2026 Lenten Season - Day 5

We continue the tradition of 40 days of Lent-related devotionals (46 counting the Sundays).
We will share "Journey to the Cross" by Paul David Tripp.
*******************************************************************
Prayer is abandoning my righteousness, admitting my need for forgiveness, and resting in the grace of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Prayer is one of God’s sweetest gifts to us. The command to pray is itself a sweet and loving gift from a gracious and caring heavenly Father. Prayer is where God welcomes his children to talk with him, commune with him, abide with him. It’s that holy place where the deepest of worship, the deepest of needs, and the most honest of confessions all intersect with the grandeur and glory of divine love. Prayer only works when worshipers are invited into the presence of one worthy of their worship. It only works when the one being prayed to is amazingly patient, boundless in love, constantly forgiving, and sovereign in power. For prayer to be prayer, God has to be God; without this, prayer is an act of religious futility.

But God is God, and he has invited us to bring our true selves to him. It’s not an invitation to bring him a catalog of our self-oriented desires, as if he were little more than a cosmic delivery system for whatever cravings consume us at the moment. No, the heart of prayer is worshipful submission to him, which produces gratitude, humility, vision, and willingness in us. Without adoration and submission, prayer is reduced to a set of demands that make it look as if we are gods, and God’s job is to submit his almighty power to our lordship. It is shocking to consider that what appears to be our most conscious Godward act can actually be evidence of our ongoing idolatry.

So prayer is spiritual warfare. To pray, we need rescuing grace that will free us from the dominion of our own selfish hearts. To get our hearts to that counterintuitive place of adoration and submission, we need the help of the one to whom we pray. It’s hard to pray true “Your kingdom come, your will be done” prayers and even harder to pray these kinds of prayers on the fly. It’s counterintuitive to confess that what I need most is not all the things my heart tends to desire. It’s hard to confess that what I need most is redeeming grace. So prayer is a fight. Prayer takes work. Prayer calls us to go to places we don’t often go and give our hearts to do what we do too infrequently.

Of course, you should take ample time to pray every day. Prayer is a powerful weapon in the spiritual war for your heart that wages every day of your life on this side of forever. But it is also good to give yourself to seasons of prayer. Lent could be one of those seasons where you take time to meditate, examine, and consider. Here are four categories that can organize this season of worship for you.

1. Adoration.
Give yourself to meditate on all the reasons the Lord is worthy of your worship. Make time to take in the full grandeur of his majesty, the amazing extent of his love, the unending zeal of his grace, his incalculable power, the completeness of his sovereignty, the extent of his patience, his ever-operating mercy, the depth of his wisdom, and the pristine perfection of his holiness. As a preparation for adoring prayer, study his word again and let your heart be taken up once again with his splendor. Here you let him loom large in your eyes and place the shadow of his glory over your heart. Here you pray his glory back to him in words of praise that you know fall short of capturing his glory even as you pray them. Adoration stimulates the kind of worship that is not just a sacrifice of words, but the offer of your life to this glorious Lord.

2. Confession.
Confession follows adoration, because the more you gaze upon God, the more you will see yourself with accuracy and the more you will mourn what you see. When Isaiah, in his vision, stood before the holiness of the Lord, his first words weren’t, “Wow, this is amazing!” No, his first words were, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). It takes a vision of God to have a true and reliable vision of ourselves. We are so often blinded by our own righteousness that it takes the unblemished righteousness of God to expose to us the true degree of our own unrighteousness. Prayer doesn’t just include studying our Lord so that we would be overwhelmed by his glory; we also examine ourselves and the many reasons we have to confess our weaknesses, failures, and sin. And confession only works when the one receiving the confession is forgiving and has the power and willingness to rescue and restore. So come in confession, because the cross assures us of our Lord’s willingness to forgive.

3. Submission.
“Not my will, but yours, be done” is the heart of true prayer. Prayer is submitting the desires of your heart to a kingdom greater than your own. Prayer is submitting your requests to a plan that is greater than the one you have for yourself. Prayer is giving yourself to a set of rules you didn’t make up. Prayer is surrendering your gifts to the glory of someone else. Prayer is so much more than asking; at the center is submitting. So we ask for the grace to submit because, as we have already confessed, we do not have the desire, willingness, or power to do so on our own.

4. Supplication.
Finally, prayer is where limited, weak, and failing worshipers bring their needs before the one who is with them, in them, and for them, and who is delighted to meet those needs. Having already submitted ourselves to the mission of his kingship, we now bring before our Lord prayers that are consistent with that heart of submission. And because we have submitted ourselves to plans and purposes that are bigger than us, we don’t pray just for ourselves but also for others. Our supplications are not individual and narrow, but are as wide and as huge as his kingdom is.

How about giving yourself to forty days of this kind of prayer, with all the study and meditation it requires? And know that as you do, God is tender, gracious, and understanding. He receives our messy prayers. He hears those brief prayers on the fly. He doesn’t reject prayers that reflect inaccurate theology or those prayed in moments when we really don’t know how to pray. Weak, faltering prayers are received by him and warmly answered. But he invites us into something deeper and better. He invites us into something that we could never earn or deserve on our own. He invites us into willing, adoring, restful communion with him.

Why wouldn’t you accept that invitation?

GOING DEEPER
Reflection Questions

1. Does your typical pattern of prayer reflect the reality that “the heart of prayer is worshipful submission” to God? How might your prayers change if you really embraced this definition of prayer?

2. How well do your prayers balance the four categories of prayer: adoration, confession, submission, and supplication? Which area do you tend to shortchange, and what are some practical things you can do to grow in that area?

3. True spiritual warfare-type prayers require study and meditation. What can you do in this Lenten season to give yourself more fully to these tasks?

Pray slowly through the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9–13, focusing on adoration, confession, submission, and supplication.

Matthew 6:9–13 New King James Version

9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Promise for Today - A Renewed Call

 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.

Romans 5:3-4 The Living Bible

There is a renewed call to prayer from the Holy Spirit. Do you feel it, too? Ringing over and over in my heart is the Scripture passage from Mark 12:30-31 NLT, "And you must love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL your mind, and ALL your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” The written emphasis is mine, but the emphatic inflection is God's. ALL my heart, ALL my soul, ALL my mind, and ALL my strength. I had to be honest with myself and ask, When was the last time I did anything with ALL that I am or ALL that I have... ?

So often, we fill up every waking moment with I have to do this or I have to do that and this must be done or that must be, and Suzie has to be at practice and Johnny has to, too, and we'll grab something at the drive-thru because we don't have time to cook and sit at the table...  And at night, when we fall into bed exhausted, we're too tired to pray, let alone worship, and we don't have all of anything left... Bob Sorge states, "This present world system is strategically designed to squeeze out your time and energy for the secret place." The secret place is our time with the Lord. It's where our strength is renewed. MAKE the time. Make it a priority once again.

So with renewed vigor, by the grace of God, I am getting back into shape spiritually - eagerly anticipating the next part of God's plan. Not just for me, but for ALL of us. Revelation 22:17 NKJV, "And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." In my corner of the world, I see and hear people responding to the Spirit say, "Come!" and I pray it is the same for you.

Prayer:

Father,

         Forgive us for all the times we've given You less than all. Therefore, since we are receiving Your Kingdom that cannot be shaken, grant us Your grace, by which we can serve You acceptably with reverence and Godly fear. For You, O Lord, are a consuming fire! Thank You for trials and tribulations that teach us patience and develop our character. Teach us how to give You Your heart's desire. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Psalm 86 Abundant in Mercy

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
Psalm 86:5 NKJV

Psalm 86 CEB Common English Bible
A prayer of David.

Lord, listen closely to me and answer me, because I am poor and in need.
Guard my life because I am faithful.
Save Your servant who trusts in You—You! My God!
Have mercy on me, Lord, because I cry out to You all day long.
Make Your servant’s life happy again because, my Lord, I offer my life to You,
because, my Lord, You are good and forgiving,
full of faithful love for all those who cry out to You.

Listen closely to my prayer, Lord; pay close attention to the sound of my requests for mercy.
Whenever I am in trouble, I cry out to You, because You will answer me.

My Lord! There is no one like You among the gods!
There is nothing that can compare to Your works!
All the nations that You’ve made will come and bow down before You, Lord;
they will glorify Your Name, because You are awesome and a wonder-worker.
You are God. Just You.

Teach me Your way, Lord, so that I can walk in Your truth.
Make my heart focused only on honoring Your name.
I give thanks to You, my Lord, my God, with all my heart,
and I will glorify Your name forever,
because Your faithful love toward me is awesome
and because You’ve rescued my life from the lowest part of hell.

The arrogant rise up against me, God.
A gang of violent people want me dead.
They don’t give a thought for You.
But You, my Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy;
You are very patient and full of faithful love.
Come back to me! Have mercy on me!

Give Your servant Your strength; save this child of Your servant!
Show me a sign of Your goodness so that those who hate me will see it and be put to shame— show a sign that You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
***********************
In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - A Reminder

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
1st Thessalonians 5:16-18

I used to be so intimidated to pray aloud. I was afraid I would somehow misspeak. I was afraid of what people would think. And then one day, Steve Fender, in San Antonio - a man who could pray the roof right off a building - preached the most liberating message about prayer. He said, "Stop worrying about what the person next to you thinks about your prayer...unless, of course, you're praying to them. And if you're not praying to them, what does it matter what they think?"

God judges our heart - the inside of us - not the outside.

If ever in your life you've had a conversation with anyone, then you have the necessary rudiments to prayer. Someone to talk to. Someone who will listen. Someone who will answer.

Prayer:

Father,
           Thank You for establishing an open line of communication. Thank You that You hear our prayers. Thank You that there isn't anything...anything...that is taboo when it comes to talking with You. Keep us ever mindful to include You in all our conversation. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reminder to Follow the Schedule

You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your Book!
Psalm 139:16 TLB

We deal with schedules every day - and not just our own, but those with whom we interact - the boss, the kids, grandkids. We call it keeping on track, being focused, staying the course. We follow the schedules of life.

You go to a seminar and they hand you a schedule to follow so you can accomplish everything you came to do and get your money's worth. Well, what do you do if you lose your schedule?

I have seen the meltdowns (and experienced a few) when the app doesn't sync properly or the PDA is lost or misplaced, or the DayMinder organizer is left somewhere (yes - there are still a few who use them!). Then there's the infamous computer crash and you hear the wail, "My whole life is in that thing!" and we are lost. You know what I'm talking about. It makes no difference if you work outside the home or your home is your work. There's a schedule to follow.

All day long we're bombarded with thoughts and tasks and assignments and project schedules...and life. I don't know about you, but I have been attention deficit since before they had a name for it. If I hope to get anything done, I have to have a schedule. Do I live rigidly? Oh, no no no. Only on those things that are important. But I do tend to have a hard time staying focused. In the morning, I use my old cell phone as my schedule reminder. I set it as my alarm clock to wake in the morning, and then hit the 10-minute snooze button until I actually leave the house. Some mornings, it drives me crazy, but 99% of the time, it keeps me on task.

We all know how easy it is to get off task. Someone comes to your desk and asks, Do you have a minute? and what they really mean is, I want at least 15 minutes of your time to explain what I need that will take more of your time. Oh, well, depending on your job, it all pays the same, right? The point is, a little behind here, a little behind there, and the next thing you know, the reminder on your Outlook calendar pops up with the note, TWO weeks overdue... 

What DO we do when we're that far off schedule? Stress out? Work horrendous hours to try to catch up? Have "the talk" with the powers that be? Ask for help? Revise? Cry 'Uncle'? Quit?

In many ways, it's very much like our Christian walk. God has already laid the schedule of our days. We get however many days He decided before we were born. If we're off-task, off-schedule or just have blown it so bad we think there's no hope for recovery, I've got Good News for you. God is different. There is ALWAYS redemption. There is ALWAYS recovery. There is ALWAYS a way to revise and get us back on schedule. We simply cry out in Prayer...

Father,

          I am so behind on the schedule of my life. Worse, I can't even seem to find the schedule You have laid out for me. And I want that more than anything else. Please forgive me for losing it and getting so far behind. Help me, Father. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen. 

Prayer, Praise and Pursuit

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:5-8 NKJV

Have you paid attention lately to the tenor of your prayers? No, not tenor like Domingo or Pavarotti, but tenor meaning the settled or prevailing or habitual course of a person's life. We're talking about intentional. Settled. Prevailing. Habitual. The course of a person's prayer life. Planned.

I believe in spontaneous prayer and/or praise, but I also think there needs to be intentional prayer and/or praise. We can NOT count the worried thoughts thrown somewhere in the general direction of the sky as prayer any more than we can throw our boots in the oven and bake them and expect a biscuit when the timer goes off.

If I ask God for wisdom to live my life, and I am not intentional about believing He will give it to me according to His Word (the plan), then I would be drifting like a wave of the sea. And just like it is dangerous to be adrift on the sea, powerless, without an anchor, it is infinitely more dangerous to be adrift in the sea of life.

Merriam-Webster defines adrift as:

1 : without motive power and without anchor or mooring
<a boat adrift on the sea>
2 : without ties, guidance, or security
<people morally adrift>
3 : free from restraint or support

And while not being restrained may seem like a good thing to lots of people, no support is a bad thing ("There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of that way is death... Proverbs 14:12"). Without God's motivating power, without the Cross as our anchor or mooring, without the ties, guidance or security of our relationship with Christ, His Word, His people, we are unstable in all our ways.

How do we build relationship with Christ? We talk to Him. We get to know Him. We find out about things He's done. Things He's going to do. (Prayer, praise and pursuit).

So do we just want to drift along or do we want to plan our course?

Prayer:

Father,
           According to Your Word in Psalm 141:4, Don’t let us drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don’t let us share in the delicacies of those who do wrong. We need Your wisdom to plot our course in life and to follow Your plan. Let everything we do and everything we say be intentionally faithful to You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Praying with Perseverance

Day 10 of 10 sharing The Christian's Armor devotional by Alistair Begg. Today's devotional is titled Praying with Perseverance.
****************************
Keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18

Almost every Christian finds prayer hard at some time (or most of the time). Why is that?

One of the reasons why we’re tempted to give up on prayer is that we don’t always receive an immediate response from God. In a world that so highly exalts instant gratification, this is a real difficulty. It’s the same issue as in trying to maintain a proper exercise regimen or diet: we want to see results now, today. If our new approach does not quickly show its benefits, most of us are unlikely to persevere.

Our tendency to lack endurance is one reason that Jesus told the parable about the persistent widow, who was relentless in seeking out justice from the judge. Luke makes the editorial comment that Jesus was encouraging his listeners to understand that they “ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). In other words, Jesus wants us to pray—and then to keep on praying.

When Paul tells us to “keep alert” and to pray “with all perseverance,” he is echoing Jesus’ words to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before He died: “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). Paul spoke similarly to the Ephesian elders, telling them to “be alert” (Acts 20:31). In a world embroiled in a cosmic spiritual battle, the stakes are too high to give up on prayer.

As we keep coming to God with prayer and supplication, we will all have to learn to be content with trusting that God will answer us in His good timing, and we will all need to remember that Satan would love to persuade us that prayer makes no difference and that God does not listen or act. You may not see an answer to a desperate prayer on this side of eternity. Sometimes persistence may appear to be met with silence. But in due time, God will show you that “the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promises” (2 Peter 3:9). He answers all your prayers exactly when He knows it is right to and in precisely the manner that is always best for you. God is always doing far more than we can ask or even imagine. Sometimes we can glimpse some of His purposes, but sometimes we are asked to live by faith, not by sight.

Are there people or situations that you have given up praying for because you have had no clear and positive response? Remember, you have not had such a response yet. One day, you will see what God was doing in directing matters differently than how you would have chosen. Until that day, you can persevere in prayer, because it is what He commands and because He has promised to work for the good of His people. Why not begin today to pray with perseverance for something you have quit speaking to God about?

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Our Greatest Motivation to Pray - Alistair Begg

Promise for Today - Day 8 of 10 sharing The Christian's Armor devotional by Alistair Begg. Today's devotional is titled, Our Greatest Motivation to Pray

… Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
Ephesians 6:18

The Bible is replete with commands like this, urging us to pray without pause. This might sound like an overwhelming expectation, and we may wonder whether we could ever meet it, or even desire to. But perhaps if we see our need more clearly, we will be motivated to pray more consistently.

Our need for prayer becomes most obvious when we understand that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself believed in the absolute necessity of prayer. At the beginning of Mark’s Gospel, we have this account of Jesus: “Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35). Even for the Son of God, prayer was important enough business to attend to early and not to allow the demands of the day to intrude upon.

Jesus knew that “he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed” (Matthew 16:21). Even so, in the Garden of Gethsemane we overhear Him praying for the cup of God’s wrath to pass from Him if it is His Father’s will (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42). The Son of God clearly knew that He needed to go before His Father. The writer to the Hebrews summarizes it perfectly for us: “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence” (Hebrews 5:7).

Surely it cannot be that prayer was a necessity for Jesus and yet is simply optional for us. If anything, it must be the very reverse! If the Son of God Himself needed to spend time concentrated on prayer to His Father, then how much more does the one who follows after Christ! Prayer is simply too great a privilege for any Christian to ignore and too great a necessity for any of us to neglect. So, ask His Spirit to show you the wonder of prayer and to help you enter into it. When you recognize that there is no end to God’s capacity to help or His willingness to do so, and that there is no moment in which you do not need His help, you will find yourself “praying at all times.”

 QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

The Mystery of Prayer = Alistair Begg

Promise for Today - Day 7 of 10 sharing The Christian's Armor devotional by Alistair Begg. Today's devotional is titled, The Mystery of Prayer.
***************

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
Ephesians 6:18

If God has already determined what He is going to do, why bother to pray? What possible difference can prayer make? Can we change God’s mind in our prayers? Nearly all of us will have voiced or at least given thought to questions like these. We think like finite creatures, and we naturally project our own perception of reality onto God. Even the Bible regularly personifies God in human categories. But though the Bible itself sometimes portrays God in ways that represent Him with human characteristics—as if He were changeable, for instance (1 Samuel 15:10-11, 35)—the full testimony of Scripture causes us to conclude that God does not change His mind.

James puts it plainly for us: in God “there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). And the Old Testament agrees with the New: “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19). When it appears that God changes His mind, then, it is in actual fact circumstances or human behavior that has changed, and God is responding differently than He had done but still entirely consistently with His character. So, if God never changes His mind and yet He repeatedly calls His people to pray, then we are led to this conclusion: in His sovereignty, God has ordained both the ends and the means to those ends, and we will not reach God’s intended ends without His foreordained means. (If that sounds like a mystery, that’s because it is!)

Think of God’s eternal ends as found in Revelation 7:9-10: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” Now, is God simply going to bring that innumerable company before His throne, irrespective of anything anyone says or does? No! Otherwise, why would Jesus have said to His followers, “Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:38)? In God’s plans, the prayers of His people are the means by which He raises up servants who herald His word. And men and women receiving the word of God from those heralds (Romans 10:17) are the God-appointed means for fulfilling His purpose from all eternity: to have a people that are His very own.

Ultimately, how the sovereign God uses the prayers of His people in His plans remains a mystery. We won’t have all the answers to all our questions about prayer, at least not for now. And that’s okay because we can be confident that God ordains means such as prayer for His eternal purposes. And knowing that is enough to bring us to our knees so that we might enjoy the privilege of knowing in all eternity that our prayers were used as part of His sovereign purposes to save His people.

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT

 
How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

What We Can Do

Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy.
Proverbs 14:10 NLT

In Romans 12:15, Paul instructs us to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. We cannot know another's heart. We think we can. We think we know, but the best that we can do is have empathy for whatever the circumstance.

What we can do is pray for discernment. We can pray for compassion. We can pray to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a hurting world. Above all, we must pray for Christ's love to flow through us to those around us.

Physically, when someone has a wound that won't heal, it becomes more easily infected. In the matter of a wounded heart, left untended, it becomes bitterness. God clearly commands us in Romans 12:15 to Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many [emphasis mine]. Let's do what we can do.

Prayer:

Father,
          We pray for Your wisdom and discernment to see those who need to be seen. We pray for and believe that You will supply Your strength as You have promised in Your Word. Let our words of encouragement be according to Proverbs 25:11, The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver. Help us to be ever mindful of You and to pray always. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Signs

Devotion written by my pastor - Alan Neel

You fools! You know how to interpret the weather signs of the earth and sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the present times.
Luke 12: 56 NLT

Some people have gotten so caught up in the happenings in the sky that they fail to see what’s happening on the ground around them. 

Do we need an apocalyptic sign to pray? And, is prayer really that important? It seems important when we get bad news or a devastating diagnosis. 

But can prayer be a life-changer for us and the people we pray for? The answer is absolutely YES! We must look around, see people like God sees them, and pray. GOD IS STILL AT WORK! ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS ASK!

*********************

Prayer:

Father, 

           Thank You for giving us a straight path to You - the privilege to enter the Holy of Holies and come into Your presence. We come with the confidence Christ has provided for us and ask for Your will to be done in each and every prayer need situation we bring to You this day. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Forever to Intercede

 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

1st Peter 4:7-8 NKJV

Do you ever get tired of praying for people? Especially the same people? You know the ones - It seems as though they go merrily along in their self-destructive ways without a single thought toward their eternity – they never seem to want to change. Do you ever reach the point when you think, Okay, I’m done praying for them. I’m not wasting another breath…? Sometimes, we think we’ve done all we can do.

Jesus didn’t give up on us. He’s done more for us than we ever did for anyone else. None of us have been crucified on a cross. Now, if you were to ask me - in my finite mind - I would say He has done all He can do for us by dying on the cross for our sins… but that’s not the end of it. Romans 8:34b NKJV tells us,  It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Hebrews 7:25 NLT makes it plain,  Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. 

The end may be in sight, but He has not given up on any of us. He’s not slacking up. He has not folded His arms and said, I’ve done all I can do. I’m not doing one more thing… According to Scripture, He lives FOREVER TO INTERCEDE with God on their [our] behalf. Shouldn't we be like Him?

Prayer:

Father,          
           Forgive us for our selfishness. Change our hearts, Father, according to Your Word in Deuteronomy 30:6. Change our hearts and the hearts of all our descendants, so that we will love You with all our heart and soul and so we may live! In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

5 W's and an H

First of all, I encourage you to make petitions, prayers, intercessions, and prayers of thanks for all people, for rulers, and for everyone who has authority over us. Pray for these people so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life always lived in a godly and reverent way. This is good and pleases God our Savior.
1st Timothy 2:1-3 GWT

As I read this passage today, I thought immediately of the 5 W's and an H. Who what why where when how. That's how you got your best information. It seems so appropriate for this time. Look around. We need to pray. For each other, for our countries, for the peace of Jerusalem. We've been instructed to pray. 

Who: You and me - for ALL people, for rulers, and for everyone who has authority over us.

What: Petitions. Prayers. Intercessions. Prayers of thanks.

How: lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting (vs 8)

Where: Everywhere (vs 8)

When: At all times - Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Why: It's good and pleases God our Savior.

God said if His people would pray... Why don't we? Have we lost our faith?

Prayer:

Father,

           Forgive us our sins. Forgive us for our lack of response to You in prayer and faith. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness and restore a right spirit - Your Spirit - within us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to You, God, who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen

Advent - Day 20 - Discipling

I have chosen a different devotional for the remainder of Advent. It is rich.

It is titled "Every Good Gift" and is written fully by Compassion Canada
**************************************************************

Jesus said these words to Peter three times: Feed my sheep.

“Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:17)

As Jesus followers, we are all called to make disciples.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Maybe we are more than writers, teachers, leaders, mentors. Could it be that we are to faithfully model what it looks like to be like Christ in our good deeds, so that others can submit to the process of being made into His image too? Just as Jesus came to reveal to us who the Father truly is, perhaps we are to reveal to the world who Jesus truly is.

“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

Whoever sees us should see Jesus. Our salvation has given us the life of Christ. The Holy Spirit, hand in hand with the ministry of the Word of God, continues to form in us the likeness of Jesus. With this comes a strong desire to see others spiritually developed and matured so they can also be like Christ to their own families, communities and the world.

So, maybe you’re a homeschool mom, a brother, an aunt, a father-in-law; Jesus is calling us alike to disciple those that He has entrusted to us. Reflect on how you can model Jesus to those around you through your good deeds this Christmas so that they will want to know Jesus and be like Him too.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, 

                  Show me what it means to disciple those around me. Speak through me as I speak, teach, lead and do good. Help me to study the Word, so that I can always teach Your truth alone. Go ahead of me and prepare the hearts of all those I will disciple, so that they can receive Your Word. Amen.

Advent - Day 18 - Change

I have chosen a different devotional for the remainder of Advent. It is rich.

It is titled "Every Good Gift" and is written fully by Compassion Canada
**************************************************************

Jesus lived out His intimacy with God. Continually, He slipped away from His disciples and crowds of people to a quiet place to pray. Jesus was intentional to show us that it is only through constant fellowship with God and the Holy Spirit that we can do the will of the Father and bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth. Jesus’ life teaches us that prayer is essential.

“Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

A life of continual prayer is essential for us as believers. Prayer is the channel through which we commune with God and the pathway through which we call heaven to come to earth. It is the way we bring into manifestation the blessings that the Lord has promised us.

Jesus said, “When you pray, say: “Father hallowed be Your Name, Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” (Luke 11:2-3)

Heaven on earth, God with us.

There were many who had awaited the coming of the Messiah. But there were those who travailed in fervent prayer for the coming of the Saviour. One of them was Anna the old prophetess, whom the Bible described as never leaving the temple, praying, fasting and worshipping night and day. (Luke 2:36-38) Another was Simeon, described as righteous and devout, who was also awaiting the consolation of Israel. (Luke 2:25-35) Both beheld baby Jesus as He was brought to be presented in the Temple. Their eyes had finally seen whom they had been praying for and it brought them great joy.

But even in those times when change tarries, we are called to pray still. Because as long as we keep praying, even when things seemingly remain the same, we are changed. As long as we keep coming to the secret place of prayer, the Holy Spirit continues to work on the renewing of our minds, the transformation of our hearts and the edification of our spirits. Just like on the Mount of Transfiguration, where the countenance of Jesus was altered, in the place of prayer we are also changed. We are also transfigured and transformed into the image of Christ. (Luke 9:29)

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, 

                  Pour upon me the unquenchable desire for prayer. Show me the way to the secret place where I can meet with God in ways I never have before. Help me to pray like Jesus did, so that I can be transformed into His image and likeness and live as He lived to glorify God. Amen.

If It's Not Working...

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 NKJV

How many times have you heard or even said, "I've done everything I know to do. All I can do is pray..."? Think about that for a moment. In my mind, that relegates prayer to the status of a spare part, something we've thrown in the boot of the car to only be used as a last-ditch effort. 

We have to ask ourselves the Faith question. Is God first in our lives? Are His Kingdom priorities our priorities? Oh, we may think He is. The standard Christian response to that is, "God IS first in my life." One way to know for sure is when we face a difficult decision and we need guidance. Do we ask our friends first for their input on the situation before we pray about it (before we ask and wait on God for His input)? 

This is what I believe. If we don't do our part - seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness - then God is not bound to do His part - and all these things shall be added to you. It's the same principle that Jesus taught about the conditions of forgiveness in verses 14-15 of this same, very rich chapter, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

If it's not working, we need to check the Book. Did we miss doing our part? 

Prayer:

Father,

          Please forgive us for any time and every time we relegated the honor and privilege of communication with You, our Creator, behind anyone or anything else. How dare we? Change our hearts, Father. Remove the stubbornness and pride in our hearts and minds. Make us holy before You. Give us clean hands and pure hearts. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen 

Friends' Favorite - Busy

 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

1st Peter 4:7 NIV

We are so busy. We work too many hours. We over-commit to outside influences, events, and projects that we, for some reason, believe we must do. We set the alarm because we're afraid we'll oversleep because we didn't get to bed early enough to get enough sleep so we would wake up refreshed and be ready to do the day. 

We text because we don't have time for a regular conversation. We e-mail because it generally takes less time and we don't have to wait for the give-and-take of a conversation that could get deeper than time allows or affords us. We have game apps on everything that isn't nailed down, so that we don't ever have to sit quietly without some form of entertainment.

We are so busy, we don't even want to think about having to cook dinner. Oh, we can get a soft drink and something that sort of resembles the four food groups...well, if you don't look closely... at any given fast food drive-through lane. It's a quick fix - an immediate response to my demand. And the choices are pre-defined, so we don't have to think about it. We just pick from what we're offered, swipe our card and go... and eat going down the road to our next engagement or to home in front of the computer or TV... and we want to make it spiritual by proclaiming, "Thank God for drive-throughs..."

Well, I have discovered that as convenient as they are, I cannot be healthy going through fast food drive-through lanes all the time. I'd like a sit-down meal. Sometimes I like it when others make it and bring it to me. Sometimes I like it when I make it and take it to somebody or invite someone over to sit with me and dine. Sometimes, it's the joy of the preparation. The stopping of the go-go-go long enough to plan a meal, but most of the time we're even too busy to do that. Do you know it's the #1 totally acceptable excuse for 90-plus percent of the things we choose NOT to do? Everybody understands busy...

I've just been in such a fog - I'm so busy...  I can't even think straight - I'm so busy...  Ever heard one of those? Ever uttered one of those? Do you ever flop into bed at night and you're too tired to pray? I'll pray twice as long tomorrow, God, I know you understand... No... The Creator of the universe who keeps all things in perfect balance, including the planet we're spinning on, the King of all kings and Lord of all, who ALWAYS has time for us does NOT understand...

We tend to treat our prayer life like fast-food junkies. We won't sit in the line too long - we throw our prayers at the box - and expect God's answer by the time we get to the window. And if we don't get it, if we have to pull up and wait for any length of time, we have been known to mutter, "This is the last time I'm coming here... I'll go to such-and-such where I don't have to wait."

Can you hear our Father? "Children, wash your hands and face and come sit at the table. Dinner will be ready soon. Just sit here and give Me a few minutes. I've got everything you need and want right here."

Have we prayed yet? The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

Prayer:

Father,

         In Colossians 4:2, Your Word tells us to devote ourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Help us to recognize the need to be clear-minded and self-controlled so we can do just that. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Acknowledging the Times

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NLT

Prayer:

Father,

          Help us to recognize the times we are in and to respond accordingly. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

For All

[Jesus praying] I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. [emphasis mine]
John 17:20-21 NLT

Chapter 17 is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus. It is rich. It is powerful. And it is not just for disciples who walked with Him, He prayed for all of us.

...all who will ever believe... that's you and me.

And it didn't stop there. You know this. It wasn't a one-time prayer. Romans 8:34 tells us that Jesus is at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. If we sin, He is our Advocate with God our Father (1st John 2:1). The crucifixion, His blood shed for the remission of our sins totally took care of everything... once and for all.

Prayer:

Father,
             As we come into this holy season of remembrance, may we never forget all that You have done for us. Thank You, Jesus, for the blood applied for all of us. May we fully recognize, give honor and praise for providing the way back into right relationship with You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Have Mercy - A Word

A Psalm of David

Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor!
The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.
The Lord protects them and keeps them alive.
He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies.
The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health.

“O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
But my enemies say nothing but evil about me.
“How soon will he die and be forgotten?” they ask.
They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather gossip,
and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
All who hate me whisper about me, imagining the worst.
 “He has some fatal disease,” they say. “He will never get out of that bed!” 

Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely, the one who shared my food, has turned against me.

Lord, have mercy on me. Make me well again, so I can pay them back! I know you are pleased with me, for you have not let my enemies triumph over me.
You have preserved my life because I am innocent; you have brought me into your presence forever.

Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and amen! Psalm 41 NLT

Prayer:

Father,

            Thank You for Your Word that never changes - the Truth that shines through so ABSOLUTELY and guides us on our path for all eternity. Give us ears to hear and eyes to see, in Jesus' Name. Amen