Mid-Week Message - His Will

 "He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, 'My Father!  If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me.  Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.'"  Matthew 26:39  (NLT)

Today, someone will stand at a loved one's bedside begging the Lord for healing.  They know He has the power and that His love is greater than theirs so they will pray with the faith that He will grant their request so that they might have more time with this person who means so much.  Then, in a few days, they will stand near a casket and ask Him why He did not answer their prayer the way they wanted Him to.  

When companies go through lay-offs employees ask God to protect their jobs so that they can continue to provide for their families.  Yet, one day they show up to work and find a manager waiting to speak to them.  They are ushered into a room and given the news that their job has been eliminated.  Shaking their heads, they gather their personal items.  As they walk out the front door they wonder why their prayer wasn't honored and they may even ask the Lord if He understands what this means and how their needs are going to be provided for.  

When we fervently pray, laying our needs before our Father in Heaven, we are placing our faith and trust in Him to take care of whatever situation it is.  But what we are really hoping for is that He will respond the way we want Him to.  We know He can do all things and by making our requests known to Him we trust in our hearts that He will do what we feel needs to be done. 

When Jesus was in the garden praying before His crucifixion, He too asked the Lord for another outcome.  But, He knew that it was more important for His Father's will to be done than His.  

Laying our own will aside and acknowledging that what really matters is that His will is done can be very difficult because we know that His will might very possibly differ from our own.  We don't want to be led into unchartered territory.  We don't want to say goodbye to someone we love.  We don't want to have to wonder how our needs are going to be met tomorrow.  

I understand.  I have been the one begging for healing and my family has experienced times when our future has changed in an instant.  Many times I have asked why.  

Over the years I have learned that the Lord does not owe me an explanation.  His will, and His reasons are far beyond what I would likely understand.  However, His love for me remains fast and He continues to guide my way.   

When we feel lost, for whatever reason, the best thing to do is to move closer to Him. We may never know why things happen the way they do but we know that He knows and we can be sure that whatever darkness we encounter cannot overpower His light.  

Please understand that I am not dismissing the pain and suffering that can descend upon us in times of tragedy, turbulence or violence.  I grasp the devastation that life can bring.  But this one thing I do know and that is that the love of our Father exceeds anything that can happen on this orb and that we were created for eternity with Him.  Today will fade away and there will be an end to earthly tomorrows.  Soon there will be no more tears for those who believe in Jesus.  

Hang on.  Ask for His will to be done and trust that He will cradle us through any dark days we may traverse.  May His grace and mercy enfold us all.  God bless.  

Prayer for Those Hurting Financially

God, You know what we’re going through. And we’re thankful You can take the hardest circumstances and turn them around for our good and Your glory.

You can restore all things—so we’re asking You to restore lost jobs, finances, relationships, resources, and hopes.

Show anyone struggling financially that You hold them close, and surround them with people who will help them through this time. Please meet their immediate needs as they trust You for long-term solutions.

Turn fear into faith as Your good plans for them unfold. As they wait on You, renew their hope and give them the courage to dream again. Remind them of their value, and fill them with peace.

Our God, come and do what only You can do.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Mid-Week Message - Trusting God's Ways

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."  Isaiah 55:8-9 (NLT)

I'm sure we can all remember asking one of our parents for something when we were children.  I don't know how it was in your family, but the automatic answer in my house never seemed to be "yes." Usually the answer was, "We'll see", or "I'll think about it," or maybe even "Go ask your father."  Whatever the answer was I felt the need to explain all my reasons for why I needed whatever it was I was asking for.  Of course, I was attempting to convince my parents that they needed to agree with me and decide in my favor.  Sometimes I was successful but quite often the final answer was "no."  

It was very difficult to understand how they could answer negatively when I was so clear in laying out my thoughts and desires.  What I didn't understand at the time was that they knew more than I did and therefore knew if my requests were frivolous or could pose hazards or risks.  Now that I am an adult and also a parent, I am aware that there were probably many times they wished to give me what I wanted but couldn't for some reason that was beyond their control.  Age has given me greater understanding and perspective.  

That being said, I have to confess that I often approach God in prayer the same way I used to approach my parents with a request.  It is something that He has shown me that I am not very proud of.  I have had to learn that it isn't my job to convince the Lord of anything.  Since He is all-knowing, He sees my needs and desires before I do along with everything else in my life.  He knows what is ultimately good for me and what is not and He has perfect timing for the blessings He sends my way.

This past year was dreadfully hard for my family.  So many things collided that caused us to wonder how we would make it through.  I spent hours before the Lord crying out, asking Him for help, reminding Him of His promises and telling Him what we were going through and what we were feeling.  So many times I forgot about His sovereignty as I begged Him to just listen to our needs.  I failed to recognize that His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.  I let my heart dictate my words and overpower the knowledge that His timing is always perfect and that He would never fail to take care of His children.  In His great love though, He soothed my soul and assured me that He knew.

One night, after a particularly rough time and as I was drying my eyes after telling Him how afraid I was and asking Him if he was watching and knew what we were going through, I turned the radio on to a Christian station.  I came in right as a song was coming on.  It was "Fear Is A Liar" by Zach Williams.  Then the song right after it was "He Knows" by Jeremy Camp.  I cannot tell you how it ministered to me to know that those songs at that time were not a coincidence.  They were reassurance from above.  Now that we have started a new year, I can tell you that I never needed to be afraid or worry that the Father didn't understand our plight as He has now answered those petitions and turned things around for our family.  Just at the right time.  

Brothers and sisters, our Creator is never negligent.  He is intimately involved in our lives and aware of every joy and heartache we experience.  Though this last year was trying, it would have been much less so if I had remembered that rather than listening to the lies of the enemy and allowing myself to be overcome with fear.  He has always seen me through whatever I have faced and I should have known He would do so again.  His love never falters and He will always be present no matter what we are experiencing.  We have only to trust that His Word is true and look for Him.  

As I thank Him for His extended hand to me and my family, I also lift each of you up and ask for His blessings for you as well.  Life is full of unknowns, so let's hold on to the One who never changes, who always understands and will never leave us to do battle on our own.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Prayer Requests - Christians in Iraq and Syria Persecuted for Their Faith

Innocent Christians - men, women, and children - have faced unspeakable horrors in Iraq and Syria. They have been terrorized, threatened with barbaric violence and death, and driven from their homes because of their Christian faith.

Please remember our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus not only in Iraq and Syria but also all those around the world who are persecuted for their faith. Many Christians have to meet in secluded locations for fear that they or their families will be persecuted.

Each day, many are imprisoned, tortured or murdered for their faith. 

1 Peter 4:12-14 New Living Translation (NLT)

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.

Prayer Request - Tragedy at a California Veterans Home

Please pray for the families of the three victims and for the gunman's family. A gunman and three hostages who were taken prisoner inside the nation's largest veterans' home in California were found dead late Friday after an hours-long standoff.

This occurred in the Veterans Home of California in Yountville, in the heart of Napa Valley's wine country.

Prayer Request - First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs, Texas

Please pray for the families of the victims and those who were injured in a church shooting in the small Texas town of Sutherland Springs, Texas. According to reports by the ABC Affiliate, KSAT 12, 27 are dead, 30 injured. 

The shooting happened at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, where around 50 people usually attend service, according to local reports.

A witness reported seeing a man walk into First Baptist Church and began shooting around 11:30 a.m CST.

Wilson County Commissioner Albert Gamez Jr told CNN that at least 27 people have been killed in the shooting, but the death toll is expected to climb.

May God comfort all those affected by this horrible event.

Prayer Request - New York

Please keep the families of the dead and injured in New York City in your prayers and thoughts. At least eight people were killed and nearly a dozen more were injured when a truck driver deliberately mowed down people and targeted a school bus in lower Manhattan Tuesday.

Isaiah 41:10 New Living Translation (NLT)

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Prayer Request - Fires in California

Please keep those facing the fires in California. 13 dead as Wine Country fires burn at least 1,500 homes and businesses, force evacuations, close hospitals. More than 20,000 people have been evacuated. About 70,000 acres have been consumed by fire.

According to SFGATE.COM, a swarm of wildfires ripped through the North Bay on Monday, killing one resident, injuring scores of others, destroying hundreds of homes and businesses, and forcing tens of thousands to flee.

The blazes turned wide swaths of the Wine Country into wastelands of twisted metal and ash as firefighters sought to contain flames super-charged by powerful winds.

Prayer Request - Las Vegas, Nevada

Please prayer for the victims' families and the injured during a shooting near the Mandalay Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. According to last report I read, 59 people have been killed and over 500 injured. Of those injured, 14 are in critical condition.

This shooting occurred during the Route 91 Harvest Festival, an outdoor concert.

Prayer Requests - Puerto Rico

Please continue to pray for those in Puerto Rico as they struggle daily after the devastation of Hurricane Maria. 

Five days after the Category 4 storm slammed into Puerto Rico, many of the more than 3.4 million U.S. citizens in the territory were still without adequate food, water and fuel. Flights off the island were infrequent, communications were spotty and roads were clogged with debris. Officials said electrical power may not be fully restored for more than a month.

You can donate to Samaritan's Purse by clicking here.

Prayer Request - Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, Tennessee.

At least one person has been killed and six have been injured in a shooting at the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, Tennessee. 

Approximately 50 people were inside the church at the time of the shooting, officials say. 

Please prayer for the victims and their families. 

Prayer Requests - Victims of Harvey & Irma

As millions continue to face the problems and trials of Harvey, millions more are now facing the tremendous and terrible power of Hurricane Irma. Please continue to prayer for all of those facing trials and tragedies.

Continue to pray for those who volunteer to help those in need. 

Psalm 107:28-30 New Living Translation (NLT)

28 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
    and he saved them from their distress.
29 He calmed the storm to a whisper
    and stilled the waves.
30 What a blessing was that stillness
    as he brought them safely into harbor!

Prayer Requests

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, I received several special prayer requests today. I am asking all of our grace partners and faith family to prayer for these special individuals this week.

1. Dear friend of mine and her husband are separated and discussing divorce. Please pray for wisdom and peace for their lives as they go through some very rough times. Pray for the healing of their relationship.

2. Brother Gino brought this one to me this morning. A mother and her daughter are struggling through some very tough times. The daughter, a follower of Christ Jesus, has been dealing with serious medical issues. She is experiencing a challenge to her faith. From Brother Gino's words, she is a strong Christian. We must not only pray for her for strength and healing but we must also pray for her mother. 

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18