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Beloved, prayer should be something we enter into and live our lives with consistently. We should need prayer like we need to breathe.
With that said, please make an extra effort today to join your prayers with all of the saints in Jesus for the healing of our nation and our world. Pray to heal the wounds caused by our sin and for all Christians to come together as a beacon of hope and God’s mercy to all. In Jesus’ Name!
God’s blessings to you.
DH
Let me tell you one of my favorite stories from the Bible. In Exodus 17, there was a war between the Israelites and the Amalekites. They were some tough opponents. It was such an important battle that instead of leading the armies, Moses went up to the top of the hill to pray for Israel. Moses knew that God’s help was the only way they could win.
As long as Moses kept his hands up and prayed, the battle would go well. If his hands fell, the Israelites would start to lose.
Of course Moses is human, just like the rest of us. So after a while his arms started to droop. He got tired. But Moses’ brother and a friend saw this. They ran over and helped lift up his arms. By the end, Moses kept praying and the Israelites won the war, all because of some people lending their helping hands.
This story holds a lot for me personally as a Christian in today’s world. Our first obligation is to keep in close contact with God. It’s about doing what God says is good rather than what the world says is good.
Our second obligation is to love our neighbors. To bring and keep our brethren close to Christ. How do we do that best? Through prayer.
We all come closer to God through prayer, which is a dialog between us and our Lord. In short, prayer is a child talking to their parent. Prayer is where we find out more about Him and thereby find out more about the life we were truly meant to have.
Unfortunately, we all get tired sometimes. We may even hit some dry spells in our prayer and our walk with Jesus Christ. Jesus wasn’t the only one who goes through a desert sometimes. However, that desert of sorts is exactly when the rest of us need to be lifting those weary people up in prayer. In doing so, we can all continue to fight the battle between good and evil.
When we feel led by the Spirit to pray and talk with God, we are blessing those we pray for. However, when we feel dry and walking through a kind of spiritual desert, our prayers mean so much more. It is those times that we don’t FEEL like praying that we have the most power in our prayers. We aren’t feeling led to pray, but instead we are praying because it’s what we ought to do.
Those times when we are free to pray or not are the times that we really strike back at the devil the most. True freedom is not just doing whatever we want; it is being able to do what we ought to do.
You can’t have it both ways. Either we are working for God or the devil. The Bible says two roads are set before you, one going to Heaven and one to hell. You can only walk on one path.
Know that when you say yes to someone, you are saying no to someone else. The devil wants us to use our freedom for the wrong things in order to tear down the kingdom of God. If we instead use our freedom to further the help and healing of the nations, we deal a serious blow against his wicked ways.
With every prayer, we can help change the story for another lost soul. We don’t always pick the right way for ourselves from day-to-day, but there are other good and faithful Christians lifting us up in prayer and that can make all the difference.
So go forth and do the same for others. Lift them up, no matter what your day has been like or whether you feel like doing it or not.
Some people are concerned about what to pray when talking to God. I say that if you can’t muster up what you think is a solid prayer, then pray about praying. God likes honesty and knows what’s in your heart.
If you are in a scary situation that kicks you to your knees and all you can get out is the name of Jesus, then pray that name, the name above all names. The precious name of Jesus is one of the most powerful prayers there could ever be.
The Bible says that God is our stronghold in times of trouble. Run to Him, no matter the circumstances.
One thing to note: Just because you had a rough day and maybe made some sinful choices, don’t think that God isn’t listening to the pleas of His children. Although you fail sometimes, that doesn’t make you a failure. God will never see you as a failure, even if that’s how you see yourself.
God knows His own and is ready to be a good father to us, even when we aren’t necessarily ready to be good children for Him.
No matter how strong we are or how holy we think we have become, we can always backslide if we aren’t careful.
The devil is a tough opponent and he will hit us just where we can be the most easily tempted. But God promises that we will defeat evil as long as we stick close to Jesus.
So don’t give up and don’t give in to the devil. And just because you and I may be preachers or good professing Christians, don’t you think that it can’t happen to us. We can all fall now and then. It takes the prayers of the faithful to keep the rest of us in the battle.
So please, you pray for me and I’ll pray for you and together we shall overcome this world. Stay close to Jesus and help others to do the same.
God’s blessings to you.
DH
In Romans 3:23, it says that everyone has sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. Whether you think of yourself as a good person or not, none of us measures up to a Godly standard. There’s just no way to do enough good to help this fallen world.
The words ‘sin’ and ‘fallen’ don’t need to be what define us though. God has placed a remedy before us to bridge the gap between Him and us. That bridge is the cross of Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection paid the penalty for your sins and mine. The Bible says that “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24).
However, just because the bridge is there doesn’t mean that we automatically get saved. We have to accept that saving grace. We have to cross the bridge and we do that when we accept and receive Christ through His personal invitation.
It’s much like taking an airplane. We are able to take that flight if we have a ticket, but it’s no good unless we get on the plane. It will leave without us if we don’t climb on board. To partake in the peace and abundant life of Jesus Christ, you must accept and receive it.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” – John 1:12
Romans 10:13 says, “Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” That word “whosoever” means anyone. You and me.
To receive Christ you need to do four things:
Whether you are a non-believer in search of peace in your life or even if you are a lifelong Christian who doesn’t feel like they have had that connection with Jesus, now is your chance to come to Him. He’s waiting for you.
Please pray this prayer with me:
“Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins and I want to turn from them now and forever. I want You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior.”
Friends, if you prayed that prayer with me, I believe that you have just been saved, what the Bible calls being born again. If you didn’t ask Jesus into your heart, then what are you waiting for? The Bible says that today is the day of salvation; now is the accepted time.
I know that if I had a single doubt as to my eternal salvation, you couldn’t drag me away from here without accepting Jesus Christ.
Now, get into a good bible based local church, if you are physically able, and come to know more about the God who loves you and wants to be with you forever. You are now no longer at odds against Him, but instead you have returned to Him as His child who was once lost, but now is found. His arms are outstretched to welcome you home.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you always.
God’s blessings to you.
DH
Prayer is the most important thing you will ever do in your life. As children, we learn things by listening to our parents and asking clarifying questions. We see them and talk to them because we have a close, personal relationship with them.
We as children of the Most High God need to engage in a daily conversation with our Heavenly Father. Prayer is a dialogue where we bring our praise and petitions to our Father, but we spend time together with Him in a relationship. That relationship then fosters good, true, and righteous fruit in our lives.
There are a few things to remember about our prayer life:
First off, the Bible says we must seek the Lord. Frequently the Gospels say that Jesus prayed to his Father. How did He do it? Jesus would seek out a place that was appropriate for praying. Then, He dedicated a significant amount of time to that prayer. The Bible says that Jesus even climbed mountains in order to spend an entire night in prayer. That dialogue was so important to Him that He would go to great lengths to just be still with His Father.
“Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12) That is just one of many instances you’ll find in the Bible about Jesus being active in His prayer-life.
The second thing to remember is that the peace you have with God is no less than the amount of time spent with Him. No time with God equals no peace in your life.
When there was an important decision to be made, Jesus would spend hat much more time consulting His Father to know His will. He does not improvise, even though Jesus is God and knows all things. He spent time in prayer to show us the way we should take. Even when calling His twelve apostles which means ‘sent ones,’ He spent time praying deeply before doing so.
Let that be a comfort that when Jesus calls me to do a special mission for his Kingdom, He also ensures that it accords with the eternal plan of the Father.
Thirdly, the more time we spend with our Heavenly Father, the better conduits of His grace we can become.
The Bible says that having spent the night in prayer, Jesus prepared to give generously of Himself the following day. United to the Father, the power source of all good, Jesus’ actions channel this goodness towards those who are enslaved by evil or in need of healing.
Once again, in that Devine mystery, Jesus is God. He has that Godly power in Himself and in His own right. However, Jesus wants to give me an example of how to be a United to the Father. We are to be branches of the vine in order to produce fruit that will last.
By their fruits, you shall know them Jesus said. Are your fruits showing the world that you are a representative of Jesus Christ?
Today, if you are already a Christian, God wishes you to be with Him not just in Heaven, but in a daily walk. God loves you and only asks for your love in return. He asks for a relationship.
If you haven’t given your life to Jesus Christ, please do so. Through His blood shed upon the cross, we have been given the opportunity to live eternally with Him, no longer bound by the evil of this world. The Bible says that you have been made into a new creation. No longer a slave to pain and punishment. You have been made free. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and take hold of that freedom.
Come to God in prayer and see just what a solid relationship with Jesus Christ can do.
God’s blessings to you.
DH
“O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will pray day and night, continually. Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord. Give the Lord no rest until He completes His work, until He makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.” – Isaiah 62.6-7 NLT
There are so many problems in this world. Hunger, war, disease, anger, and the list goes on. Since the time of Adam and Eve, there has been an evil in this world that none of us are immune to. Unfortunately, we all are subject to many of those types of evil.
The question gets posed, “What can I do. I have a job, and a family, and obligations, and…and…and…” While I understand not having a moment to yourself, what I don’t understand is why can’t we do more for the kingdom of God in our own everyday lives? At work, at home, or wherever we are, we need to look for more opportunities to do good for others. And whether or not we can do something physically for someone, we can and should always pray for them.
If you are a Christian, you have taken on the responsibility of showing Jesus Christ to this fallen world. We need to empower rather than cut down and build up rather than destroy. I once saw a man in a truck stop bathroom who was taking a paper towel and lightly cleaning around the dirty sink. He didn’t work there, so I asked him why he was cleaning. The man replied, “My Savior, Jesus, left this world better than what He found it. I should do the same.” Those words rang in my ears like a church bell.
Granted, it’s sometimes hard to model Christ for others, especially when we feel angry or offended by someone, but it is our duty children of the Most High God. And frankly, it is those times when we see someone that is full of anger or sadness that we need to pray for them the most. I know what my Lord and Savior has done for my life; how selfish that would be for me to want to keep the love of God all to myself.
Many people work with others and talk with them in the course of their day. You may talk with them for 20 years about their kids, sports teams, their social habits, and a number of other things. The one thing that people seem to have trouble sharing is the word of God. Even if your job banned all religious speech, you can still share the love of Christ through your actions and reactions to business situations. Your faith is something that you should be living out loud. If you are a Christian, you should be the most ethical and most reliable person there. You may not get it all right all the time, but there should still be a certain joy that you bring there. A joy based on your God and not your circumstances. Once people see your joy, they will have no choice but to ask you the reason why.
The point is to never give up, no matter what the fight looks like. We as Christians need to walk straighter and hold ourselves to a higher standard than the rest of this world. Even when the devil throws all he has against you, you should be able to look him in the eye and smile, knowing you are protected by the blood of Jesus. When the devil tries to condemn you, know that the King of Kings has already given you His seal of approval. God loves you and wants the best for you and all of His people, so keep fighting the good fight. Model Jesus to everyone and never stop praying for them.
No matter the country, color, or circumstances, people are not so different. We all need prayers to not only find Jesus, but to walk with Him closer and closer everyday. We fight against the sin in this world and the wickedness in ourselves, but through God’s saving grace, we shall find our rest with Him in Heaven for all eternity.
God’s blessings to you.
DH
“Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.” – Daniel 2:48
Many people have heard about Daniel in the lions’ den and how God sent His angels to shut the mouths of the lions to protect Daniel. God did this because Daniel was a good and faithful servant. Even when the unbelieving king Darius signed the order for everyone to only bow and pray to his statue, Daniel immediately went home, opened the windows so everyone could see, and knelt down to pray to the one true God. Thus, Daniel was thrown into the den of the lions as punishment.
One of the main takeaways from this particular story is not only does Daniel obey God, but he does it in the midst of a pagan, unbelieving ruler. How many of us can say that we work for a person or persons that is sometimes less than ethical? How often do we see people and even some so-called friends do things that isn’t right according to God’s standards? If we are honest with ourselves, we live in a society that rewards unethical behavior and people who “do whatever it takes.” But that’s not how God wants this world to act.
I like the old saying about, “Integrity is what you do when nobody’s watching.” In truth, there is always somebody watching, and that person is Jesus Christ. No matter what this world says, if you can’t do something with integrity, then it shouldn’t be done. The rat race of corporate America tells you that it’s OK to break a few rules now and then to get more money. People who are after a few more bucks write up contracts that aren’t worth the paper they are written on, and for what? A few more steaks in the freezer? Even Jesus Himself said, “What does it profit a man that he should gain the world and loose his own soul?” Money, sex, prestige, whatever the reason is, we aren’t even gaining the whole world. We are only selling out for a small part of this world, and it’s a world that will pass away.
What will be left is your eternal soul. In the end, forever, you and I will be in Heaven or hell, period. If you are a born-again Christian, you know where you will end up and that’s with our Father in Heaven. But there is a job to do before then. As a child of the Most High God, it is our job to follow Christ in word and in deed. When you turn your life over to Christ, you are not immediately taken up to Heaven. You are left in this world to show others what’s right and to turn them from their sinful ways. Just like Daniel, in whatever job you do and wherever pays your salary, you are to show integrity and honesty is everything you do. You may be the only experience that someone will have with a Christian, so be a good experience. You represent the holy name of God, so show people what that means.
A company or any place will be blessed because you are there. You are a light for the world to guide by, and that light better shine towards Jesus. Daniel showed his earthly king what his Heavenly King was all about, and it prospered Daniel and those around him.
Daniel is a great example of how a Christian should act, even when working for an unbelieving boss. Eventually, those around Daniel, including the king, would come to see what a wonderful and powerful God that Daniel served. Let those you meet and also work with see what a wonderful and powerful God you serve, today and every day.
God’s blessings to you.
DH
For Christ's Sake Fellowship Church 