Prayer for our Pastors/Ministers

Let us lift up our pastors and ministers, they need our support and prayers.

Father God, I pray for every Pastor who is feeling down and depressed today ... lift them up, encourage them, give peace and give hope.

God, bless our Pastors. Touch their hearts and bring healing, help them to hear and follow Your voice, protect and bless them. Help them not to grow weary in well-doing. Give them renewed strength like the eagles. Help them to have good health.

Help them not to be deceived, but instead keep their eye on the prize. Keep their hearts turned toward You and not be discouraged by those who hate. Cause people to listen, accept, and treat them and their families with love and respect. Favor them for forsaking all for the call.

In Jesus' name, amen.

God Promises Peace

 
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me - everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:6-9

What’s weighing on you today? Is there a loved one in need? Bills piling up? Struggling with health issues? Frightened by wars and rumors of wars? Do you have a relationship in trouble? Are you facing a problem with no apparent solution? Do you feel alone? Like a soothing salve to the anxious heart, the above promise from Philippians 4 is for you ... today. 

Anxiety doesn’t come with an off-switch. Anxiety warns us that something is wrong and needs attention. It drives us to our knees in prayer. Yet prayer is often the last thing we think to do. 

The hurt, pain and fear we so often feel run deep, but Christ's love is stronger and more powerful. Through Jesus we have access to the very throne room of heaven. The Spirit intercedes for us there with groaning too deep for words (Romans 8). Even when we don't know how to pray, we aren't hindered. God wouldn't invite us to bring our cares and requests before Him if He didn't plan to act.

God’s promise is not that all our requests will be granted the way that we want them to, but that the peace of Jesus Christ will guard our hearts, despite what we're going through.

Your Friend Jesus is right there with you. Talk to Him. He's listening ... attentively.

Jesus IS our peace.

Father, so much weighs on our minds. Troubles seem to abound, everywhere around us. We need Your peace to cover our minds and our situations, and we pray for that now. In Jesus’ name, amen. 





 

Stop Tryin' to Change the Ppl You Love

 

 

 

God is at work within you, helping you want to obey Him, and then helping you do what He wants. Philippians 2:13

Stop trying to change the people you love and change yourself. Stop trying to change people who would take your money but won't take your advice. You will only drain your own mental, spiritual, emotional and financial reserves.

 

The truth is ... people change when they are sick and tired of being sick and tired or hit rock bottom. If you're dealing with addiction or irresponsible behavior from grown adults ... protect your wallet and your mind. It doesn't mean you don't love them. Your attempts to help may only delay what is inevitable.

 

Allow them to take the journey they have chosen for themselves. Pray for them, fervently. Choose to let go of the guilt and be at peace. You may require counseling or emotional support to stop being an enabler. If necessary, give yourself some distance so that you can stop being used or manipulated because they know that you care and you love them.

 

You have the right to enjoy a guilt-free, happy and productive life. Commit yourself to changing the only person you really can - YOU.

 

Father, bring our loved ones to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Deliver them from anything (or anyone) that has them bound. You're the One that does the work, in cooperation with the person. Not us. Show us our part and help us to not get in Your way as You do Your part. Mend our relationships with them. Love on them. In Jesus' name, amen.

 

 

 

 see also:  Believing for a Loved One  and  Hands Off



 

Be at Peace, My Child

God did not give us a spirit of fear or timidity, but a spirit of power, and of love, and of sound mind and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

 

There is no question that there is pain and intense suffering in this world. Some of it is explained by selfish, hateful actions on the part of others. Some of it defies an explanation in this life. But God offers us Himself. God gives us the knowledge that He has endured also, and is aware of our pain and needs. Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid’ (John 14:27). There is ample reason to be afraid, troubled, but God can give us His peace, which is greater than the problem before us. He is after all, God, the Creator. The One who has always existed. The One who created a universe with a spoken word.

 

Yet even in His power, He's also the One who knows us intimately, even the smallest, insignificant details. And if we will trust Him with our lives, relying on Him, though we encounter difficulties, He will hold us securely. Jesus said, ‘These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, trials and distresses, but take courage; I have overcome the world and deprived it of its power to harm you. So stopping letting yourself get agitated and disturbed’ (John 16:33). He went through our ultimate threat -- death -- and overcame it. He can take us through the difficult circumstances of this life, and then bring us into eternal life, if we will trust Him.

 

We can either go through this life with God or without Him. IN HIM, we can be at peace.

 

Father, thank You for Your promise of peace as we turn to You. We ask You to help us keep our minds stayed on You and as we do, trusting in You, I pray that You bless us with Your presence and Your perfect peace. We wait upon You now to receive it by faith. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.
 

 see also: Christ is My Victory (Psalm 91 to pray)


 

God's Will is Your Healing

He sent His Word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

Healing was provided through Jesus' redemptive work at the Cross. It is by His stripes that we were healed. Your healing has already been bought and paid for in Christ.

Jesus is our Healer. You are healed in Christ. When sickness tries to attack, begin to praise God and thank Him that healing belongs to you. Keep your praise on, regardless of setbacks or the length of time you've been waiting for your healing to be made manifest in the natural. God's STILL got you. Watch God's power begin to work in your body to drive out every trace of sickness. 

Write down some healing confessions based on your circumstances. Write down any words the Lord speaks to you concerning your circumstances. Write down any scriptures the Lord gives you concerning your circumstances. Keep them ever before you. Read them aloud every chance you get. Believe what you read. Believe God today and receive His healing provision for your life.

Father, we need Your healing touch. Desperately. May Your Blood run through our veins, warding off all sickness, disease, infirmity, pain and all symptoms thereof. Fill our bodies with Your mighty healing power. Help us to have peace and hope while we wait for You to show up on our behalf. Help us to not feel that we've failed You or done something wrong when we don't see immediate results. Help us to know how to take care of our bodies, including what to eat and drink and what not to. We will not die, but live, and declare the wondrous works of the Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.

Childrearing 101 from My Uncle

This blog entry is in honor of my Uncle Ronnie, who was taken from us WAY too soon. His birthday is Saturday and Father’s Day is Sunday, and it’s really had me thinking about the impact his life had on everyone around him and the legacy that he left behind.

Below is some tidbits of his daughter VJ's (my cousin) wisdom she gained from him on childrearing and her thoughts on life and him now.

‘My father gave me this nugget of wisdom when I was the first time Mommie of a two year old toddler. I can hear him plainly as he said, "Baby, it is not your job to be your child's friend right now. It is your job, from here on out to prepare them for life as a respectful and productive member of society. That is what a good parent does. The little things you let slip because they are cute can turn into a bad habit that can last generations. You don't have to be a hard 'person' like me all the time. Have fun with her, teach her to work, get down in the floor and play with her, but always let her know what you expect from her and never let that pretty face or pouty mouth back you up from what you said. Be consistent. Love her. Tell her you will always be there for her. No matter how little they are, you teach by example and communicate just a little above their level. Set bars for her and when she's about able to touch it, move it higher. No one is ever going to love her like you. The world is cold and cruel. Teach her that. Stand your ground with her, no matter how small it may seem. You are teaching her from the minute she's born how to treat you, and others. You are not equals, and she will respect you. You can be friends after she's grown. Now she just needs guidance".

He told me another time that your goal in life is to prepare your children not to depend on you, but to train them to be able to live without you. Although he was never able to teach me to live without him, I’m okay. I miss his influence and friendship every single day I’ve had to live without him, and I still react the way I think would make him proud. Each time I want to pick up the phone and ask him what should I do, I know what he’d tell me if he were at the other end of that phone, and most of the time I do it.’

To my Uncle Ronnie, kudos to you ... Happy Birthday and Happy Father's Day!

To my precious father, Mike, whom I have been so richly blessed with ... thank you for all your love, support and prayers. The wisdom that you have imparted to me helps carry me through the 'what do I do now' times that I have, as well. Thank you for who you are, all you do, and for loving and accepting me ... Happy Father's Day!

To all the fathers out there (and those acting in a father capacity) … you have NO idea of the impact that you can have on your children. Teach them well. Love them. Support them. Make every moment count, for every moment is precious. Your influence is wanted and needed. Not meaning to put a lot of pressure on you, but then again I do … step up to that plate and hit the ball out of the park. Your family’s lives in part depend on it.

Father, our ultimate Father, thank You for being a good, loving Daddy to us. Thank You for the time that You have blessed us with our earthly fathers, and though not all have acted in as much an honorable fashion as the man listed in this blog, You always have been and always will be. Bring comfort to and heal those who are without fathers, and to fathers who have lost their children. Take them up and adopt them as Your own. Be a light through all those in fatherly capacities. Be near them on this special weekend. And Father … Happy Father’s Day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Now More than Ever

Go away, all you who do evil, for the Lord HAS heard my weeping. The Lord HAS heard my plea; the Lord WILL answer my prayer. Psalm 6:8,9

LORD, help us to hear from You today, and may we be obedient. Give us wisdom to make right decisions.

LORD, have mercy and compassion on us.

LORD, we need Your strength and grace. Help our bodies to be physically able and our minds to be mentally able to do what we need to do.

LORD JESUS, heal our bodies. Take away sickness and pain. Release us from the tormenting spirits.

LORD, keep us close to You through the things that we are going through, help us not to push You away in difficult times, but instead allow You to draw us closer.

LORD, give us Your peace, Your perfect peace, that surpasses all understanding.

LORD, be with us, our families, our friends, all Your people ... special touch and anointing for us. Bless us with uncommon favor. Strengthen us. Heal us. Love on us. Help us to grab on, hold on and don’t let go of the hem of Your garment, Jesus. For all our needs are met in You. You are the Answer. To every question. To every problem. To every heartache. To every sickness. To every cry. Blood of Jesus over us.

His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him --- though He is not far from any one of us. Acts 17:27

We need You now LORD GOD … more than ever. Be not far from us.