"Keep Your Focus on God" - shared by our Prayer Team

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1).

As we pray, we need to keep our focus on God. Picture him. Remind yourself of his character traits. Think of him as he was on the earth. What kind of a man was he? How did he deal with people?

Recently, I struggled with a tough relationship issue. Fear was at my doorstep. Could I trust God to meet this need, really? I decided I needed to understand more of what kind of a man Jesus was in order to trust him in this relational struggle. I began an in-depth study of the gospel of Matthew. I carefully studied how, as a man, Jesus ministered to people. I was reminded of his compassion when he cared for the hungry crowd and fed the 5,000; his tenderheartedness as he touched and healed the leper; and his love for the poor as he taught the Beatitudes. Reading each day about his life gave me confidence that he was, and is, someone I can fully trust.

As I prayed about this over the next few weeks, fear concerning this particular relationship was replaced by peace and confidence that God was in control. In every situation for prayer, whether great or small, we will be faced with the choice either to acknowledge the existence and control of God or to allow ourselves to be in control.

Imagine a place without his presence. It would be a pretty miserable place. When we pray we need to remind ourselves of his existence. When we’re aware that the Lord is with us, we act differently. Our thoughts are different. Our concerns are different. I don’t know about you, but when I am aware of the fact that God is present, I’m not only more careful of how I act, but I’m not afraid. I’m at peace. This has to be the way it is when we pray. It’s easy to get caught up in mindless, mundane praying. When we pray, are we convinced that we are in the presence of the risen Christ? Do we see his hand at work in our daily lives?

As we practice choosing to keep our thoughts, our emotions, and our focus on the existence and presence of God, we will have victory in our prayer lives. What an awesome God we serve! Don’t let the enemy or the world steal this joy from you!

Father God, I acknowledge Your patient and loving presence in my life today! Give me the ability to be continually aware of the peace that passes all understanding and the full knowledge that with You I can be victorious in all things. Help me to stand against the attempts of the enemy to steal my joy in the midst of the abundant life You have blessed me with. Keep me focused upon all that You are and attentive to Your hand at work.

--Adapted from Ultimate Connection: Eight Principles that will Transform Your Prayer Life by Barbara Ho.

Prayer Points

• Praise God as the fair judge and ruler who never lets wealth, appearance, or earthly power influence his decisions.

• Give thanks for God’s constant concern for those in positions of weakness and poverty (Jas. 1:27).

• Confess those times when your support of the poor has been in word only and not in action (1:22-25).

• Commit yourself to seeing people as God sees them, not as our society sees them.

• Ask God to open your eyes to those who are “poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith” (Jas. 2:5).

• Pray for specific individuals and families in your church who may be having a hard time financially. Ask God what you can do to help (Gal. 6:9-10).

Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org.

"Praying for Missionaries" - shared from our Prayer Team

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).
 
What do we mean when we ask God to bless the missionaries? Jesus did not pray that God would rescue the disciples from the hardships of the world. He asked the father to “keep them from the evil one” (Jn. 17:15). After Saul’s Damascus Road experience, Christ said He would show Paul “how many things he must suffer” for Jesus’ name (Acts 9:16). God’s call upon the life of a missionary (or any believer for that matter) does not remove the reality of pain, suffering, sickness, and persecution. This theme of serving Christ through persecution and suffering is both a biblical and historical reality.
 
How many of us have heard the testimonies and requests of persecuted house church leaders in China. They plead with us not to pray for the suffering and persecution to end, but rather for God to be glorified through the persecution. With persecution comes kingdom growth. It has always been so. Tertullian said the blood of the Christians is holy seed.1 Christ said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mt. 16:24).
 
So, perhaps we should pray less for the “success,” happiness, and comfort of the missionaries and more for their endurance and character as cross-cultural disciplers. In their book, Called to Reach: Equipping Cross-cultural Disciplers, Yount and Barnett identify eight characteristics of effective missionaries. When we pray for the missionaries (expatriates and locals), perhaps we should pray that they would:
 
1. Depend on the Holy Spirit in all they do (spiritual character).
2. Live according to the teachings of the Bible (biblical character).
3. Be good thinkers and teachers across cultural barriers (rational character).
4. Be willing to suffer with those they witness to (compassionate character).
5. Endure as they suffer for the sake of the gospel (impassioned character).
6. Build lasting, witnessing relationships (relational character).
7. Stay focused on God’s mission, not their own (maturational character).
 
Lord God, as I lift up those who have answered Your call to the mission field, I ask that You would place in them Your godly character and that each one would live according to Your word. May they have clarity of mind, a willingness to suffer with others and for Your sake! Help them to develop lasting relationships with those they serve, and to keep their focus upon Your holy face.

--Adapted from Giving Ourselves to Prayer: An Acts 6:4 Primer for Ministry, Chapter 66(Strategic Prayer for God’s Mission and Missionaries) by Mike Barnett. This resource is available at prayershop.org.

Prayer Points

• Praise God, whose “every word . . . is flawless.”

• Thank God for being “a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Prov. 30:5).

• Confess times of not believing or listening to his Word.

• Commit yourself to hearing God speak to you today.

• Ask him to truly be your refuge.

• Pray for God’s flawless Word to be clearly and practically preached throughout the world. Ask God’s Spirit to open hearts so that his kingdom and righteousness may grow.

Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org.

Maranatha Media - October 2023

Shari has another joke for us this month! See the bottom of this post for the answer.

Answer: Under the covers!

"Life Shaping" - shared from our Prayer Team

“Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you” (1 Thessalonians 3:10-11).

Have you ever noticed that with some believers you just know that they are growing in their faith, but with others, you do not see signs that their walk with God is going anywhere? What makes the difference?

Certainly some do not have a strong desire to grow. They have made some commitment to Christ, but it does not go deep enough to radically shape the way they live. But many believers simply have not had any real encouragement to grow. No one has ever come alongside them to mentor or disciple them. I bet most believers who are active in their faith have at points in their lives had people encouraging them and challenging them in their walk with Jesus. Someone modeled what a vibrant faith looks like for them.

Paul did that for his converts. People up and down Asia Minor who were in the churches planted by Paul grew because of Paul’s personal interest in them. Paul prayed regularly for them. And he prayed that God might grant him a way to touch their lives personally again.

What about you? Are you actively praying for ways to mentor a fellow believer? No matter where you are in your faith’s journey, no matter what is lacking in your knowledge of Jesus Christ, someone could use your encouragement. Someone is not as far along as you! Why not begin to pray for that person? Then look for ways to encourage, sharpen, and challenge him or her in the faith. Become a mentor like Paul.

Father, I lift up ____________________to You right now. I know he (or she) has a heart for You, but lacks a drive or desire to go deeper. I pray that You would give him a greater hunger and passion to know You. Draw him to Yourself, O Lord. Show me ways that I might be an encouragement to him in his walk with You. I am willing, if You would open the door, for me to mentor ____________________.  Just show me the action I should take. Amen.

--Adapted from Praying like Paul (Learning to Pray the Kingdom for Those You Love) by Jonathan Graf. This resource is available at prayershop.org.

Prayer Points

• Praise “God, from whom all blessings flow!”

• Thank him for making his blessings available to you in Christ Jesus.

• Confess that you are spiritually poor in yourself.

• Commit yourself to gratitude to God for replacing your poverty with all the treasures of “the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:3).

• Ask for a renewed appreciation for this tremendous, gracious exchange.

• Pray for those caught in addictions to drugs, sex, self-reliance, etc., to admit that they are powerless to overcome these evils by themselves.

• Ask God to use you this week to point at least one person to him and his resources.

• Prayer Pointer: “Prayer becomes a battleground where we wrestle with what it means to live God’s life in the world.” —Maxie Dunnam

Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org.

"How to Pray for Your City" from Love2Pray.com

How to Pray for Your City

In Jeremiah 29:7, the prophet challenged people to pray for the city you live in, because if it prospers, you will prosper, too. Praying for God’s blessing on our communities is a powerful topic we all should consider praying for regularly.

Here are 7 prayer points with Scriptures that you can use as you pray for your city.

1. Pray for Unbelievers to Be Saved. Pray that people’s hearts will be opened to repent of their sins and confess Jesus as Savior. Pray that every person in the world will be able to hear the gospel and the Word of God in their native language (Matt. 9:37–38, 24:14; Rom. 10:1; 2 Peter 3:9; Acts 26:18).

2. Pray for a National Spiritual Awakening. Pray that Jesus will revive the Church and awaken our nation to His greatness and supremacy. Pray that God will pour out His Spirit on America, forgive our sin, and heal our land. Pray that millions of Americans will be convicted by the Holy Spirit, repent of their sins, and turn to God with all their hearts (2 Chron. 7:14; Dan. 9:18–19; Ps. 85:6; Hab. 3:2; Acts 2:37–41).

3. Pray for Unity between Pastors and Churches. Pray that denominational, theological, and ethnic walls will come down so that pastors will love each other, pray together, and serve each other (John 17:20–23; Ps. 133:1; Eph. 4:3–6).

4. Pray for Families. Pray that Jesus will heal, restore, and strengthen every marriage and family. Pray that husbands will love their wives like Christ loves the Church and that wives will respect and submit to their husbands. Pray that the hearts of parents will be turned toward their children to love them and raise them in a God-honoring way. Pray that children will respect and obey their parents (Gen. 2:24; Josh. 24:15; Ps. 127:3–5; Mal. 4:6; Eph. 5:22-33, 6:1–4).

5. Pray for Racial Reconciliation. Pray that God will heal our nation of racism and that God will use the Church to stand against racial conflict, violence, and prejudice. The Church must lead the way in racial reconciliation by modeling love and respect for every person regardless of the color of their skin or their ethnic background (Rom. 10:12–13, Gal. 3:28, Acts 10:28, 34–35, John 7:24, 1 John 2:9, James 2:9, Rev. 7:9).

6. Pray for Life to Be Valued and Protected through All Stages of Life, Beginning at Conception. Pray for God to break the culture of death in America and restore a culture of life. Pray for legalized abortion to come to an end (Ps. 139:13–16; Jer. 1:5; Prov. 24:11; Deut. 21:8–9).

7. Pray for Local and National Government Leaders. Pray that God will give them wisdom to make wise decisions and to govern with integrity, justice, and mercy (1 Tim. 2:1–2; Rom. 13:1; 1 Peter 2:17; Titus 3:1–2; Micah 6:8).
   
   If you want to expand your prayers for your community, I recommend getting a copy of the 40-day prayer guide Praying God’s Word Over Your City by Trey and Mary Anne Kent

–These prayer points were developed by AmericaPrays and appear in the book City of Prayer by Trey Kent and Kie Bowman.

"Teach Me the Way of Humility"

OUR PRAYER TEAM WANTED TO SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH EVERYONE FROM HARVEST PRAYER MINISTRIES.

Teach Me the Way of Humility

Before you begin, like the disciples in Luke 11:1, simply ask, “Lord, teach me to pray.”
 
Father, I come before You asking that You empower me by Your Spirit that the humility of Christ might be evident in my relationships with others. May I do nothing out of selfishness but truly consider others better than myself and look out for the interests of those You have placed in my life. Father this is so against my nature!
 
Forgive me Lord—for I confess that more often than not I am more concerned with my own needs, and getting my own way. May selfishness be put to death in me that I might truly serve others in love.
 
Forgive me, Father, for I confess that often my involvement in the needs of others is based on my own comfort or if it’s convenient for me. How selfish I am Lord! Teach me what it means to love sacrificially I pray—to love like Jesus, to serve like Jesus! Teach me this way.
 
May I extend grace and mercy to others as You, Father, have extended grace and mercy to me. Destroy pride in my life in all of its ugly forms: the need to have my own way, to be heard, to be right, to be noticed and appreciated, excusing sin in my life . . . (pause and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you). Help me to be keenly aware of the ways that I exalt myself, and may I instead exalt Christ.
 
Your Word promises that You will guide the humble in what is right—I want to be guided by You! I choose this day to submit to the promptings of Your Holy Spirit, to not resist His work in my life, and to humble myself under Your mighty hand that You might lift me up in due time as You see fi t. May the refining fi re of the Holy Spirit have full reign in my life this day that I might be a useable vessel for the purposes of Your Kingdom. And may I be an extension of Your love and mercy to those who are burdened with the cares and brokenness of this world and are in desperate need of the Savior. I ask these things in His Mighty Name. Amen.
 
Philippians 2:2-4; Galatians 5:13; Galatians 6:2; Daniel 4:37; Psalm 25:9; 1 Peter 5:6; Luke 10:25-37
--Adapted from Pray the Word: 31 Prayers that Touch the Heart of God by Tiece King. This resource is available at prayershop.org.   

Prayer Points

• Praise your covenant God for his abiding faithfulness (Deut. 7:9).

• Give thanks that even “if we are faithless, he will remain faithful” (2 Tim. 2:13).

• Confess any unfaithfulness you’ve allowed into your relationships with God and others.

• Commit yourself to bearing the fruit of faithfulness through the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22).

• Ask God to help you be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.

• Pray that God’s covenant love would extend through your generation and on to generations yet to come.

Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org.

Maranatha Media - August 2023

“Donut forget to read… it makes you well-rounded!” :)

"Love is An Amazing Force"

An article that our Prayer Team would like to share with everyone.

Love Is an Amazing Force

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).
 
Love is an amazing force!  God is love!  Paul was praying for love so that the Philippians would grow in their discernment of what was best (God’s will and purposes) and that they would live pure and blameless lives.  How can an increase of love bring about all of that – a deeper recognition of God’s purposes and a great desire and ability to live a life pleasing to Him?  What would an increase of love in everyone do in your church?  What would a deeper level of love do in your marriage and family?
 
Praying for love for yourself and others will have a profound effect on you or those you pray for – on how you view life, on how you handle circumstances, and on how you pray for others.
 
Father God, I thank You for Your great love for us.  Thank You for the love that sent You to this earth to suffer and die to pay the penalty for our sins.  Lord, I want to experience a deeper level of love in my own life – sacrificial love.  Would you give me a greater understanding of what love is?  Help me to pray with love when I pray for others.  Give me a greater love for You, so my life would reflect the fruits of righteousness and bring glory to You.

--Adapted from Praying Like Paul (Learning to Pray the Kingdom for Those You Love) by Jonathan Graf. This book is available at prayershop.org.

Prayer Points

• Praise God as one who is perfect in power and judgment but also perfect in mercy and kindness.

• Give thanks for God’s mercy to you (Eph. 2:4-5).

• Confess your inability to show mercy as completely and graciously as your Father does.

• Commit yourself to living with a greater awareness of God’s mercy and kindness in your life (Eph. 1:7-8).

• Ask God to extend this grace to others who have irritated or hurt you.

• Ask God to make his church worldwide a shining example of people who extend mercy and kindness even to their enemies (Mt. 5:44-45).

Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org.

"What Should I Do When I Don't Feel Like Praying?"

Below is an article from Harvest Prayer Ministries that our prayer team would like to share with everyone.

There are days, seasons, or events in all of our lives that sometimes seem to paralyze our hearts and leave no words available to us for prayer. When this happens, the first thing to do is remember that God is still there. He is with you in whatever you are walking through. He saw what brought the grief, or the anger, or the frustration. He is there in the depression, the addiction, the pain of rejection, the times of uncertainty. Your first step is to trust that He is right where Matthew 28:20 states He said He would always be – with us! He is with you – now and always!

Next, simply breathe in His presence. Take the next breath…and the next…and the next. Adversity or dark times can suck the air from your being and it’s so important to breathe God in and breathe out the issues or circumstances that may be causing your inability to pray. Think about the One who gave you life, who gave you Eternal Life, and who is Himself Living and Active. He has not abandoned you. His presence surrounds you. Soak in the awareness of this reality!

Turn your thoughts to Him. Take your thoughts and your eyes off of the difficulty, the dryness, the sadness, the anger, or whatever is keeping you bound up and put your eyes and thoughts onto Jesus – the One who can lift you out of the darkness or transport you from the desert. Worship is the best way to do this. Turn on your favorite worship music – even if you don’t feel like it. Surrounding yourself with the tangible life-giving words that feed your soul is crucial if you are to be able to express your heart in prayer. Sometimes the words themselves can give voice to what you are unable to say to God in the moment. Allow God to transform you by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2) and the healing of your heart…bit by bit.

Sometimes all you can voice is silence, so in the silence…listen. Perhaps He does have something to speak to you if you will allow Him the opportunity. How sad for us when we don’t listen to God until the moments when we are unable to speak to Him. Learning to listen well should always be a vital part of our prayer lives. Prayer is two-way communication within this love relationship with our Father. It could be that you hear nothing…but then you begin to experience His peace, comfort, strength, and a knowing that He is there with you.

If you want to express something to God, let it out – it might just be a scream, a rant, or a groan. Romans 8:26-27 in the New Living Translation of the Bible says, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” This is an absolutely astonishing gift! It means that when you don’t have a clue what or how to pray, the Holy Spirit comes alongside of your heart and aligns it with the Father’s heart. He expresses your inward thoughts, or lack of thought. He gives voice to your prayer when you have no voice of your own. He aligns your anguish, depression, anger, situation, weariness, etc. with the perfect will of God even as we struggle to find words to communicate with Him about it.

One other thing to consider when you “don’t feel like praying” is that you may be involved in sinful thought or behavior that is eating away at you, and making you feel guilty. There is an enemy that wants to condemn us; however, we also have the Holy Spirit, who will convict us so that we can turn from our sin and walk again in righteousness. Sinfulness can keep God from listening to you. Take time to examine your heart, thoughts and motives to be sure that if what is needed is repentance and asking the Father for forgiveness, you take care of this right away. Psalm 51 is a powerful prayer of repentance to use and when you are unable, or don’t feel like praying, King David’s words will give you your voice!

As a summary, remember these things when you don’t feel like praying:

1. God is still there! Trust Him!
2. Breathe in a fresh awareness of His presence!
3. Turn your thoughts off of your issue and onto Jesus, the One who can deal with your issue. Play worship music and join in! Focusing on Jesus is a good antidote to situations that keep us from wanting to pray, or knowing what to say in prayer.
4. Silence/Listening – sometimes it is best to simply get quiet and listen for the voice of God. There is healing in stillness and wisdom in listening. Remember – even if you don’t sense that you hear anything from God, He is there.
5. Remember that the Holy Spirit is there to give voice to your prayers in alignment with the will of the Father when you are unable.
6. Consider that what might be causing your inability to pray or your lack of desire for prayer might be sinfulness in your life. Use Psalm 51 as your prayer so that God can reveal the hidden things, and so that you can take the time to repent and confess. Your relationship will be fully restored and a prayer of thankfulness will likely be the result.

Maranatha Media - July 2023

Eight new books have been added to the library this month and are reviewed in this July edition of the Maranatha Media - thanks, Shari!

"Fill Up What is Lacking"

Our Prayer Team wanted to share this very relevant article with everyone from Harvest Prayer Ministries. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2023 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

Fill Up What Is Lacking

Father, Your Word promises that You will be my sure foundation, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge. Forgive me Lord, for I know that I often look in other places for strength and stability and miss Your blessing in my life. Forgive me for the times that I turn to the wisdom of the world, instead of turning to You. I am so quick to take matters into my own hands and do what is right in my own eyes.

Teach me to pause, to seek Your face, wisdom, and counsel. You have said in Your Word that if I lack wisdom I should ask, and so I ask, Father, give me Your wisdom, I pray. Guard my mind today against worldly philosophies. May I be rooted firmly in Christ!

In the situations that I face at work, home, or school, may I know Your mind and be wise in all I do. Keep me from error, and I ask for Your wisdom especially in regard to . . . (Pray through your schedule and concerns.)

May Your wisdom be evident through me as I engage those in my life with whom I have relationships. I declare my dependence upon You alone, the source of all knowledge and wisdom, and I ask that You give me wisdom from heaven that is: pure (Reveal the hidden motives of my heart Father!); peace loving (May my words build others up and promote unity, I pray.); considerate and submissive (May my thoughts be of the needs of others—teach me to serve!); full of mercy and good fruit (May I be a dispenser of Your great grace.); impartial and sincere (May my actions flow out of my love for You—help me to love like You love.)

Strengthen me today. Remind me, I pray, to live out what Your Word says—that I might be like a wise man who builds his house on a rock, that regardless of the storms that come against me, I might not be moved. In the name of Jesus, who is the Word. Amen.

Isaiah 33:6; 1 Corinthians 3:19; Proverbs 3:7; Colossians 1:9; Ephesians 1:17; James 1:5; Colossians 2:8-9; James 3:17; Matthew 7:24-25
 
--Adapted from Pray the Word: 31 Prayers that Touch the Heart of God by Tiece King. This resource is available at prayershop.org.

Prayer Points

• Praise God for his everlasting love (Jer. 31:3), which has no end.

• Thank God for demonstrating his love for you by sending his Son to die in your place (Rom. 5:8).

• Confess any lack of love you have experienced toward God or other believers.

• Commit yourself to bearing the fruit of love by the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22).

• Ask God to enable you daily to “put on love” (Col. 3:14).

• As you gather with other believers for worship this week, pray that “being rooted and established in love . . . [you may] grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (Eph. 3:17-18). Let this thought flood your mind in worship.

Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org.

"The Significance of Gratitude"

Our Prayer Team wanted to share this article with everyone from Harvest Prayer Ministries.

“THe Significance of Gratitude” By Dave Butts

There is far greater spiritual significance to gratitude than many Christians realize. The Bible is filled with both command and example regarding giving thanks to God, and teaches that being grateful is a key to walking in right relationship with God and growing spiritually. While there are hundreds of Scriptural texts that relate to the issue of giving thanks, here are a few that give a good overview of the Biblical teaching on this subject:

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Heb. 12:28).

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful” (Col. 3:15).

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (Col. 4:2).

“Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done” (1 Chron. 16:8).

“When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, ‘He is good; His love endures forever’” (2 Chron. 7:3).

“I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks” (Neh. 12:31).

“In that day you will say: ‘Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted’” (Isa. 12:4).

What Happens When We Don’t Give Thanks to God?

There is one very powerful verse in Scripture that approaches giving thanks from the negative aspect. What happens when we don’t give thanks to God? “For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom. 1:21). The Apostle Paul literally links ingratitude to the whole progression in Romans, chapter 1, that shows man’s rebellion against God and the devastating results of that sin. Failing to give thanks is more than just bad manners. It is the beginning point for separation from God.

Key to Humility

Gratitude is so important to practical Christian living because it is a key to humility. Giving thanks for something puts us in the place of a recipient. I have received something from someone and therefore say, “Thank you.” A lifestyle of gratitude will instill humility deep inside us. We will begin to recognize that all that we have and all that we are comes from God. Gratitude helps teach us humility.

True humility is the antidote to the devastation that pride brings to our walk with God. We can never grow deeper in our Christian life as long as pride dwells within us. Pride seeks to dethrone God. Pride puts self first and becomes the root cause of greed, hatred, envy, covetousness, and much more.

Too often we try to deal with pride by putting ourselves down and feeling bad about ourselves. As we try this, we again and again find ourselves fighting back with thoughts of self-justification. It’s an endless struggle and is not only unsuccessful, but dishonors the person that God has intended us to be.

There’s a more godly way to learn humility. It comes by recognizing our complete dependence upon God. In practical, daily ways, we are trained in humility through expressing gratitude. Saying “thank you” shows that, to some degree, I have learned that everything comes from God. It shows me that He alone is God and I am not. As the grateful creation, I give thanks to my Creator for my daily bread and everything else needed for this life and for eternity.

Prayer

My Father, I come before You with my heart absolutely filled with gratitude. For this day and each day that You give me, I bring You thanks. For family, ministry, friends, and provision I give You thanks. My Lord, there have been times of great loss and sorrow…yet in the midst of those times You stayed by my side. Thank You. Your Word tells me that You have given me every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies through Christ Jesus. Thank You! Such knowledge helps me understand that whether in times of plenty or want, peace or war, health or illness…what You ultimately have given me is the gift of Yourself through Jesus. For that I am and will be eternally grateful. Amen!

–Dave Butts was the president of Harvest Prayer Ministries from 1993 until his death in 2022. He was the author of many books, articles and blogs.

YG Mission Trip 2023 - Day 6 (Thursday)

Today was our recreation day. In spite of the cooler temperatures and rain, we hiked the Endless Wall Trail along New River Gorge. After lunch, we headed to the zip lines.

YG Mission Trip 2023 - Day 5 (Wednesday)

Our last day of service was spent at Grace Baptist where we are staying for the week. We helped prep walls, paint ceilings, and build a retaining wall.

Although the weather has turned cold (high of 68!) and rainy, we had a great time playing games in the gym again. For our devotions, Brent talked about service and we took turns sharing our “Highs, Lows, and Buffaloes” together.

"Praying for Our Enemies"

Our Prayer Team wanted to share this article with everyone from Harvest Prayer Ministries. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2023 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

May 23 - Praying for Our Enemies

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:43-45a).

"But I tell you who hear Me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" (Luke 6:27-28).

Jesus had enemies…and they crucified Him. Yet, as we know, He had the ultimate victory in the end. But because God loved the world so much that He sent Jesus to die, His Son did not leave the earth without praying for those who were responsible for His death. Jesus, who told us to love and pray for our enemies, demonstrated the ultimate gift of love while hanging on the cross: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34a). Jesus prayed for His enemies…how can we do less?

One of the most amazing commands of Christ is to love our enemies. In our flesh, we naturally want to retaliate or fight back when we are treated unkindly or persecuted. Jesus preached forgiveness and mercy: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" (Luke 6:36). His lifestyle demonstrated grace, that ours might also. He took His command one step further, adding another level of difficulty: "Pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44b). Jude also spoke about the importance of mercy: "Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them…" (Jude 1:22). Because of God’s mercy, we were saved. We must extend His mercy to those who are still enemies of God, so that they might also receive what we have been given.

Father, give me a heart filled with mercy so that I am able to love and pray for those who mistreat me.  Give me Your grace to love them as You do, and to see them with Your eyes of compassion. 

--Adapted from the article Praying for Our Enemies by Kim Butts, author of 7 Prayers for Discernment and Decision-Making. This book is available at prayershop.org.

Prayer Points

• Praise God as the provider and sustainer of all things (Ps. 145:15-16).

• Give thanks for the tenderness and the care that the Lord gives to the creatures that he has made (145:8-9).

• Confess those times this past week when you have forgotten to look on other people or other parts of God’s world with the same love that is in God’s heart.

• Commit yourself to treating others with the same compassion as God does.

• Ask God to fill your heart with his care, concern, and tenderness.

• Pray for families in which the parents are too busy to really listen and respond to their children’s needs. Ask God to help them set their priorities in line with his will for their families.

Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org.

YG Mission Trip 2023 - Day 4 (Tuesday)

Today we worked at Honeysuckle Nature Center. Ms. Terry has a vision to teach people about nature and glorifying God. Along with her testimony, she showed us various gardens including the Bible Garden (with all biblically-themed plants) and the bamboo maze. We helped weed, trim trees, and maintain ground cover.

We were invited back to Camp Royal tonight to worship with their campers and watch the professionals skateboard. It was “gnarly”! Camp Royal chapel was led by their staff and small group breakout sessions.

Extreme sports professionals like Clayton teach campers during the day. We got to come back and watch them do a show - it was insane!!

YG Mission Trip 2023 - Day 3 (Monday)

Our first day of ministry was at Camp Royal. They are a Christian Extreme Sports camp that focuses on finding your true identity in Christ through activities like BMX bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc. The founder, Tim, gave us a tour of the renovations they made to an old school building to convert it into a summer camp.

Our team scrubbed and cleaned everything in the dining pavilion and moved the Gaga ball pit to a new location. You can’t see from this photo, but these panels were insanely heavy! Ethan and Avery were rockstars and didn’t break stride the whole way!

We helped clean out their passenger bus. Tim said it was possibly the first time it’s been cleaned since Camp Royal had purchased it!

The bathrooms were made of converted shipping containers fitted with help from the Cathey Family that owns Chick-Fil-A. The upper deck is the snack shack and common area. We helped wash the deck and furniture in the afternoon.

Pastor Levi led us in our devotions on Romans, told the story of Robert Robinson and “Come Thou Fount”. We ended with recapping our day at camp as a small group. We are tired and some of us are a bit sore (!). Looking forward to serving again tomorrow!

YG Mission Trip 2023 - Day 2 (Sunday)

We started off the day by worshiping at Grace Baptist.

After lunch, we hung out with our new friends from Memorial Park Church (MPC) and played games.

We drove out to New River Gorge National Park, the largest arch bridge in the USA.

At the bottom of the gorge is the New River. We cooled off and enjoyed the scenery.

Grace Baptist Fayetteville and their gym building. We are staying in the gym.

We spent some time with the Praying Pelican Mission staff and members of Grace Baptist planning out our work projects for tomorrow.

Pastor Brent and Pastor Levi (from MPC) led us in a Bible study from Romans. The kids had great questions and responses. God is doing big things in these young people!

YG Mission Trip 2023 - Day 1

Team Fayetteville 2023

We are loved by our care package volunteers and loaded with snacks for our trip!

Beautiful scenery as we drive through New River Gorge to Grace Baptist Church, Fayetteville, West Virginia

A quick stop for Gino’s pizza before we settle in for the night

We were invited for a time of worship with the group from Memorial Park Church (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

"Praying for Those in Authority"

Our Prayer Team wanted to share this article with everyone from Harvest Prayer Ministries. Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2023 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here.

May 18 - Praying for Those in Authority

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Paul, in his command to intercede in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 focuses our prayers especially on leaders. They have great responsibility and because of that face even greater attacks from the enemy. Satan has limited forces and focuses his attacks on those in leadership, whether it is among nations, or in the Church. If the Enemy can take down a leader, many other people are usually badly damaged. So Paul tells us, "pray…for all those in authority."

Are you praying for your pastor? Your church leaders? Your national leaders? This is a command from Scripture. It doesn’t command us to agree with them…but to pray for them. Those who move into leadership, whether in a nation or in a church, often face great criticism. This should not come from Christians. We are those who are committed to following Jesus, the great Intercessor. May every word we speak identify us as followers of Christ.

Lord, give me the desire to pray for those in authority.  May I be faithful to intercede for my pastors, and for city and national leaders.  Draw all men to Yourself for the glory of Your Name. 
 
--Adapted from the article The Accuser Versus the Intercessor by Dave Butts, author of The Devil Goes to Church (Combating the Every Day Attacks of Satan).  This book is available at prayershop.org.

Prayer Points

• Praise God as your faithful Creator and Re-creator in Christ.

• Give thanks that you can “participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Pet. 4:13).

• Confess the times in which you have shirked responsibility by failing to speak or act for Christ.

• Commit yourself to living up to the weighty name “Christian.”

• Ask that you will never “repay evil with evil or insult with insult” (1 Pet. 3:9).

• Pray for people who are experiencing the effects of natural disasters. Pray that they will feel the closeness of God even in the turmoil, and that relief will be offered to them in Jesus’ name.

Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org.