prayer

Interceding

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

Years ago, my dad was in the hospital for emergency surgery. The poisonous infection that spilled from his gall bladder was endangering his life. He lay in that hospital bed for a few days, weakened by the infection and recovering from the surgery. He told us later that there were moments where he was too sick to pray for himself. He needed the prayers of others to get him through those difficult days. Not only did my dad need the prayers of righteous people, but he needed the intervention of the medical team. The prayers worked. And the surgery worked. My dad made a full recovery. He couldn’t have survived on his own. He needed an physical intervention to save his life.

Job lived a good life. He was considered to be the wealthiest man of his day. Satan knew this about him, and he accused God of putting a hedge of protection around Job. And he asked the unmentionable. Satan asked God if he could test Job to see if his faith in God would waver. And God said ok. But God set boundaries. Satan could not kill Job. You may not call this an intervention or intercession, but God advocated for Job even though he allowed a time of great testing to come over the man.

There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area. He had seven sons and three daughters. Job 1:1-3

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. Hebrews 7:25

When Jesus sat down to eat the Passover meal with his disciples, he knew the suffering that was just ahead for him. Later that night, he would be brought to trial. He spent his last moments with his disciples preparing them for what they didn’t yet understand. He shared from his heart and let them know that they, too, would be the subject of much suffering. But before that happened, they would all desert him. And Peter claimed that he was ready to die for his Master. Yet, Jesus knew the lies Peter would tell that very night. He would deny even knowing Jesus. Not once. Not twice. But three times.

Jesus told Peter how Satan had asked to sift him like wheat. And Jesus, in love and compassion, fought for this man who had thrown down the fishing net to follow him. He pleaded with his Father to keep Peter within the fold and save him from the enemy. Peter and the others didn’t know that Jesus would willingly lay down his life for them the very next day. And without Jesus’ teachings and intercession for his disciples, they all would have failed the mission he set before them.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31-32

And He’s ever interceding
to the Father for His children;
Yes, He’s ever interceding
to the Father for His own;
Through Him you can reach the Father,
So, bring Him all your heavy burdens;
Yes, for you He’s interceding,
So, come boldly to the throne.

The Speers

But why? Why, we ask, would Jesus pray for us? Why would he defend us and intercede? Why would he step in the way of Satan running over our lives? Because, we who are children of God, are destined to spend eternity with our Father. He doesn’t want any of us to stray, so he fights for us. We are worth it to him. Jesus didn’t just die on that cross for us and then forget about us. He pleads to his Father to save us from the evil one. Because the evil one is out for our souls. And he must ask permission to test us.

Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night. Revelation 12:10

God hates sin. It never becomes a trivial matter to him. He sent his only Son to die for the sins of all mankind, so why would he ever turn aside from pleas to keep us in his favor? His Son was the sacrifice for our sins, so of course, he’ll continue pleading for our eternal safety. He wants to spend eternity with us as much as we should want it. He fights for us.

We have much to be thankful for when we consider the gift of salvation that is made available to us. We also have a constant Defender who is fighting for us in all circumstances. He will not let up on keeping us under his protecting wings. Jesus Christ fights in our defense. He prays for us. He is always working for us. We aren’t in the fight alone.

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

Stuart Townend & Keith Getty

We Are Not All Right

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

He is the mayor of a large liberal city. During his campaign, he said he wanted to improve public safety, but his city is overrun with crime. He said he wanted to build a stronger, healthier city, and now the place is being swarmed with illegal immigrants brought in from the border. He said he wanted to reduce inequality, yet he now says the asylum seeker crisis will destroy his city. After the Hamas attack on Israel, he says enough is enough. He condemns the antisemitism that is being spread by this terrorist group, and he stands strong with Israel.

He has said that we are not all right. And he’s right. We are not all right in this world. The world seems to be collapsing in on itself with no plan for course correction. Oh. We can’t move back the hands of time to a kinder, gentler day. We just can’t. Time continues to move forward even during days of unnecessary evil. It’s just the way life goes. One second becomes two and so on. The peace we once had is gone. The safety we once felt is gone. The time to be complacent is long gone. The courage we never knew we needed is now badly needed.

We can’t return to the good ole’ days, because today is all we have. Tomorrow is not a guarantee, and yesterday is spent. We’re told we need safe spaces where we won’t feel threatened. But what exactly is a safe space, and who is it safe for and safe from what?

In the New Testament, Paul warned his traveling companion, Timothy, that times will be difficult in the last days. And they thought they were living in the last days. Oh. If only they could see us now.

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! 2 Timothy 3:1-5

We’re told that in the last days, there will be wars and rumors of wars. Nations will go to war. There will be famine and earthquakes. There will be persecution of believers. There will be false teachers and false prophets.

Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. Matthew 24:4-14

Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

There were courageous believers in the Bible who lived through harrowing times. They were persecuted. Their faith was challenged. Their lives were threatened. Things were not all right in their world. Yet they held firm to the conviction that they would serve God regardless of the cost. Two people I think of time and again are Daniel and Esther. Their faithfulness to obeying God’s leading and standing strong in their faith during challenging cultural times is a reminder that my faith doesn’t have to waver in today’s cultural crisis. I too can live in obedience to God’s commands without defiling my relationship with him, even when culture today is pushing in direct opposition to biblical truths.

Daniel lived over sixty years in a foreign land. Taken as an exile as a teenager to Babylon, he never returned home to Israel. His name was forcibly changed to represent a false god. He was indoctrinated with mystical and ungodly teachings. He worked for an employer hostile to his faith during his entire career. He achieved honors and promotions in his career all the while serving kings who disregarded God as the One True God. Yet every time he was pushed to defile his faith in God, he refused. He stood strong in his convictions, regardless of the cost. He never lost faith. He was faithful throughout his life, enduring much loss. And he was highly respected by the kings he worked with throughout his adult life. God honored Daniel’s faithfulness, yet Daniel never lived as a free man.

Esther was a young Jewish woman born into exile in the Persian city of Susa. When the Persian king, Ahasuerus, banished Queen Vashti for refusing to entertain his guests, he began the hunt for her replacement. In a sweep of all the young virgin women, Esther was placed in his court. Each candidate was to spend one night with the king. The one he favored would become queen. Esther, giving up all her hopes and dreams for the future, was forced into a life not of her choosing. Yet God saw her and placed her in the king’s court where she was crowned queen. She found favor in the king’s eyes, and yet the King of Kings favored her and heard her prayers. Her people were not all right. Their lives were being threatened, but through a series of events Queen Esther was able to save her Jewish people from annihilation.

As a nation, we are not all right. We have open borders where young military age men are streaming into this country unchecked and unvetted. We have elderly leaders in top political positions who are unfit for office. We have a presidential candidate, a former head of state, who could end up in prison. Our country is funding a war that is none of our business. Corruption runs deep in the deep state, but it’s a risky business to bring it to an end. Something is very wrong.

We’ve replaced God in schools with extreme ideologies that corrupt young minds. We now push equity over equality. We allow unqualified candidates to edge out the more qualified ones for jobs, and then we are confused when the work suffers. Something is very wrong.

We’re forced to consider everyone’s selected pronouns. We scream in protest when women’s feminine products are removed from men’s restrooms. We applaud when men win women’s sports events and beauty contests. We name a biological man as woman of the year. We’re extremely concerned about the atrocities being exacted upon innocent lives in Israel and Palestine. We hear of babies being beheaded in the Middle East, all the while smiling on the beheading and dismembering of innocent unborn babies in this country. We are not all right.

Our country is focused on issues that have turned our culture into an unrecognizable mess. We’ve been heading down a dark abyss for decades, and we’ve lost our way. Our country is in chaos, and it doesn’t have to be this way. The powers that be have a plan in place to destabilize the country and keep us in a constant state of chaos. We are not all right.

We are not all right. That is definitely true. Is it too late to turn this nation back to God? Can we find our way back? That is the question we are facing. Can this country be turned around to afford more people time to answer the call to surrender their lives and their wills to Jesus Christ? Because that is our only hope. But it’s not just about this great nation we live in. Our country is not the entire world, and evil abounds in every nook and cranny of the globe. Evil and corruption are found in the elite board rooms all the way down to the dirt floor hovels all over the world.

It appears that we’re moving closer and closer to the time Jesus Christ will meet his followers in the sky and take them to heaven with him. But until that time comes, Satan will continue to expand his reach into every area of life. God is allowing Satan to exert more and more power in the world. Our hope is to pray for God to extend his mercy to us and delay his judgment on many unsuspecting souls. It’s time to pray without ceasing, because the day is coming when Satan will have full control for a short time. Then Jesus will soundly defeat him in record time.

Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:8

No. We are not all right. But God can make all things right in our hearts if we bow before him and confess him as Lord and Savior of our lives. Then, regardless of our circumstances, everything is all right.

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” Revelation 21:5

Shall We Pray

~ mercyfortheday ~ Leave a comment

Heavenly Father,

We humbly bow before you once again asking for your help as we see the evil that surrounds us. We know that your will is being accomplished in the world today. We thank you for loving us even though we have turned from following your commands. We ask for your mercy as we navigate the winding path called life. We need your guiding hand upon us.

In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth. You made the heavens with your hands. You have said that these things will perish, but you will never change.

Your throne, O God, endures forever. You rule with a scepter of justice. You will always be the same. Yesterday. Today. And forever.

You have loved us with an everlasting love, and yet we continue to run from you. As if you are someone to run from. Because even though we run, you still see us. You still know all about us. We can’t run far enough from your love.

Oh Father. Your name is holy. Your son, Jesus Christ, is God himself. He humbled himself and was born a human baby. He gave up his divine privileges to become a helpless baby and then move through childhood, adolescence and adulthood. He experienced every temptation known to man. And yet he did not sin. He died a cruel and painful death on a criminal’s cross. For my sins. For everyone’s sins. Oh. And they are many. So he is now elevated at the place of highest honor. And you’ve given him the name above all names. And at the appointed time, every knee will bow at the mention of his name.

We understand that every act on this earth is ordained by you. Your will is always accomplished. Difficulties in our lives are opportunities for us to draw closer to you. To learn to trust you and depend on your guidance. To know you better. All our days are determined by you. You know what’s coming. And you know where we’ve been. You see us even today. Our days are numbered.

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

We can’t run from judgment day. Because at the end, we will stand before you in judgment. You have said that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Lord, you hate the way of the wicked, but you love those who pursue godliness. Your eyes roam throughout the earth, and you examine everyone closely. You watch those who call on your name, and you watch those who reject your name. No one escapes your eye. You see our coming and our going. Our ways are fully known by you.

Help us to listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we will drift from it. For your message has always stood firm. And for those who haven’t listened and obeyed the truth, I pray that their hearts will soften to things eternal. I ask that you send a godly person to speak truth and to share the message of salvation with them. Oh. How we all need you.

I pray that you will forgive us our sins and give us the will to forgive those who have sinned against us. Help us not to give in to temptation. Please. Please. Deliver us from the evil one.

Meet us at our point of need. And at our point of praise. Make us aware of your presence. Make us aware of our faults, our flaws, our failures, our fears, our weaknesses. As we seek you, may we relax in your love and forgiveness, your grace and mercy. Remind us of your faithfulness and your sacrifice. For we know we were bought with a price. A heavy price of death on the cross for your only son, Jesus Christ. May we be eternally thankful for your sacrifice and gift of forgiveness.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen

Never Stop Praying

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I think of the prayer requests that I’ve received recently. And I’m reminded of how fragile life really is. We don’t know what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds tomorrow.

There’s the one who lost his father from a tragic fall. There’s the child who’s having surgery. I think of the one who’s been unfairly accused and faces an uncertain future. Then there’s the one who has health issues that seem never ending. The one who recently started chemo. And another who’s finishing chemo and preparing for the next steps. 

I think of the one who was in a car accident. And the family whose loved one is in hospice care. I think of the sister whose faith has taken a turn toward recklessness. The son who is fighting depression. And the daughter who is still struggling with health problems months after her accident. I remember the one who received a daunting mental health diagnosis. And the one who hasn’t yet received a diagnosis. And there’s the one who is struggling with health issues and is searching far and wide for relief.

Another one feels they must lie in order to avoid combative conversations. I think of the one who apologized for possibly offending another. I recall the one who has a bad attitude about their work situation. They all need to pray, and they need others to pray for them.

Her loved one is dying. He doesn’t have long to live. His days are numbered. She isn’t sure how to talk to him. She isn’t sure what to do. I said all we can do is pray. It sounded so helpless. But wait. Prayer isn’t helpless. Prayer is the act of turning over our troubles and concerns and struggles and needs to an Almighty, All Powerful God. It isn’t an act of weakness. Prayer is one of the most powerful acts a believer can do.

Never stop praying. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

I wonder why we use prayer as a last resort, instead of as our first line of defense. Or offense. God is always available. He is ready and willing to hear our prayers. Prayer is power.

Have the habit of prayer, turning your thoughts into acts by connecting them with the idea of the redeeming God.

(Coleridge, Notes on the Book of Common Prayer)

Prayer. The act of talking with God. Sharing our concerns and needs and gratitude and praise. It’s a time to bare our souls and just lay out all our fears and desires. But we can’t forget to offer thankfulness. God is so good to us. He has blessed us beyond measure. He knows everything we will do and what we won’t do. He knows everything we need and everything we want. God can do more than we ask or imagine. We must remember to thank God for everything.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6

There’s the sinner’s prayer asking for forgiveness. There’s the prayer of thanksgiving. God hears our every prayer. He answers our prayers in the way he sees fit. For that, we should be thankful. 

We should pray seeking wisdom as we make decisions. And for speaking words of truth. We must pray for discernment. And whether we like it or not, we should pray for our political leaders and for those in authority. We need to pray for those who are against us, not just for those who are for us. We must pray for others, and not just for ourselves.

We must pray. Because when we pray, we draw closer to God. We don’t pray to change God. Prayer actually changes us, even when we are praying for others. Prayer moves God to work in our lives. We can and must pray boldly, and God will hear us. We must not be afraid to pray for anything and all things.

And when those prayers aren’t answered in the way we want or expect, we must still cry out to God. We must still bring our requests to him knowing that he always hears us. God’s will is always accomplished. We must ask ourselves. Are we praying for God’s will or our own? Regardless of the answer or lack of, we must pray. Regardless of how long we wait to see heaven move. We still pray.

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. Romans 12:12

Bold Prayers

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Do I dare to pray boldly? What request do I have that would seem rather bold and extraordinary to bring to God? Do I dare tell him the deep longings of my heart? Do I risk sharing heartfelt needs that only He knows? The ones He already knows.

When I think of my prayers, I think they’re bland. They’re not daring. They don’t make me uncomfortable. They don’t take my breath away with the thought that I just asked such a bold thing of God. But why not? Why don’t I pray extreme prayers? I don’t want to be complacent, but then I don’t like the thought of being uncomfortable either. I can’t have it both ways. 

I want to pray boldly. I want to see first world miracles. But what exactly is that? What is a first world miracle? What miracle could I possibly need today that would satisfy my deepest longings? Perhaps it’s not my needs I should focus on. Perhaps I should look at the bigger picture and consider the needs of others before mine.

Oh.  I get it.  People in third world countries pray for their basic needs to be met.  Sometimes on a daily basis. Missionaries in foreign countries pray for safety and protection.  They pray for God to provide immediate desperate needs. But I don’t live in a third world country. 

Oh. I trust God. I do. So why don’t I ask for things bigger than I can imagine? Why don’t I make requests that seem impossible? After all. Nothing is impossible with God.

And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him.  1 John 5:14-15

I don’t have to wonder where my next meal is coming from. I don’t worry about where I will sleep at night. I have a closet full of clothes. I don’t doubt that my family loves me. I have enough money to pay my bills. My health is good. I have everything I need.

So what should my bold prayers look like? What should I ask for in bold faith? Perhaps the boldness comes in not asking for petty things.  The need isn’t always about having stuff.

Perhaps I’m afraid to pray bold prayers. Perhaps I’ll discover that my bold prayers are answered. Or maybe they’re not. Can’t I reach out in faith and pray those prayers that might just break open heaven’s floodgates? Imagine what might happen.

The King of kings says to come boldly to his throne.  He says we have the same power that caused Jesus to rise from the dead. This offer is free for the taking, because he’s already paid the price.

We need to pray specific, continual radical prayer says Greg Pruett. He also says we should intentionally pray the kinds of prayers that tap into all of Jesus’ open-ended promises about prayer in a way that achieves maximum Kingdom impact.

Oh. I’ve prayed bold prayers. Others have prayed bold prayers. And they’ve been answered. I think of the prayer for the unborn baby who received a diagnosis in the womb. Family and friends prayed for that baby. He was born perfect and healthy.

I think of two churches. One looking for a new location. The other was looking to overcome a tough financial situation. Both churches were praying. Believing God would provide the miracle. Little did they know that God was working on a plan to combine those two churches in one overwhelmingly beautiful location.

The thing about praying bold prayers is that I need to be comfortable with the answers God gives. I must be willing to accept his miracles as he performs them. They may not always be the answers I would have chosen or dreamed of, but they are still answers and miracles. I must be willing to accept the gifts as they are given.

What if I prayed for God to work his plan in my life, instead of asking for him to work my plan. What if I asked God to do the impossible instead of asking for the probable. What if I stepped aside and allowed God to do what only he can do. What if.