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Praise Thursday

Lifeline 2018: Fix My Eyes

“When I sleep and when I rise, 
Help me Lord, to fix my eyes.”

Firstly, if you want to learn everything there is to know about Lifeline 2018, click here!

Secondly…
It’s the last Praise Thursday before Lifeline 2018!
This means, today, we dived into the theme song of Lifeline 2018, “Fix My Eyes” from For King and Country! Read on to dive into the lyrics and scripture of the song!

The first verse goes like this…
Hit rewind
Click delete
Stand face to face with the younger me
All of the mistakes
All of her heartbreak
Here’s what I’d do differently

Hitting rewind and clicking delete is something I really wish I could do – and quite often at that. Here’s what we learn about that from scripture…
Philippians 3:13 – “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”
There are so many things we wish we could hit rewind and click delete on, getting rid of that messy past, standing face-to-face with the younger us. But Philippians tells us that we should forget what is behind us.
Once we come to fix our eyes on Christ, our past fades away. No matter how dirty our past has been, Christ makes us clean and makes us new.

Christ isn’t looking at our mistakes. Christ isn’t looking at all the heartbreak.
He is calling us to stop dwelling on our past and hand that past to Him.
2nd Corinthians 5:17 also says :Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!”

The chorus goes like this…
I’d love like I’m not scared
Give when it’s not fair
Live life for another
Take time for a brother
Fight for the weak ones
Speak out for freedom
Find faith in the battle
Stand tall but above it all
Fix my eyes on you

One BIGGGG part of the song is the first line of the chorus. LOVE LIKE IM NOT SCARED.

Hooooowwwwww much easier would life be if we stopped being scared? I’ll be the first one to admit how generally scared of a person I am. I’m scared of everything from spiders to escalators to driving to not being good enough, and so many things in between. I’m scared of what other people think of me. I’m scared of what they’ll think if I really loved them like I wasn’t scared. WE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. God has not given us a spirit of timidity or fear. The creator of the universe and the author of love itself has given us a spirit of power and love and a sound mind. We might be the only glimpse of Christ that someone ever sees. We need to not be afraid to love because Christ was never afraid to love us. And we get to love like we’re not scared right here through WNZR. We have the opportunity to be the light of Christ every time you turn on that radio. We are blessed to be a light in this community of Mt. Vernon and we can’t do that without you.

Okay, clearly, we could do are whole show on just one of these lines. Let alone just this one part of the chorus – but what is this over all meaning of this part. I think these things are the outcome of what happens when we fix our eyes on God or When things that we can do in order to “Fix” our eyes – meaning if that our eyes were broken, that they were fixed on something worldly. These are things that we can do to remind us who is in controls the world.

The bridge… oh yes…
The things of Earth are dimming
In the light of Your glory and grace
I’ll set my sights upon Heaven
I’m fixing my eyes on you

The verses before 2nd Corinthians 4:18 also tell us that the troubles of this world are LIGHT and MOMENTARY. When we compare the weight of our current troubles to the glory that is going to be revealed to us in heaven through Christ, the troubles really do begin to seem light and momentary.

James 4:14 literally tells us that we’re a mist.
“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Yes our lives our short and the things of this earth don’t matter once we reach Heaven, but it matters how we live the lives we’re given here on earth. God has given us our lives not to promote our own name, but to tell the world of His.
Yeah, I’m a mist. But I’m a mist with purpose and I want to tell the rest of the mists about the Lord who has given me life.

Thanks for listening!
– Lilly and Hannah

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Lifeline 2018: Point to You

Today, we dived into another Lifeline themed song- “Point to You” from We are Messengers! Check out the lyrics and scripture below!

Here’s the first verse…

“How can I forgive when I can’t forgive myself
How can I move on when all I have is regrets
How can I fix you when I keep turning away
How can I make it past the noise of my shame”

1st John 4:19
“We love because he first loved us.”

Romans 5:8
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

It’s hard to forgive when we have no reference. It’s hard to move on, it’s hard to be fixed and it’s hard to make it past the noise of our shame. When we fix our eyes on God and learn that He has set the examples for us, we can do all these things more fully.

The pre-chorus is so powerful…

“Some healing for my heart
I need a revelation
A brand new start
I want simplicity
Where I can rest
But I need a miracle
to put my past to death”

1 John 1:9-
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 103:12 –
He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.

God as taken our past and our past sin and thrown them out – but sometimes there is a lot of hurt left from those past sins – But Gods as got it *Psalms 23 – God is healing our hearts and grieving us peace like it says in psalms 23. We can become fully healed when we fix our eyes on Jesus and we can also have a peace that passes all understanding.

The chorus really packs a punch…

“I know you want my heart
My bruises and my scars
I’m coming as I am
The only way I can
I can’t forget from where I’ve come
And what my heart’s been rescued from
Yeah when they ask me who
I owe my whole life to
I point to You”

James 4:8
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

 

Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

God wants us! He wants us – the creator of the galaxies wants us. And he doesn’t want this pretty perfect cleaned up version of us, because he knows that no matter how hard we try, it will never be good enough- That’s why he sent his son. To cleanses us. God doesn’t want this fake pretty picture of you, he wants you as you are – he knows that you broken and wants to help heel you, but you need to show him all the dark and gross, the bruises and the scars and let him heal those parts of your heart.

The first part of the second verse goes like this…

“I want so badly just to finally get well
But I don’t want a quick fix and emotional self”

This world is going to try to give you all these quick fixes. The world is going to try to get you to walk through all these doors that offer temporary happiness, a temporary cure. Once we fix our eyes on Christ, we know that this world has nothing to give us and that our hope and future is found only in Jesus, and He is the only one that can help us finally get well.

The second part of the second verse…

“I will be honest with my humanity
No I’m not perfect and I don’t pretend to be”

One of the hardest things to do is to admit when we’re struggling. Being honest with our humanity is so difficult and I know sometimes we want to pretend that we have it all together and pretend that we’re perfect, but that’s also difficult to do. In all reality, we are so broken. We are all broken. When we start being honest, it opens up a whole new world to us. We start becoming stronger as a Christian community because we are open and honest with each other because we now know that Jesus heals our brokenness and makes us new, and that’s what happens when we fix our eyes on Him.

The bridge is the most powerful part of this song…

 

“People say that I’ve lost myself
I’ll say I’m found in You
People ask where does my story end
I’ll say it starts with You”

Romans 6:14
For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Psalm 39:4 -7
“Show me, LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. 5 You have made my days a mere hand-breadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. 6 “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. 7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.

We have been made new! As Christians Christs lives within us, we become one with him. We are no longer who we were but we are a new creation in him. That’s good and a reason to praise God, which we are on longer like our sinful self’s – are we perfect – no, but we are redeemed. The best part is, this life is just a breath, we get start our life in our true home. Heaven.

Thanks for listening!
-Lilly and Hannah

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Another amazing day on the Afternoon Drive, dissecting  Mandisa’s ‘Overcomer’ and also took a look at Hillsong United’s ‘Oceans’.

Staring at a stop sign
Watching people drive by
T mac on the radio
Got so much on your mind
Nothing’s really going right
Looking for a ray of hope

  • Where are you looking to find your ray of hope?
  • “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
  • “You see, a real sign of spiritual maturity is looking to God for purpose and perspective instead of comfort and convenience.” – Lysa Terkurst

Whatever it is you may be going through
I know he’s not gonna let it get the best of you

  • 1st Corinthians 10:13
    “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
  • GOD IS FAITHFUL WHEN WE CHOOSE TO FIX OUR EYES ON HIM.
  • Jeremiah 29:11
    “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

You’re an overcomer
Stay in the fight ’til the final round
You’re not going under
‘Cause God is holding you right now
You might be down for a moment
Feeling like it’s hopeless
That’s when he reminds you
That you’re an overcomer
You’re an overcomer

Exodus 14:14
“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Deuteronomy 20:1-4
“When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.”

  • When it seems like all is lost, when you are down and out, when the walls are closing in, it’s not over. God is with us through the fight.

Psalm 20:7-8
“Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.”

John 16:33

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

  • In this world you WILL have tribulation.
  • God’s not saying it’s going to be easy. The opposite, in fact. But what He is saying is that He’s going to be there through it all.

The same man, the great I am
The one who overcame death
Is living inside of you

  • Like, honestly can we say any more?
  • This should get you SUPER PUMPED.
  • Remember, the next time you’re staring at a mountain you think you can’t climb, when you’re toe-to-toe in the ring with a seemingly unconquerable sin, when you feel like David against Goliath, the Man that overcame death for YOU, also LIVES in you.

So just hold tight, fix your eyes
On the one who holds your life
There’s nothing he can’t do
He’s telling you

  • When we’re fixing our eyes on Christ, there’s NOTHING we can’t do.
  • We need to remember that He gives us the strength and power to fight these battles. Not only that, He’s also fighting those battles right along side us.

Moving over to Oceans from Hillsong United now…

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown
Where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

The unknown is scary and we have, as humans have this really big fear of failing we say – what if God calls me to *Fill in the blank* and I fail? Maybe I should just not do it. You are called to go deeper – don’t play it safe, it’s better to fail with God by your side doing what he told you to do rather than to succeed in something else that God didn’t call you to – don’t be a Jonah.

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise, my soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

We are his. He has adopted us as children of God and if we choose to fix our eyes on him – resting in his embrace, we can keep our eyes above the water! We can claim the God of EVERYTHING has OURs as our FATHER. Why should we fear anything when we are royal children of the king of kings, the Lord of Lord – the Great Redeemer.

Thanks for listening!
– Lilly and Hannah

 

 

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Praise Thursday: Turn My Eyes

Today we got to do one of my favorite things ever in life, which is dissect a song!
We focused on the song ‘Turn My Eyes” from Bonray.

Lets take a little look at the first verse…

Every day I wake up and I meet the same old fight
Between a world of chaos and that quiet voice inside
And my phone keeps telling me there’s a million ways to find
Where my hope is, but it’s a lie

  • The world is going to lead us on a wild goose chase for hope. We can open every door, look down every alley, climb every mountain looking for hope in somewhere that’s not Jesus, and we’ll never be able to find it eternally.
  • 1st Peter 1:3
    “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”

The chorus goes like this…

I know who to run to
Every time the rain comes pouring down
I know who to turn to, yeah
I know where to find that solid ground

  • Where are you running when the rain comes pouring down? Who are you turning to when you’re in search of solid ground?
  • Psalm 46:1-3
    “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.”
  • Psalm 91:2
    “I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!”
  • That word refuge comes up a lot…
    Refuge – noun
    A condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble.

The second verse is probably my favorite part. Here’s the first two lines…

There’s a voice that’s calling me, way out on a distant shore
It says if I just take a step, I’ll find what I’m asking for

  • This is what ‘Fix Our Eyes’ is about.
  • Philippians 4:19-20
    “And my God will fully supply your every need according to his glorious riches in the Messiah Jesus. Glory belongs to our God and Father forever and ever! Amen.”
  • We’re going to talk about Peter walking on water here soon cause that’s important.

The second part of the second verse is…

And this world keeps telling me, that I’ll sink beneath the waves
You’re my courage and You’re my faith.

  • Matthew 14:27-31

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

  • Peter sank because he took His eyes off of Jesus.
  • That first phrase that Jesus utters. UGH yes.
  • When the wind starts to kick up, are you looking in Jesus’s eyes? Or are you looking around at the things of this world for shelter?

The bridge! Ugh the bridge. Here it is…

Oh, all the things of earth start fading away
In the light of His glory and grace
I’ll lift my head up high and look to the One
Who’s with me every step of the way
I turn my eyes

  • Psalm 121:1-2
    “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.”
  • Nothing on the face of this earth will ever compare to the love, glory, and grace of Christ Jesus. Nothing. Things are temporary. People are people. When it comes to the valley of the shadow of death, Christ is walking with you. Right by your side. All the hills and valleys in life, right there. Right by your side.

This point, that God is always there, ties right into another devotion I read last year, and is still relevant today. It’s about how God and His goodness is not dependent on our goodness, who we are, or what we’re doing.

“Yes, it is true, God will remain faithful even when you’re not, because His faithfulness rests on who He is. Not on what you’re doing.”

Second Timothy 2:13  “if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”

Think about this: The one who created and controls the world, the One who is the ultimate definition of what is loving, true, and good, and the one who alone has the power to fully defeat sin has chosen, because of His grace, to wrap His arms of faithful love and protection around you, and He will not let you go.

You can take your life off your shoulders because God has placed it on His. Security isn’t found in your faithfulness, but in His. He can be trusted even when you cannot. He will be faithful and good even when you are not. He’s going to do what is right and best even when you don’t, and He is faithful to forgive you when convicting grace reveals how unfaithful you’ve been.

God’s grace is calling you to invest in the one thing that will never come up short, and that one thing is the faithfulness of your Lord.

Thanks for listening!
-Lilly and Hannah

 

 

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Rhythms of Prayer

Good afternoon! Still kicking with the ‘Battle Plan for Prayer’ Praise Thursdays!
Today, we talked about the rhythms of prayer.

The fervent call for revival in the final chapter of the book is not merely wishful thinking. God has poured out his spirit and moved among cities and nations in times passed, stirring up the church, bringing countless thousands to salvation. But you can see that kind of revival right here as well. In your city. And in your country. God works revival on the waves of united, fervent, persistent prayer.  The great, known revivals that have left the most indelible mark on the past generations grew in the fertile soil of prayer closet in prayer groups and playing churches – often few months and years of cultivation among the leaders who refuse to stop believing that God will hear and respond.
 That’s why number of ministries and churches today or championing are united rid of a prayer, inspired by what was known centuries ago as concert of prayer. He’s involve willing individuals and groups would commit to regular cycles of prayer, which would been spread to other places were people were following a similar schedule. God response to the surrendered, repentance, expect a part of his people, and he blesses and moves even more when we’re working together.
 Consider rallying your church to adopt the following rhythm of prayer in the days ahead.
Weekly prayer: individually.
At least once a week, whether alone or in a small group, set aside a particular time to pray specifically for revival and your family, and your church, and spiritual awakening in the nation. Pray for the affected preaching and active listening of the word throughout your city during that week.
Monthly prayer: churchwide
 Preferably as an entire church body, but at least as a whole group, Bible study class, or larger prayer meeting, come together at least once a month and a special meeting for the sole purpose of praying for revival and spiritual awakening.
Quarterly prayer: community
Consider gathering once a quarter with multiple churches in your area, united in prayer for an enormous day, evening, or afternoon, of prayer for the spiritual needs of your city. Even if you’re not able to gather together, in a separate location, all over your community is going to be praying together about the same thing, at the same time, will be a powerful experience and effort.
Yearly prayer: nationally
 The national Day of prayer which is the first Thursday of May, offers an annual opportunity for believers across the country to focus as one on revival and repentance, coast to coast. Don’t let this day slip up on you, or become lost in the days business. Carve out this time to pray for relief with Christians revival and awakening in our land.

Thanks for listening!
-Lilly

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Praying for Laborers for the Harvest

Luke 10:2 is a reminder that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. We are to beseech the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest.

What does beseech mean? It means to ask urgently and fervently.

Today in our series inspired by the book The Battle Plan for Prayer, by Stephen and Alex Kendrick, we are being asked to urgently and fervently pray for people to serve in some form of ministry.

Jesus was moved by a deep compassion for people, because all of us experience times where we are hurting, empty, wandering and searching for purpose and meaning.  Matthew 9:36-38 says Jesus had compassion for the crowds, because they were like “sheep without a shepherd.”  That’s us, sometimes, and maybe more than we want to admit.  We’re wandering.  And so many people we come into contact with are also wandering.  So we need ministers of the gospel committed to shepherding the sheep.

Jesus’ solution to overwhelming needs was always prayer.  If we are praying for God’s kingdom to come, then we must also pray for more people to seek that kingdom FIRST and serve that kingdom.

——-

Remember that just one person committed to serving the kingdom and bringing the gospel and God’s Word to people in need can impact marriages, families, businesses, churches and a culture. The books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther are examples of this from the bible.

Too many times we are too caught up in our own personal needs and entertainment and we forget about the spiritually lost. Millions still need to hear the gospel.  Yes, the task seems enormous, but nothing is impossible with God.  His kingdom calling should be a high priority for our prayer life.

Any follower of Jesus is called to be a laborer in God’s harvest field. That labor can take the form of praying, serving, giving and going. When we obey this global mandate, we become part of an army of others who are doing the same.

——–

So, how does this work practically?  Locally, we need to be praying for our pastors. The work they do is eternal and vital, but also draining and demanding. The expectations we sometimes place on them are endless.

But we also know the enemy is constantly on the attack against them.  He tries to wear them down.  Wear their families down. Tempt them. Many of their responsibilities are private – like study and preparation, spiritual counsel and dealing with conflict.  We can pray that the Holy Spirit is their partner in these times that are quiet or confidential.

Ephesians 6:19-20 says:

“19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

So we can pray for protection around our pastor’s heart, marriage and home. That he or she can confidently, freely and unapologetically fulfill his or her ministry. That the Holy Spirit will help them draw many to the Gospel.

You can also pray for pastors from other churches locally, regionally or globally.

——-

Locally and globally, we can also pray for other types of ministries like family counseling ministries, Christian schools and colleges, humanitarian aid ministries and YES, Christian media!  Pray I Corinthians 15:58 over them:

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Pray for present and future missionaries – both domestic and foreign.  Pray that His word and salvation will be known and embraced.  You can ‘pray the word’ again over them – Colossians 4:2-6:

“2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Pray for the lost in the nations around the world – God has a heart for ALL the nations!  America and its 320 million people only represent 5% of the global population of 7 billion!

——–

This week’s prayer:

Lord, give me your heart for the nations.  A heart of love and compassion for the lost. A renewed love of the gospel and a deep admiration and concern for those who are already giving their lives in service to you. Provide for them, encourage them, prosper their work and embolden their hearts. Raise up and equip more workers for Your harvest fields. Fill them with your spirit, deliver them from the evil one and empower them to boldly proclaim and represent You and Your Word to the world, until you return. Help me to be obedient to your voice and do my part in advancing your kingdom on earth.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe

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Praying for Authority

Actions and decisions made by people in authority create a significant impact on those within their sphere of influence- both good and bad. Think of a business owner who leads with integrity and excellence, as opposed to one who cuts corners, breaks laws, and routinely passes blame. Think of a father who loves, supports, and wisely trains his children, compared with one who ignores or abuses them. Think of biblical examples like Moses and Aaron, the leaders of Ancient Israel, whose different ways of responding to God at Mount Sinai resulted in the Ten Commandments on one hand and a golden calf on the other. Our authorities can either help us in doing the will of God or they can make it harder for us to pursue.

Since the influence of people in these positions can cause such a ripple effect, and because and because their various roles are fraught with hard choices and difficulty, the Bible commands us to pray for all those in leadership over us.

Prayers for their salvation, for their ability to lead or govern, for their commitment to the highest standards and priorities, both professionally and personally.
But while each of us, in one way or another, answers to authorities higher than ourselves- supervisors, parents, officials, law enforcement- most of us also represent some kind of authority over others: children, employees, students, anyone who looks to us for guidance, direction, and instruction, So this biblical command of prayer equally applies to these relationships as well – prayers for both them and for ourselves, that we who ‘keep watch over their souls” will take responsibility seriously and perform it with great care and honor, knowing we will give an account for how we handle the job.

We tend to think of authority in terms of organizational charts and the ordinary tasks of each day. But it’s more importantly a God-ordained arrangement. “For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.” So prayer creates a revolutionary spin on the natural tendency to resist or resent authority. God’s call for us is to realize that unless they are asking us to sin our obeying of authority (in all other situations) is actually obeying Him. And by praying for those in authority we are working in the best interest of everyone.

Authority basically orbits around the four centers of activity: family, church, government, and employment. In our families, for instance, children should be praying for their parents; parents for their children; wives for their husbands; husbands for their wives. This is all part of how God works within a family both to bless its individual members and to make it a force of kingdom influence. Families operate best when following God’s design.

The proper ordering of authority within the home, combined with prayer for one another, strengthens every ligament of relationship while leading each person to see themselves as ultimately submitted to the Lord. Caring and helping one another. Praying for one another. All out of obedience to Him.

In the church we’re not only called to submit our pastors and leadership but also to steadily pray for them, praying for the hearts and their submission to Christ so that we and others can imitate their faith and example. What a change from the all too typical dislike and disapproval of church leaders, whispered and overheard in homes and back hallways. Our love and support of them is meant to make their work a joy, which in turn blesses the entire church and its ability to stay focused on its true calling.

But like Jesus did for his disciples and like Paul did for the churches, even so pastors, too, should be praying for their people, feeling a burden of concern for them. They must recognize the gravity of their authoritative role in teaching people faithfully, guarding their hearts, and leading them well under the lordship of Christ, who is the “head of the body” – the one who takes “first place in everything”.

In government, as well as in the workplace, the same sort of praying applies. Be faithfully praying for your country’s top leaders and elected officials, even those whose views differ from yours, knowing their leadership touches the lives of many people under their jurisdiction. God still uses imperfect authorities to carry out His perfect purposes. The Lord, of course, is able to turn the heart of a ruler and our impassioned prayers and petitions are part of how He does it.

Pray also for your boss and management at work. Like all those in authority, they are charged with these four overarching responsibilities, among other things 1. Providing direction, instruction, and an example to follow. 2. Protect with boundaries and rules. 3. Praise those who do right and 4. Punish those who do wrong. Let these areas of influence guide your praying. You might even add a fifth- pointing others to Christ – because any leader in any job, in dedicating his or her position to God, can be used as a force of spiritual change, both in the lives of the individuals as well as the culture at large.

Prayer and authority are a powerful combination. Prayers targeted upward in support of those who lead us, as well as prayers targeted downward for those under our care.

Ultimately, Christ is the reason all things were created, “both in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through Him and for him.” So even in praying for people in our offices, schools, and other everyday settings, we are living out a holy calling. It is both highly practical and exceedingly eternal. God is honored by this kind of praying. And because of it, His will is more readily and pervasively done.

“Father I acknowledge that all authority is from You and that all of my authorities only have power because of You. I choose to pray for the biblical, governmental, family, employment authorities You have placed over my life as a demonstration of my submission to you. Please draw them to salvation and give them a fear of the Lord in all their decisions. Use them to guide, protect, praise, and discipline me in order that I might do your will even as I do the same for those under my authority. Use me to be a blessing. Grant me favor so I can daily help people live out their full potential under Your total authority and Lordship.”

Thanks for listening!
-Lilly

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Praying for Family

This week, as we continue our series inspired by the Kendrick brothers’ book. The Battle Plan for Prayer, we’re focusing on how to do pray for family.

So how do we engage in praying for the ones we love?

If you are married, you start with your wife or your husband. Your marriage is to be a real-life application of the gospel to your children, friends and everyone else who knows you.

Ephesians 5:25 reminds husbands to “love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Wives, in verse 22, are asked to support and honor the leadership of their husbands as they would honor the Lord.

What this all means is that we run to Christ for love, joy and peace, then take all of that and pour it into our marriages.  We pray for each other, asking for God to direct when disagreements happen, which they inevitably will.  When that happens, we should be committed to listening respectfully, confessing openly and extending patience and kindness. We should be hard to offend and quick to forgive!

The example we are setting in our marriages is too valuable to let the voices of other people become more important than our spouse’s voice.

We can also pray that our spouse is devoted to Christ, surrendered to following His Word and His lordship. We can pray that each of our spouse’s relationships are marked by love and unselfishness, especially the ones that are strained.  We can pray for peace, healing and restoration where things are broken.

We can pray that God would keep our spouse clearly aware of God’s desires, knowing how to handle each day’s decisions. We can pray that God keeps us, as their partner, attuned to their needs so we can be a voice of clarity in their lives.

We can pray David’s prayer in Psalm 20:4 for our spouses: “May He give you what your heart desires and fulfill your whole purpose.”

The Lord will guide our marriages as we are more specific in our praying for them.

Satan is in the business of causing confusion in our families, so we must pray against that.

The enemy also wants to confuse our kids, distract them, apply unneeded pressure to them and doubt their sense of worth and identity.

Our role as a parent is to stand in the gap of these areas, listening to our children and knowing the condition of their hearts.  Praying with our kids, with our arms around them and then praying for them even when they are not physically with us.

We are to intercede for our children in prayer for their protection, their friendships, their character and their ability to stand up to temptation.  Our children may not realize the level of spiritual opposition to claim their eyes and their interests.  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.”

But WE KNOW the level of opposition. We’ve felt it. So…defend your kids in prayer. Claim God’s promises of victory in their lives. Pray for God’s spirit to go ahead of them wherever they may be. That they may draw others to Him.

If your kids are older, then pray that they will remain faithful to God in their generation, love him and keep His commands, like it talks about in Deuteronomy 7:9. Oh, and all of this also applies to our grandchildren!

Alex and Stephen share in this chapter that the Psalmist was thinking about multiple generations when he wrote:

“so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.
 Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.”

Just like we’ve shared throughout this series, we can ask God to ‘unlock’ the Word so that we can pray specifically for our family and future generations.

The battle plan for prayer for your family is simply awaiting your dedicated attention to it!  To make it a priority…to make your family a prayer target.  Prayer is the most effective investment we can make along with all the other ones, like love, time, physical and emotional support, sweat equity and financial generosity.

Today’s prayer:

Lord, I bring my family before you today – their needs, struggles, their goals, their concerns, their present and their future.  These loved ones of mine are actually yours, Lord, and you have graciously shared them with me. Help me to best express my gratitude to you by never failing to pray for them, to seek your will for them, and to ask for your wisdom as I relate in love and loyalty towards them.

Give me discernment as to their physical and spiritual needs in each season, and help me faithfully lift them up to you in faith, love and in the power of the Holy Spirit. May many generations be blessed because of my prayers.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Our Christmas Gift Exchange winners are Jeff from Mount Vernon and Brenda from Fredericktown – congratulations!

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Hannah

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Praying for Other Believers

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“Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.” (Philemon 7)

Perhaps some of the most commonly spoken words from one Christian to another are “I’ll be praying for you. “And perhaps the most commonly unspoken words are the prayers that would have been said if those promises were truly kept.

This week in our series inspired by The Battle Plan for Prayer, Alex and Stephen Kendrick remind us of the importance of praying for other believers.

We need each other‘s prayers. It’s one of the most loving things we can do for each other. Your brothers and sisters in Christ, at any challenging point in their lives, need to be able to take a deep breath and realize they’re not alone; that their Christian family has their back. They need the assurance that you and others are praying. Especially if you said you’d be praying.

Paul described this as being “on the alert. “Something we do “at all times.” We pray “with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)  Notice how all- encompassing this command and expectation is.

The early church in Acts was so involved with one another they were constantly “taking their meals together,” enjoying what the Bible describes as “gladness and sincerity of heart”.  As a result, despite a rash of persecution and life-threatening challenges in the days that followed, we see God’s spirit working miracles among them. We read about bold witnesses for Christ. We read about people coming to faith by the dozens. We see sin exposed and repented of.  We see teamwork. We see abundant generosity and unselfishness. We see regular demonstrations of God‘s power. We see everything we wish happened in our day, in our churches…

…And one of the ways we can contribute most effectively to a revival of church unity today is through the active practice of praying for each other as believers. It heals us. It unites us as one.

Almost all of Paul’s letters in the New Testament were written to different churches. But no matter how close his personal relationship with them, he wrote assuring them that he was genuinely, consistently, perfectly, praying for them.  Romans 1: 9-12, Philippians 1:3-4; the book of Colossians, they all show examples of this.

Our routine should follow the faithful footprints of this example. Encouraging other believers. Thanking God for them. Worshiping with them. Bringing their concerns before the Lord, both physical and spiritual.

You can use The Lord’s Prayer as an example of how to pray for others…

“Father in heaven, I pray for my brother (my sister),  praising your name for them, asking you to fill their hearts with worship for you today. May their primary desire always be to advance your kingdom, wherever they happen to be, whatever they happen to be doing.
May they align themselves on the earth with your will, just as surely as you’re will is followed and accomplished in heaven.
Provide them, I pray, with their daily bread – with everything you know is required for them to thrive and be cared for. And grant them repentance, forgiving them of their sins even as you forgive me of mine.
Keep their relationships free from bitterness and difficulty as we forgive those who sin against them. Please, Lord, protect them from temptation, from allowing them to be overloaded with adversity.
I deliver them from all evil, from every scheme and attack of the enemy, from every weapon intended to defeat and discourage them. For yours, Lord, is the kingdom,  The power, the glory, forever. You have already given them victory through the finished work of Christ. So I pray for them today, and I pray in his name, amen.”

Now that’s strategically targeting a prayer.

Too often, prayer request times between believers become: “Pray for my aunt’s kidney condition. Pray for my cousin’s colon cancer. Pray for my brother’s big toe.” And while we all need and appreciate prayer towards physical health, we must be careful not to prioritize temporary physical needs over eternal spiritual ones.

The apostle Paul prayed for God to reveal his will and love, to strengthen and equip people toward spiritual fruitfulness and for them to increase in their knowledge of God and faithfulness to God. We can learn so much about how to pray for one another.

Think of how a commitment to prayer for our fellow believers could energize our relationships and our shared sense of mission.

 

CLOSING PRAYER: “Lord, thank you for the church you’ve given me, and for the friends and families you’ve enabled me to know shared faith in Christ. I pray you would cement our relationships even further by helping us commit to pray for one another. Lord, be pleased by how we love and care for each other. May your name be glorified as you work in our midst. We will be watching you, and we will be praising you. Bless us, I pray, that the world would see your power and the difference you make in our lives. Amen!”

Thanks for listening!
-Joe, Hannah and Lilly

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