever seen or experienced comes close. It IS perfect, complete, and lacking nothing. And it can be ours. What joy!! What mind-blowing generosity!! Pure, perfect love meeting all our needs and providing eternal security, provision and protection!
Oh that we and our sons and daughters would understand the true and perfect love of God. Let’s be careful not to create our expectation or judgment of perfect love based on what we see around us. Let’s always be cautious and only look to Jesus as our example and as the true lover of our souls. And then, let’s rely on the Holy Spirit to help us live like Jesus toward others, showing selfless, faithful love that isn’t based on what someone does for us, but offered freely because God loves them and created them in His likeness.
Today, let’s pray Ephesians 3:14-19 for our sons and daughters, asking God to help them get a glimpse of His perfect love that will eclipse anything and everything they know and have experienced yet in this life. Go on, pray boldly! Pray with hope! Our God wants to lavish His love on us freely and continually!
“Father, Abba, the One who loves me dearly, I pray in Your Son’s name that You would work in (name)’s heart today. “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen (name) with power through his Spirit in (their) inner being, so that Christ may dwell in (name)’s heart through faith. And I pray that (name), being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that (name) may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” May it be so, Lord Jesus. Amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
G5046 - teleios - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5046/niv/mgnt/0-1/
G26 - agapē - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g26/niv/mgnt/0-1/
Benefits of Believing: Lifetime Guarantees
“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6
(blessings, assurances, guarantees)
We have a lot of things that follow us, don’t we? Our reputations, mistakes, our regrets, even our shame all seem to attach themselves to us and we find them hard to shake off. They follow us and seem to make themselves apparent at inopportune times, whether to others or just to ourselves as a grim and nagging reminder of all that we’re not.
As parents, we would gladly unburden our sons and daughters from those things that would define them negatively and remind them of their failures and missteps. It’s a form of bondage that the enemy uses to keep us from being effective, and it’s debilitating.
But God says differently. He casts our sin aside because He paid the price for our sin with His blood and redeemed us at the cross. Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
Our sin doesn’t define us any more. We are made new, the old is gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; The old has gone, the new is here!”
When we become children of God, sons and daughters of the Most High, different things follow us. God ensures that all the days of our life we are hemmed in behind and before with His goodness and merciful love. Psalm 139:5 “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” He reminds us that we are His protected child, Psalm 91:14-16 ““Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
God guarantees us this protection for ALL the days of our life, not some, not most, but all!!
As parents, don’t we long for a lifetime assurance that our sons and daughters will be okay? Believe me, God wants that too- He’s a Father after all.
He’s assured us that if we are His sheep He will care for us, protect us, guide us, accompany us, and provide for us abundantly. But He also promises that surely, SURELY, goodness and love WILL follow us all the days of our life.
The word surely in Hebrew is ‘ak’. It’s an affirmation that means “certainly” or “nevertheless”. “It’s a positive affirmation with emphasis on the expression of a truth: surely there is no doubt.” (1)
Throughout Psalm 23, God shows us all of the ways He cares, protects and provides for us. Then, at the end, He affirms that He will, without question, bless us again (and again and again) with His goodness and loving kindness- always, forever, continually and without fail. God will never ‘fall out of love’ with us. Read that again. God will NEVER not love us. He cannot- it’s not in His nature to not love, because God is love, 1 John 4:11 “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.”
Oh how we want our sons and daughters to believe this and experience it for themselves!! May they know the Love of God intimately, personally, perpetually so that their life is dominated and directed by it. May it be all-consuming, ever-comforting, and perpetually present and tangible to them. Today, let’s pray for just that. That our dear ones would come to understand and experience the goodness of God and His relentless, unexpiring, comprehensive love for them.
“Oh, gracious, loving Father, Abba. You are the One who loved us before we ever knew You. Father, I pray in your goodness and mercy, You would surround (name) today. Show them Your mighty protection from the things of this world that would pull their gaze from You and would seek to deceive them with promises of fulfillment that will never satisfy. I pray that as in Exodus 33:19, all of Your goodness would overflow abundantly to (name). “And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” I pray that not only Your goodness, but Your mercy would be present in (name)’s life. Show them, Lord, how You protect and keep them. Open their eyes to the spiritual shield around them. Give them knowledge and understanding that Your Sovereignty ordains their steps and determines their days. Help (name) crave Your goodness and Your mercy. Lord, may they live out the scripture of Psalm 23, following You as Lord and Shepherd, knowing their needs are fulfilled, their whole being is safe and protected and that their inheritance in the saints is secure. Lord, God, Almighty, I pray that You would draw their heart to Your own so that they desire and seek You all of their days. May they abide in You so that when You call them home, they will abide WITH You, eternally. I pray these things in the precious name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
H389 - 'aḵ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (ESV). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h389/esv/wlc/0-1/
God’s Powerful Anointing
“You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Psalm 23:5b
(life-giving strength, proactive prevention, setting apart)
Did you know that Shepherds anointed their sheep? No, it’s not to set them apart for roles of importance or noble purposes, though human anointing historically served that purpose. The anointing of the sheep is an effort to protect them from insects that would harm them, from sharing disease-causing parasites and from infection caused by parasites (1,2).
The flies that swarm around the flocks pester the sheep and cause them distress. But the flies are not as harmless as one might think. They will lay their eggs in the noses of the sheep. The larvae burrow deeply into the flesh causing pain, infection and, sometimes, blindness. The Shepherd rubs oil all over the sheep's head to keep them from falling victim to those pests they cannot see nor protect themselves against (1,2). Consider how our Shepherd protects us from those tiny, invisible threats that we can’t see, but might render us weakened or blinded to Truth.
Then, the Shepherd also uses the oil to prevent the spread of parasites. You see, as the sheep mingle with one another, they live closely together in the flock, they bump into one another and ‘rub shoulders’. Sometimes the parasites on one sheep will quickly spread to the entire flock, infecting them all. The oil not only prevents the spread, but it accelerates the healing (2). Jesus in His wisdom, anoints us to protect us from false teaching and wrong influences that might spread through His flock. If we’re all anointed, we’re less likely to pick up foreign pests that could derail our faith and we’re more likely to heal quickly when we encounter insult and injury or endure trials and tribulations. His oil of healing is sufficient to heal our wounds.
Finally, the Shepherd rubs the oil on the horns of the sheep to protect them from one another. Sheep are known to butt heads…and aren’t people known for that too? The oil makes the horns slip more easily, preventing serious injury (1,2). Oh how we want to avoid hurting others as we sometimes disagree over how we should live in harmony, how we should do ministry, how we should follow Christ. As sheep, we don’t understand the dangers that wait for us, nor those we might cause to others, but our Good Shepherd does, and He diligently covers us with His protection and His anointing.
You see, as the Shepherd anoints each sheep, He can note any wounds because He’s focusing on each sheep, individually. The anointing isn’t a group event. It’s one by one, as each sheep needs. He carefully checks us over, ensuring that any wound is cleaned and any infection is treated. He removes any ‘invaders’ that might cause sickness or blindness. Our Good Shepherd anoints us each to care for us as individuals. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture (Ps. 100:3).
The New Testament uses the picture of anointing as God’s call on the believer’s life. We are chosen and set apart; we are children of the King. We are healed. We are cleansed. We are sanctified.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
God’s anointing accomplishes so many things… and it fills our cup, it brings spiritual satisfaction and a completeness because we are His own. His anointing on us sets us apart for eternity and ensures that the enemy knows we belong to Jesus. The infectious assault of the enemy can’t destroy us. The oil of healing from our Good Shepherd ensures we are protected and preserved.
Let’s pray that our sons and daughters understand how and why God has chosen them and they grasp the depth of that anointing and experience the overflowing blessings of being God’s chosen child. Let’s pray Scripture over them once more.
“Loving Father, it amazes me to think that You chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in Your sight (Ephesians 1:4) . We are chosen and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12). Today, help (name) to not only recognize this, but to understand it and be changed by it. I pray that (name)’s life would overflow with all of the blessings that come with being Your child, Your beloved, Your chosen one. I pray that (name) would personally experience Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.””
“Give (name) the confidence of 2 Corinthians 9:8 “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” Help them believe that Your blessings are abundant and to see those blessings filling and surrounding them today.”
“I pray Philippians 1:9-11 over (name) today, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.””
“And give (name discernment to understand that Your blessings are not only physical in this world, but they are spiritual and eternal. In this world we will have trouble, that is certain, but You’ve promised us that there is so much more- help (name) not to lose heart. Give them confidence in their anointing and a steady faith that follows after You, no matter the circumstance. I pray that they would live out 2 Corinthians 4:15-17 “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.””
“Lord, let your Word work powerfully in (name) to accomplish Your anointing on their life today, in Jesus’ name, and for His glory, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
1. Ellis, N. (2022, September 11). Why Do Shepherds Put Oil On Sheep? Farm & Animals. https://farmandanimals.com/why-do-shepherds-put-oil-on.../
2. (n.d.). Why Do Shepherds Put Oil On Sheep? Animalovin. https://www.animalovin.com/why-do-shepherds-put-oil-on.../
Extravagant Provision, Abundant Protection
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Psalm 23:5
(rich provision, mighty protection, filling Presence)
A banquet on the battlefield. It’s a sit-down affair, not a grab-and-go meal. God isn’t in a hurry to move us away from our enemies. He’s powerful enough to protect us from their aggression. Instead, God chooses to honor and celebrate His child, in the midst of it all. He doesn’t wait until ‘things are better’, He pours out His rich blessings on us right where we are! That’s our God!
He is mighty and able to hold off the fray and still be Present with us to sit down to a proper meal where it is safe to sit and eat and enjoy His abundance. Imagine the conversation at the table! Oh friends, God prepares good things for us despite the evil world we live in. He doesn’t make us wait until the battle is over- He wants us to open our mouths wide and savor His goodness now! We just have to be alongside Him, present with Him, listening to His instructions and trusting in His strong protection. It’s safe to sit and eat- He’s already won the battle!
Do we encourage our sons and daughters with the victory cry, or do we just sit and cry, worry, fret, and fuss because there are enemies present? Are we settling ourselves in the Lord’s Presence to fill ourselves with Him or are we too stressed (obsessed) and anxious to eat at the Lord’s banquet? Oh how sad that would be- because our God prepares a spread like no other! He wants us to take our fill of His rich blessings and provisions and that means we must fully trust and rest in what He’s doing…even if we can’t see it. He is ever-present, all-knowing, and isn’t constrained by time or location. He is the ultimate Protector and slayer of demons and darkness. He doesn’t need us to worry. He doesn’t need us to fuss or cry. And He certainly doesn’t need us to tell Him how to watch over our sons and daughters. He just wants us to sit at His table, enjoy His presence, savor His provision, and rest in Him. Let’s gather at His table and enjoy His company!
Let's pray that our sons and daughters (and that we) learn how to enjoy the Lord's Presence even in the midst of the battles of this life.
“Oh, Father, how easy it is for us to get distracted by the evil around us. We worry and fret. We fix our eyes on what we can see and that unnerves us and makes us afraid. We fear for our sons and daughters because we love them so. We worry about their safety and their security. We keep ourselves awake at night with all of the “what-ifs”, when all the while there is a beautiful banquet spread for us, just waiting for us to come, sit and partake of Your goodness. Help us to exhibit good habits for those we love. How can we encourage them to trust and obey if we can’t do that ourselves? Lord, move and work in my own heart, then do the same in (name)’s heart. You have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Help us not live in fear but in faith and confidence. Remind us that You are the Victor! You already won the battle. The enemy holds no power over us. We can sit down at Your table and savor the rich blessings You provide for us. You’ve prepared a table for us - help us to accept the invitation to come and fellowship with You. Lord, fill our mouths, our hearts, our minds with Your praise- sweet as honey and satisfying to the soul. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Savor the goodness of our God.
Pray without ceasing.
Dark Valleys, Divine Protection
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley,” Psalm 23:4a
(location, progression)
Dark valleys. We don’t like them; we wouldn’t choose them, yet, most of us have encountered them at some point in our life. The King James version calls it “the valley of the shadow of death”. It could be the physical death of one we love or maybe it’s the death of a dream, a passion, a project or career, it may even refer to dying to ourselves so we can live for Christ. The valley of the shadow of death means there is a deep loss that is present and abiding.
But look at the wording in Psalm 23:4…the valley of the shadow of death. We only see shadows when there is light present. The fact that there is a shadow in the valley tells us there is Light in the valley with us. The Light of God shows us that death is just a shadow- it is powerless to harm us eternally. Jesus conquered the power of sin and death. “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Revelation 1:18. There is nothing Satan can do to separate us from the love of God and from His protection. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
So, although death is inevitable for everyone, it’s not our final destination as believers and we need to cling to that truth. Death, for the believer, is a doorway to the eternal life that God intends us to live with Him in perfect shalom relationship.
Yet, the valley is there and it’s likely we’ll walk through it, perhaps many times while on this earth. But take note of that other phrase, “even though I walk through”. Did you see it? We’re not staying. We’re walking through. The darkest valley isn’t where we settle. It’s not where God intends for us to stay. We don’t put down roots there. We travel through with our Shepherd by our side. It’s a temporary location for us, but not where He intends us to dwell.
Oh how we need to be reminded of this! How our sons and daughters need this encouragement to help them to trust and obey, to follow without faltering, especially through the dark valleys. Jesus endured death so we wouldn’t have to- He conquered death so we could live a victorious life! He walks through the dark valley with us so that we will be reminded that His presence is our light and our assurance. Psalm 56:13 “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”
“But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.” Psalm 49:15
Let’s pray today that our sons and daughters have perspective and assurance when they encounter dark valleys.
“Jesus, You are the light of the world. What a comfort and assurance that is in this dark world. It is so easy to be overwhelmed by the evil that surrounds us and feel as if we’re going to be overcome by it. But You told us that, “whoever follows You will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). I pray that (name) would cling to that Truth. Help (name) to love light more than darkness and to follow after You with all of their heart, mind, and strength. Keep them walking faithfully alongside You in the right paths You choose- even if they lead into dark valleys. Lord, I know You walk with them, remind them of that. Let (name) see visible affirmations of Your Presence today and assure them that wherever You lead them, You will be Present beside them, walking with them through the hardest of times and places. Remind them, too, that the darkness is not where they live. The dark valley isn’t their home. You will lead us out of the valley, You will reach down and rescue us from the deep waters (Ps. 18:16). Lord Jesus, I pray that whatever (name)’s location is, physically or spiritually, that You would give them the strength to move forward, not turning back or to the side and sustain them to endure whatever You lead them to, assuring them that You will, indeed, lead them through it. “The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” Ps 27:1 I pray Your mighty protection over (name), in Jesus’ name, amen.”
”I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4b
(companion, confidence, protection, support)
I will fear NO evil. None. Not even just a little bit, not some, but NO EVIL. How can we be confident of that? How can we encourage our sons and daughters when we’re surrounded by evil in this world? We see it everywhere and it can be overwhelming.
The first thing to remember is that second part of the verse, “I will fear no evil, for You are with me”. God is ever-present and all powerful. He will never leave us or forsake us - those are the very words He used to encourage Moses and Joshua. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) Our God is faithful. It is in his nature and character to be so.
Remember, God has not given us a spirit of fear ...so if we are struggling with fear, where is that coming from? Ah, there it is! The enemy! Ephesians 6:12 says “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
As God shepherds us, He is strong to lead, protect, and save. He’s not just a general who sits in the war room- watching from afar while we fight the battle. He’s not just the captain on the battlefield, seeing only the fight in front of him. And He’s not simply the ‘special forces’ sent in to complete an extraction when things are dire. He is everything we need at all times surrounding us completely and holding us up through it all. He holds fast the spiritual boundaries that keep us safe. He is the strong arm that pulls us out of deep waters and dangerous pits, the sword and shield that hold off the enemy who would try to drag us away. “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.” Psalm 139:5
We have unrivaled protection and support from our loving God. We will fear no evil! Let’s pray that our sons and daughters do not live in fear, but would have confidence that God is with them always, watching, caring, protecting and saving.
Let’s pray scripture over our sons and daughters today:
“The LORD is (name)’s light and their salvation— whom shall they fear? The LORD is the stronghold of (name)’s life— of whom shall they be afraid? When the wicked advance against them to devour them, it is their enemies and foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege (name), (name)’s heart will not fear; though war break out against (name), even then they will be confident.” Psalm 27:1-3
Abba, Father, Almighty Lord, I pray Your word over (name).
(Name) “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.” Psalm 37:1-2
Lord, give (name) strong spiritual confidence in Your protection and watchful care.
“The way of the LORD is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.” Proverbs 10:29
Keep (name) walking and living blamelessly. Guide them on right paths for Your name’s sake. Keep them faithful to You and protect them from fear and from the enemy.
“Therefore, (name) put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13
“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen (name) and protect (name) from the evil one.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3
I pray that (name) would “Fear no evil- sin and death are conquered” Revelation 1:8
Give name strength to stand against the evil one and to live in victory through Jesus, in His name I pray, amen.”
Pray without ceasing, friends.
Prayers of Protection to Pursue Wisdom and Soul Refreshment
The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
Psalm 19:7-9
“Father, I pray that (name) would recognize Your law as perfect- far exceeding the rightness and justice of any man made laws and fully complete in its ability to define what is right and good. I pray that (name) would love Your law and they would continually look to it and find a satisfying refreshment for their heart and soul- one that cannot be replicated by anything this world offers. Restore their soul, Lord, as they follow You and trust in Your Word. Just as you promised in Psalm 23:3 “he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” I pray that You would guide (name) in Your pathways.”
“Give (name)wisdom beyond what this world would grant them and provide discretion as they live by Your words. 1 Corinthians 13:9 “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”” Fill them with joy, Lord, that only You can give when we walk faithfully and consistently with You. There is joy in following Jesus and a contentment that this world will never be able to offer. Help them to value the wisdom from Your Word. Proverbs 16:16 “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!” Proverbs 23:19 “Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path:”
“Help (name) to trust your statutes (laws) understanding that Your words are right and true and You’ve decreed them for our good and for Your glory. Trust is hard sometimes when we see so much brokenness. Remind them that what they see in this fallen broken world is not representative of the way You intended things to be. Sin has worked it’s poison into every aspect of life. Remind them that You are preparing a place for us that is far beyond what we could imagine, and it will bring joy, peace, satisfaction and fulfillment, but remind them too, that following Your laws here will give a glimpse of that life to come. Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Lord, help (name) to embrace Your paths, Your laws and precepts, with uncompromising conviction.”
“Father, I pray that You would remove the veil and allow (name) to see the truth of Your Word and the righteousness of Your ways. Help (name) to turn to You, Lord. “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” 2 Corinthians 3:16 Your Word promises that “Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart” Psalm 97:11. Let it be that (name) enjoys those blessings of the Lord as they pursue Your truth.”
“Above all, Lord, I pray that (name) would fear You because “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding.” Psalm 111:10. I pray Your mighty protection over (name) today and all the days of their life. May they fear You, be wise and unwavering in their commitment to Your laws. Lord, let them reap the rewards of following after You. Protect them from disillusionment, deception, and the influence of those who do not follow You. May (name) be salt and light to their generation and to those who would follow. Lord, help them to be fishers of men, pointing others to the Cross. Your name be praised. Amen.”
The Value of Discipline
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11
Ask any parent whose son or daughter has shipped off to boot camp and they’ll tell you… they don’t like to think about what their kids will face when they’re there. The yelling, the humiliation, the long days…and longer nights- it all makes a Momma’s heart ache with concern. We want to protect them from harm and to those looking on, the practices certainly look harmful. We’ve all heard the stories of excruciating exertion and the drills that tax body, mind and spirit - it’s something we’d rather not see our sons or daughters experience. But it’s all part of the training. We might look at it and think that it’s too much, it’s too harsh, it’s overkill. If we were there we might be tempted to step in and put a stop to it, give them all a break, give the drill sergeant the ‘stink eye’ for being too hard and unkind. We’d want to protect them…. But by helping them avoid the testing, we’d actually be doing them harm. All of those hard things are training them for hardship and building discipline that will carry them through. It’s preparing them for war. That’s even harder to think about.
If our soldiers are called upon to defend our country or to assist an ally, they will be stretched beyond their limits and will endure more than they imagined. They will be sleep deprived. They will be exhausted beyond their limits, but still pushed to give more. They will need to think fast, make life-altering decisions and pursue them with conviction. They will face the enemy and they’ll need to know how to respond. Then, we would be glad for the extreme training they endured because it would make us more confident in their ability to withstand the dangers of war and the advances of the enemy. Boot camp is hard and downright painful. But it’s necessary and it’s all designed with the intention of preparing the soldier to survive and to win the battle because the enemy doesn’t fight with compassion…the enemy fights to destroy.
The question is, do we want our sons and daughters to be comfortable or to be victorious? Our sons and daughters are not possibly headed to war, they’re already there. Do they have the spiritual discipline to be victorious?
Do we want our sons and daughters to be comfortable or to be victorious?
God tells us we have an enemy that seeks to destroy us, spiritually.
1 Peter 5:8-10 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
He assures us that we will all face trials, hardships, and opposition, but these will come to test, strengthen, and build our faith so that we can resist the enemy and come out victorious. Without that testing, we wouldn’t be able to stand firm and without discipline, we wouldn’t produce fruit that gives evidence that we belong to Christ.
James 1:2-4 “ Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
That word “produce” in Hebrews 12:11 is the word “apodidommi” in Greek and it means “to deliver again, give again, restore, reward and yield.” (1) If we accept God’s plan of discipline and training, it will pay off each and every time we go to battle! The training will make us strong and help us endure and come out victorious.
Are we spiritually prepared and strengthened to go up against the enemy?
Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Friends, it’s not a scheduled conflict. We don’t ‘show up’ for a fight, this is guerilla warfare. The enemy stalks us while we’re unaware, he attacks us when we’re weak and unprepared. He seeks to lean into our weaknesses and bait us with those desires that are not of God. He has armies who advance against us, so we had better be prepared. No discipline is pleasant at the time, but when we’re in the midst of battle, we’ll be thankful for it, because it will produce a harvest of peace and righteousness. It will protect us from defeat. It will be the strength and preparation we need to be steadfast against the enemy and to be victorious in Jesus Christ.
We can’t balk if our sons and daughters are called into a spiritual boot camp, because that tells us God is preparing them to be stronger, more secure in their faith, and for a greater work for His kingdom. So, rather than worry about how WE can protect them, let’s get on our knees FOR them. Pray for their endurance. Pray for their strength. Pray that they can see, with spiritual eyes, what God is calling them to and preparing them for. Pray that they remain steadfast and see beyond the realm of the tangible to the spiritual realm where they will do battle with the enemy. And pray for victory.
“Almighty Father, You are Sovereign over all my son or daughter may face today. I pray that You would strengthen (name) to walk unwaveringly with You. Keep their steps firm and make their path straight. Give (name) confidence to trust You, even when life gets difficult. Don’t let (name) weaken or lose their grip, but help them cling tightly to You. Carry them through the hardships they may face today and in the coming days. Increase their faith. Call to mind Scripture that will encourage them and keep them focused on You. I pray, Father, that You would guard them in Jesus’ name. Protect them from the enemy. When they are pressed on every side, surround them with Your Presence. When they are burdened with difficulty, lift them up and train their eyes to look to You. When they are in deep waters, hold back the waves with Your mighty hand so they can see the Rock of Salvation to which they must cling. Lord, build in them the discipline they need to remain faithful to You. I pray this all in the name and through the blood of Jesus, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
G591 - apodidōmi - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g591/niv/mgnt/0-1/
The Trouble with Darkness
Recently there was a blackout in the middle of the night. It was planned and we were all warned it was going to take place, but we didn’t prepare for it.
I awoke about 1:30 am and everything was black. It wasn’t just dark; it was pitch black. It took me a moment to realize what was going on. My eyes were wide open, but I was not seeing anything. It didn’t matter how much I blinked, the dark was impenetrable.
Since I was awake, I decided to get up. I thought I could navigate the room from memory… three steps forward, watch your left foot on the foot of the bed… one more step past the dog bed and turn right, five steps and left into the bathroom, but ‘wham!’ Instead, I ended up bumping clumsily into my husband's dresser… I went a step too far and I missed the doorway. The darkness had totally disoriented my sense of direction and shaken my confidence that I could navigate the room without any light.
Every day I walk around that same room. The furniture has been in the same places for years. Yet, when I couldn’t see anything, it was suddenly not as automatic. On the way back, I measured my steps but met a wall where there wasn’t one before. The darkness was so deep that my human eyes couldn’t discern anything. The darkness brought a kind of chaos to a room that was once well-ordered in the light. It seemed easier to just keep my eyes closed than to try to strain and see.
Finally, I realized that rather than try and look around me (that was fruitless), I relied on what I knew and remembered. It helped guide my steps. I didn’t get distracted by the darkness, but rather, recalled to mind what I knew was true.
As I lay in the dark, I realized how much spiritual symbolism was in those ill-fated moments during the blackout…
1. First, we were warned it was coming, but we didn’t heed the warning.
How many people hear the gospel, yet disregard its importance? They hear the warning about eternity without Christ, yet they don’t give it a second thought? If we look around, we see the signs of the times, nation rising against nation, wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines- it’s all there. Jesus' return is very near. It WILL matter whether you chose to follow Him or not.
John 3:13 “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”
We all have friends and loved ones who know “about” Jesus, but do not walk in relationship with Him. Do our sons and daughters have dull hearing and veiled eyes? When we talk about the dangers of spiritual darkness, do our sons and daughters just ‘bob their heads’ (yeah, yeah, yeah… I’ve heard it all before)? Maybe they pass off our warnings as overreactions. Perhaps they think they have time, or maybe they are indifferent to spiritual things altogether. This darkness is powerful.
John 12:46 “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
We need to pray that the Light of Christ breaks through the darkness and shines a spotlight on their sin, their desperate need for a Savior and on the Truth that will give them life! Let’s pray for deep grief over sin and a hunger and thirst for righteousness.
John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””
2. Darkness disorients us to what is right and true. Spiritual darkness does the same.
Darkness takes what we know and distorts it. It twists and confuses things. It calls into question what we think we know and makes us unsure. We become a target for the Enemy. Disoriented victims are easy to hold captive.
2 Corinthians 11:14-15 “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”
Darkness also lulls us into a false belief that we can navigate this world on our own, without the light of Christ. We clumsily bumble and stumble but pridefully think we’re doing just fine. We’re painfully ignorant or outright stubbornly resistant to admitting our need for Him. Darkness makes us believe a lie.
Proverbs 4:19 “But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.”
Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
We need to pray that the Holy Spirit will move in the hearts of those who don’t yet know Christ and open the eyes of those who are walking in darkness so they see their need for Jesus and long for the Shepherd to lead them. They are living in spiritual chaos, but Christ can bring order and direction.
Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
3. Deep darkness almost forces one to keep their eyes closed- and isn’t that what the enemy wants?!
2 Corinthians 4:4 “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Now is the time to pray scripture over our loved ones. Verses that plead for clear spiritual vision and discernment needed for dealing with the darkness that surrounds all of us and for the protection from the Prince of Darkness that only Christ can give.
Psalm 119:18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
Isaiah 42:16-17 “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. But those who trust in idols, who say to images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back in utter shame.”
4. Finally, we can only battle darkness and confusion with the Truth of God’s Word.
We must turn our eyes to the Truth of the Gospel, the infallibility of Scripture, the Sovereignty and Holiness of God.
2 Samuel 22:29 “You, LORD, are my lamp; the LORD turns my darkness into light.”
Psalm 143:8,10 “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”
2 Corinthians 10:5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Darkness is present. We can’t deny that. Satan prowls like a lion, looking for anyone to devour. But our God reigns and His Word is powerful and effective. It has the ability to deter and defeat the enemy. It brings life and light and penetrate the darkness . Jesus is that Word. Let’s pray continually for our sons and daughters, for our loved ones, for those who don’t know Christ that He would defeat the darkness and lead them to walk in the Light of Life.
Take time today and throughout the week to pray these Scriptures over your sons and daughters, over your friends and loved ones. Put their names into each one, speak them out loud, call on the name and the blood of Jesus to bind the enemy and defeat the darkness.
Jude 1:24-25 “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
When We’re Waiting for an Answer
Think about this. Each night we go to sleep and we give little thought to whether the next day will arrive. We just know that it will.
But tomorrow has never existed before. How can we be so sure it will come? In spite of that question, we don’t worry about whether it will be there when we wake up. We just know that it will. We don’t lie awake wondering what we’ll do if the day doesn’t dawn. We don’t make alternative plans in the event that there is a sudden change or an unexpected twist.
God always brings the new day. It’s always on time. It’s a new creation and a thing of beauty. The birds awaken and begin to sing. The sky melds from its dense blue-black to begin showing hints of pinks and purples, oranges and yellows The sun peeks over the horizon and then everything is seen in the light of the new day.
Psalm 65:8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.
Yet, we often don’t even think about it, do we? We wake up just expecting the day and we get ready and go about our business.
What if?…..What if we approached our deepest prayers in this way? What if we brought them before God, laid them at His feet and then rested, knowing and expecting that He will answer right on time and in the perfect way?
Psalm 143:8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.
God is continually creating right before our eyes, and some of it has become so mundane to us that we miss it. We miss the extravagance of His blessing and the beauty of His creativity. Could it be that we miss His provision and His response to our prayers as well because we’re looking for other things?
Do we spend the night wrestling and worrying rather than resting in His faithfulness to always provide just what we need at the right time?
And we worry. We are consumed by our concerns. Yet the Lord of all creation is the Lord of our heart and He knows our burdens. He already has answers and He knows the perfect time and way in which He will deliver them. All we need to do is trust Him. And wait. We can rest secure knowing the God of creation knows our needs and He is the only one capable to meet them perfectly and the timing is HIs too. He’s never late. And His answers are never incomplete or lacking.
Psalm 5:3 In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
Psalm 88:13 But I cry to you for help, LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.
It’s the waiting that we struggle with, isn’t it? Yet, when we go to sleep at night, we know the morning will come. We just have to wait the appropriate amount of time and then it will dawn.
Our hearts are often heavy for our sons and daughters, aren’t they? Whether it be the choices they’re making or the struggles they're facing, we wrestle in prayer on their behalf, pleading with the Lord for answers and deliverance. We love them so much, it consumes us. We hurt for them and we want to see things made better, made new. What if we allowed our prayer life- our conversations with God- to transform us, too?
Psalm 92:1-2 It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,
Did you read that? Read it again! “Proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,”
What if we approached prayer and expectation just that way. When we wake up, we remind ourselves of His love- He delivered the new day and He longs to give us good gifts. And then, at night, we take time to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness- we can lie down and sleep because we know He will bring the new day- He always does.
If God can create and deliver a whole new day, every day without fail, giving us a day that never existed before, that we are powerless to control its arrival and departure, and then He guides us through it, He can surely answer our biggest prayers and carry our heaviest burdens, can’t He?
In ancient Israel, watchmen would stand on the walls of Jerusalem and would keep watch for enemies in order to call out and put the city on alert for attack. The city could sleep in peace because the watchmen did their work. Likewise, the watchmen would call out when morning dawned, waking everyone to the new day. In the dark of the pre-dawn hours, people might stir and become restless, wondering how soon it would be until they would hear the call, and then it would come! They waited, not wondering ‘if’, but ‘when’. They were confident in the answer.
Psalm 130:6 I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
We may have the most heartbreaking situation, the most dire need, but Friends, God sees it and He’s not indifferent to it. He’s creating the perfect response that fits His plan and will bring Him glory. And isn’t that the point? He will reveal it at the perfect time and in a way that sets our heart at rest.
Let’s be waiting in faith. Watching with trust. Let’s be confident that just as God brings the new day without fail, He will answer us and our deepest prayers in the same, faithful-God way.
Psalm 90:14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Write out a prayer today that not only details your heart’s burdens, but affirms the goodness, faithfulness and perfect deliverance of God. As Psalm 92:1-2 tells us, let’s proclaim God’s love in the morning. Then, when you go to sleep tonight, proclaim His faithfulness; remind yourself of Who He is.
Finally, pray Psalm 5:3 and wait in expectation. The Lord is working. We don’t see the dawn in the darkest hour of the night, but we know it’s coming because God is faithful. Cling to His faithfulness and proclaim His love. Don’t give in to the enemy who wants us to fear the darkness will endure forever.
Pray without ceasing, friends. And then pray more.
Last Words
So many good books and movies are tied to the last words of a character. Perhaps the words set the stage for the unfolding story or maybe they wrap up the entire plot and provide a moving and meaningful end. Either way, last words seem to have the ability to elevate a situation or story and deepen its impact.
In Genesis 22, God asked Abraham to offer a sacrifice to show his love and obedience to his Lord. But it wasn’t ‘just’ a sacrifice, it was the thing dearest to Abraham’s heart. The sacrifice God requested from Abraham was his son, Isaac. The son of the Promise.
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” (Gen. 22:1-2)
Abraham didn’t question God, he obeyed. But I’m sure with every step toward that mountain, questions flew through his mind and his heart grew heavy in anticipation. As Abraham and Isaac, his only son, climbed Mt. Moriah, Isaac broke the silence and asked his father a question.
“Father?”
“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.
“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” (Gen. 22:7)
At that moment, Abraham had to be aware that the words he spoke to his son might be the last words Isaac would hear from his father. That’s a sobering moment if ever there was one, isn’t it?
What if we were in his shoes, what would we say? If we had one final opportunity to build into our sons and daughters, would we embrace the moment with the clarity of eternity? Would we take that one final moment to point them to Christ?
Abraham’s response reflected the trust of one who was a friend of God, with the faith of one who believed in the sovereign provision of God, knowing God could do the impossible and bring the dead to life.
“Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.” (Gen. 22":8)
Abraham took the opportunity to point Isaac to the Lord. Of all the things he could have said, he used that moment to speak life, hope and spiritual confidence into Isaac and to affirm the goodness, the Sovereignty and the perfect provision of God. Isaac was the child of promise, the one God would use to multiply Abraham’s descendants like the stars of the heavens and the sand of the sea. Abraham didn’t know how God would redeem this sacrifice, he just knew that He would. He knew God did not go back on His promises. Abraham spoke into Isaac with strong faith and a confidence in God, his Lord and his Friend.
When we have opportunity to speak into our sons and daughters, let’s not wait for that golden ‘last words’ moment to speak those things of eternal value. Ponder, what is it we want them to know about Jesus? What do they need to hold in their hearts and minds? What will assure them of the hope that anchors the soul and the promise of eternity with Christ? We must have the conviction to speak words into our sons and daughters that affirm the importance of:
Knowing God personally
Trusting God completely
Following God unwaveringly
Waiting on God expectantly
Serving Jesus joyfully
Submitting to the Lord obediently.
1 Peter 1 is a treasure trove of truths for the Christian life and the passage touches on each of these actions. How can we speak into our kids? We need to read it, pray through it and then pray each word over our sons and daughters. Even more effective is taking the step to commit it to memory and live by it so that our words and actions continually point our sons and daughters to Jesus and how He calls them to live.
1 Peter 1:1-25
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 2 who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Father, God, I pray that (name) would be your chosen and elect, called to salvation in Jesus, set apart for His work and for the inheritance You set in place for them. I ask that in Your foreknowledge, (name) would be chosen as one of Your own, a Christ-follower, sanctified by the work of the Holy Spirit and called to be obedient to Jesus, sprinkled by His blood and blessed abundantly with Your grace and peace.
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
I pray, Lord, that (name) would know You as God and Father. I pray that they would comprehend Your great mercy and clearly see how it is always enough to cover their sin and restore them to a right relationship with You. I pray that (name) would experience a living hope in Christ. One that would grow an eager expectation for the inheritance You’ve prepared for them, the eternal home that far outshines any blessing or beauty they might experience on this earth. I pray that You would shield (name) by Your power so that they would stand before You, worthy and righteous through Jesus Christ. I pray that (name)’s faith would be authentic, resilient and would withstand anything the enemy might throw at them. May (name)’s life and faith bring glory and honor to You. Strengthen them Lord, so that although they have not seen you, they continue to believe and follow after You and know the joy that You give to those who believe.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. 13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Father, I pray that (name) would set their hope on the grace that You promised to bring when Jesus is revealed. Do not let them defer to any lesser god offering false hope and counterfeit rewards. I pray that their obedience to You would be unwavering. Continue to increase their knowledge of the Word, their wisdom in spiritual things and their commitment to Jesus, no matter what.
17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. 18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.”
Lord, help them to obey You.
Soften their hearts to love others.
Strengthen their commitment to live in holiness
Sharpen their vision to see the promise of eternity
Deepen their resolve to follow Christ without compromise
In Jesus’ name, amen.
May we speak life-giving, soul-affirming words that will point our sons and daughters to the cross, to Jesus as their Lord and Savior, to the value of eternity in the Presence of Yahweh, the Great I Am. Speak words of life. Speak words that will always be remembered and valued. May the words our sons and daughters recall from us, be the words that continually point them to Jesus.
Pray without ceasing.
Hosanna! Lord, save us!
“Hosanna!” It is the cry of Palm Sunday and the Triumphal Entry.
“Hosanna!” It’s an expression we likely associate with celebration and recognition of Jesus as King.
“Hosanna!” We often see it as an exclamation of joy! But there is a desperation and lostness associated with the plea. The exclamation, “Hosanna!” comes from two Hebrew words “yasa” meaning to deliver or make wide and spacious (1) and the word “na” which means “I pray, now”. (2) So, Hosanna is actually a prayer that means, “Save, I pray!” or “Lord, save us!” .(3)
The people of Jerusalem cried out to Jesus to be their King and Savior, but not in a spiritual way, they were crying out for political salvation from Rome. Jesus wept because in their desperation, crying out for salvation, the people still did not see Who Jesus was or what He came to do. They missed the Son of God. They were as lost and desperate as ever.
As parents, we too understand crying out in desperation. The desperation of a parent praying for their child is unmatched. We know what it is to cry out when we are so burdened and in distress over where our sons and daughters are headed, what they are choosing to do and who they choose to follow. We desperately want them to turn to the Lord, recognize Him as God and Savior, but we have no power to change their heart and capture their mind.
Yet, God the Father knows that desperation- He gave His son to save a world that didn’t recognize Him and, instead, crucified Him. He knows the deep loss of loving a Son so dearly, giving the most precious thing He had to give for the sake of others whom He loved, but were not choosing to love Him. Sometimes the desperation we feel is accompanied by a son or daughter who, in their rebellion, choose to not love us or respect our wisdom or do what is right. Hosanna! Lord save us!
We may describe our situation with our son or daughter as being ‘in dire straights’. But what does that mean? “To be in dire straits means to be in desperate trouble or impending danger. Dire means extremely serious. Straits are narrow passages of water which connect two larger bodies of water, navigating them may often become perilous. In the mid-sixteenth century, straits came to mean any difficult situation, one that carries a high degree of trouble.” (4) God understands dire straights, and friends, sometimes God allows it. But God is so good to remind us that He sees. He is ready to save.
Isaiah 43:1-3a “But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;”
God doesn’t tell us that He will keep us from the flood or fire- but He promises He will protect us through it. The Creator has full control over all of Creation. He builds our faith by walking with us through the dire straights and holding back the waters so that we’re not overcome. We may walk those narrow passages/times in life where there is barely room to breathe, when we feel pressed on every side, but He is there. Hosanna! Lord save us!
Psalm 32:6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.
Today, we might find ourselves praying Psalm 119:43a “Trouble and distress have come upon me,” lamenting to God our situation and how dire and desperate it seems.
The Hebrew word for trouble is “sar” which means “narrow, tight, afflicted, anguished, distressed. (5) And that word ‘sar’ comes from the root word ‘sarar’ which means “to cramp, literally or figuratively,—adversary, (be in) afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress, enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait (trouble), vex.” (6) Distress is the Hebrew word “masoq” and it means anguish, straightness, striaits, (dire straits). (7) This word comes from the root ‘suq’ which means “to constrain, bring into straits, press upon.” (8)
God knows. He understands. He uses words in the original language that intricately describe how we might feel when pressed on every side and overwhelmed with situations out of our control. These words very clearly give us a picture of just how difficult and desperate the situations are that believers may encounter. But, those situations are not beyond His control- for whatever reason He allows us to experience trouble and distress- anguish and dire straits. But He doesn’t leave us there and He doesn’t abandon us. Keep going! Read further! Psalm 119:143 resolves and gives hope. It ends with “but Your commands give me delight.” Take a breath. There is delight to be enjoyed! God sees and He rescues. Trust Him. Hosanna! Lord save us!
Might we, today, cry out “Hosanna!” “Lord save us! Lord save my child!”?
Step to the side of the pathway and watch your Savior. Know His Presence. Reach out for His hand and pray “Hosanna! Lord save us!” Pour your heart out to your King and your God for rescue and deliverance from whatever dire straight you find yourself or your son or daughter. He sees and knows. He hears you. He will rejoice over you with singing and provide a way of escape. Hosanna! Lord, save us!
Pray without ceasing.
H3467 - yāšaʿ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3467/niv/wlc/0-1/
H3467 - yāšaʿ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3467/niv/wlc/0-1/
G5614 - hōsanna - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5614/niv/mgnt/0-1/
https://grammarist.com/phrase/dire-straits/#:~:text=Dire%20means%20extremely%20serious.,a%20high%20degree%20of%20trouble
H6862 - ṣar - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6862/niv/wlc/0-1/
H6887 - ṣārar - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6887/niv/wlc/0-1/
H4689 - māṣôq - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h4689/niv/wlc/0-1/
H6693 - ṣûq - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (nkjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6693/nkjv/wlc/0-1/