Prayer for Week 23 (Beginning 6.2.08)

“The critical question...is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?” - John Piper

Tim Challies responded to Piper's question by stating that "Too many Christians look to heaven for its benefits to us without understanding that the greatest benefit of all will be the presence of Christ."

When Jesus states in Luke 10:27 that the greatest commandment is to "love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind" it isn't because God needs our love and is somehow incomplete without it. God knows that absolutely nothing is as good for us or as satisfying to us as He is. NOTHING...believe it or not...NOTHING. Not even the "benefits" of heaven compare to the glory of God Himself. So why do we settle for less???

Do you love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Or do you think that a deep passionate love relationship with Jesus is possible only for pastors, missionaries, and special people like Mother Teresa? God's love is for YOU...IF you want it.

So if we know God is wonderful and satisfying and that He loves us with an unfailing love, why does it sometimes seem so difficult to love Him? Well, I was thinking about this in context of my friend Rebecca. We met through blogging and began corresponding by email and blog comments. As I was diligent in reading her words, I began to know her more...to care about her more...to love her more. Had I never invested time and let my life intertwine with hers, our friendship would have fizzled. I love her because I know her...and I know her without having seen her face or heard her voice.

To get to know God, we need to spend time with Him...we need to read His Word. It is there that He communicates to us who He is, His love toward us, His will for our lives. As we are diligent in seeking to know God, our love for Him will grow.

INTERCESSIONS:

- that this week you will be diligent in seeking God through His Word (But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deut 4:29)

- that as you read God's Word, your love for Him will grow (We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19)

Side note: I am blessed to attend a church that teaches from the Bible. In our services people's Bibles are out and open for reading along, taking notes, marking for further study. I realize that many people do not attend churches that teach from the Bible or encourage personal study and, as a result, they may not be familiar or comfortable with reading the Bible themselves. If this describes you and you would like suggestions/encouragement in reading God's Word, please feel free to contact me at 1sttimemama1@gmail.com

Prayer for Week 22 (Beginning 5.26.08)

When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me. Hosea 13:6

INTERCESSIONS: (taken from the verse above)

That the people of the United States will

- acknowledge that God alone can satisfy and surrender completely to Him

- humble ourselves before God and acknowledge that He alone is our Provider

- be mindful of His constant presence with us...loving, thanking, and praising His always


HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! With grateful hearts we celebrate the men and women who have served, do serve, and will serve our nation. May they know the true freedom that is found in Jesus Christ alone.

Prayer for Week 21 (Beginning 5.19.08)

Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city." Acts 18:9,10

Below are excerpts from the biography of a man named Raul:

I remember this whole experience, him [Raul's father] hitting me and beating me when I was growing up...By the time I was 8 or 9 years old, my goal was to kill my dad. That was my life.

At the time I was eighteen...I was given a choice, either go to prison or go into the military. Well, at that time, Vietnam was going on, I said, “I’ll just go to Vietnam. It’s a license to kill..."

I spent the next six months of my life under psychiatric care, group therapy counseling, because I was so violent.

The first thing I did was start pushing Sharon [Raul's wife] around, kicking her and punching her. Pretty soon, I was choking her...When I realized she was going to leave me, I decided that nobody would ever have her or my kids. The best way to do that was to execute her and my kids, and kill myself.

When I got home, she had already gone to church...I got my rifle and loaded it with eighteen rounds....I began to destroy my whole house...I went next to the TV and I was just standing there. I was so angry and so mad inside; I took the butt of the rifle and hit the TV. When I hit it, it came on. And when the TV came on, there was this bald headed guy talking about Jesus...

I was listening and I wanted to shoot him with my gun, but I couldn’t pull the trigger. It seemed as ...he was talking directly to me...All of a sudden, I found myself on my knees, listening to him...I just began to cry out to God, “God if you’re really real, and you are a God that can save people, as you saved my wife, I want you tonight, right know, to come into my life.” And you know what blew me away? I didn’t see lightening or hear a voice, I just, by faith, prayed a prayer. And I felt a complete change in my life. As I got up from my knees, I wiped off my tears and put away my rifle. I got in my car and went looking for my wife, to tell her what had happened to me. I couldn’t find her. As I entered the church that she attended, they were giving the altar call. So I just went up to the altar, and when they got done counseling me, I went home.

Raul not only gave his life to Christ, but he now serves as the senior pastor of a church in Golden Springs, CA.

INTERCESSIONS:

- There are people in your city that need your prayer. They may be people you don't even know and, if you did know them, in all honesty you might not like them. Addicts, abusers, those angry enough to kill. But God loves them. May His love for them fill your heart as you pray...even though they may remain nameless and faceless to you. In humbleness before the God who brings beauty from ashes, please pray for the lost in your city this week. May He bring new life to those for whom we pray just as He did for Pastor Raul. And may He be glorified!

Prayer for Week 20 (Beginning 5.12.08)

Mother's Day....a great reminder of the immense influence that mothers have on the lives of their children and of our privilege to lift them in prayer.

INTERCESSIONS
Christian mothers
- that their love of God will direct their parenting (one generation shall praise Your works to another and shall declare Your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4) and (Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. Prov 22:6)

Mothers who are not YET saved
- that God will give them understanding of their worth in His eyes and His purpose for their lives (For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10) and (Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn Your commandments. Psalm 119:73)

- that they will come to know Christ as their Savior and turn from sin (She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more. John 8:11)"

All Mothers (as this can be an issue in the church as well as the world)
- that they will embrace and model modesty for their children (in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation... 1 Tim 2:9)

Prayer for Week 19 (Beginning 5.5.08)

This week I simply ask that you will commit to praying at least once every day for God's mercy on our nation.

INTERCESSION:
- that this week God will pour out His great mercy on those who are dead in their sins and will make them alive in Christ (But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) Eph 2:4,5)