2022 National Day of Prayer

“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, 
so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted 
and now being built up in Him
and established in your faith, just as you were instructed,
and overflowing with gratitude.”
Colossians 2:6-7 NASB


Thursday, May 5 is this year’s National Day of Prayer, and boy do we need it. The date has come in the middle of this nation’s war, quite literally, between life and death. 

The theme given for this year is ‘Exalt the Lord, who has established us,’ which is based on Colossians 2:6-7. 

The Hebrew word for exalt, when exalting the LORD, means “to be high actively, to rise or raise, to lift up. 

In our dictionary exalt means to raise in rank, honor, power, character, quality, to elevate. 

To praise. 

It is to see God and acknowledge Him for who He is: the Righteous One who judges all and through Christ shows mercy. To humble ourselves before Him, elevating Him in our hearts, minds and souls, praising Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords, seeking Him to do His will on earth as it is in heaven, to do in His strength what we can never do alone. 

Let’s lift our voices together, coming to the throne room of God to praise Him and to seek His mercy. 

Heavenly Father, the Holy and Exalted One, the One worthy to be praised and glorified forever and ever, our Creator, our Giver of Life, and Redeemer, we lift you up as our Lord and King. 

We humbly come before you on behalf of this nation that has been ravaged by the evil one and has turned away from you and your truth and believed lies. 

Father, we ask for the merciful pouring out of your Holy Spirit to give people eyes to see and ears to hear the truth, to believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, the one who bore all our sins on the cross that we might be forgiven of all our sins and have life with you now and forever. 

We pray you would pull the spiritually lost and blinded back from the brink of hell. 

Father, we pray, though, that those who have yet to know you, who are believing and proclaiming and fighting for lies, would see your love in us.

Help us remember that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12)

Though we are angry at the sin because it destroys the sinner, may we be your lights, shining your love and grace and mercy to all those whose hearts will receive you. 

May you grant repentance, LORD, and freedom for the captives. 

We are humbled and blessed beyond comprehension that you know us, and have opened our eyes and hearts to know you. Thank you for revealing yourself to us in the pages of your Word. May our love for you and our faith in you grow more passionate every day.  We pray in the precious name of Yeshuah Hamashiach, Jesus the Messiah, the Anointed One, the One who was, Who is, and is to come. Amen.

 

Walking Through Holy Week – 5

“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples followed Him. 

He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ 

An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Luke 22:39, 41-43

Walking Through Holy Week – 4

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
John 17:20-24

Sunday Praise and a Prayer to Keep Running

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise your holy and precious name. We glorify and magnify the name of Yeshua HaMashiach – Jesus the Messiah, the Anointed One. 

Father, many of us are weary of running the race. We’re bogged down with our own personal sorrows and sufferings, health issues, difficult relationships, just trying to make ends meet, and when we add to that all that’s going on around the world, we are at a loss. We are overwhelmed and sometimes we just want to give up.

Lord, forgive us of our sins, and overwhelm us with the power of your Holy Spirit to keep running. Fill us again with the passionate love and fervor of faith we had at the beginning.

Remind us continually to keep our eyes fixed on you and not on those around us who would discourage us and keep us from wholeheartedly following you, living as your light in the world, using the spiritual gifts you’ve given us, and fulfilling the calling you have on our lives. 

We know you’re with us every step of the way. 

We pray in the precious name of Jesus and because of His blood spilled for the forgiveness of our sins, amen. 

 

Sunday Praise and a Prayer for My Thoughts

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4:8

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise your holy Name. You are my Rock and my place of refuge and strength. 

Father, in this time when so much is going on in the world and in my own life, and the enemy tries to use it all to take my attention away from you and fill my heart with fear, I ask you to help me to take my thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ, to fix my mind on Him, His love for me, and His power over the enemy. Throughout this week, empower me with your Holy Spirit to think on those things that will bring me hope and peace. Remind me of all your blessings and the way you constantly care for me. 

I pray my thoughts, my words, my actions, my life bring you glory. In Jesus’ holy name I pray, amen. 

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If you have any prayer requests, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or email me.  We’re in this together. 

Sunday Praise and a Prayer to Be Ready

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’

And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!'”

Heavenly Father, we praise you for all you are and all you do. We ask for forgiveness of our sins and a renewal of our spirit. 

Lord, even though this scripture is an account of words spoken between you and Isaiah, may they be our attitude and words to you, too. Our lives are yours.  Make us useful in your hands and ready, and when you desire us to go, to do, to speak, whether it’s to a family member, a neighbor, a stranger, or a crowd, we pray you would strengthen us as we take that step of faith with humble hearts, boldness, fearlessness (or at least obedience in the fear!), and do it all in your love that we would be proper witnesses of your holy, gentle, and gracious character. 

We submit ourselves to you, Lord. We are your servants. 

In the holy and precious name of Yeshua we pray, amen. 

Sunday Praise and a Prayer For Continued Joy

“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day
in the city of David a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord.'” 
Luke 2:10-11

 

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise your holy and precious name. You are glorified in the birth of your Son, and though the world’s celebration ends, may our celebration of the birth of our Savior continue every day of the year.

Lord, only you know what the coming year will bring. No matter what we go through, the good times and the painful ones, may we glorify you by walking in the joy our salvation brings.

In the good times, may we remember to thank you and give you all the glory. And when we face difficult days, we pray your Holy Spirit will sustain us with your peace that passes all understanding and remind us of your loving care to the brokenhearted.  

No matter what, may people see you in us and know our celebration of Christ’s birth never ends. We pray it all in the mighty and victorious name of Yeshua HaMashiach, our Savior and Lord, amen.

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Please remember, if you have any prayer requests you are more than welcome to leave a comment or email me your request and I will be honored to stand with you in prayer.  The Lord bless you and keep you!

Sunday Praise and a Prayer to Live Unafraid

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise your most holy name. We praise you for your faithfulness and goodness. We praise you for your love and for the plans you have that are so great, so glorious, so miraculous, that we cannot even begin to conceive of them. 

Father, when your servants, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were faithful to you and trusted you even in the furnace, you protected them, and because they chose to live unafraid, even King Nebuchadnezzar praised your name.  

Lord, we ask that you would give all of us who believe in Christ the kind of courage and strength and conviction to live unafraid and that the world will see your faithfulness in and through us and have no choice but to praise your name. 

No matter what we’re going through, whether it’s physical, emotional, financial, or even persecution for our faith in you, may we live unafraid, filled with the sure hope we have because of what Christ did for us on the cross and because the Holy Spirit indwells us, knowing that you are an ever-present help in time of need and that you promise to be with us and love us to the end.  

Thank you for giving us all we need to walk victoriously. May we daily avail ourselves of all the riches of your glory in Christ Jesus. It’s in His blessed name we pray, amen. 

Sunday Praise and a Prayer as We Stand Upon the Rock

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise you. You, Lord, are our Rock, and on you we stand. We declare that as we stand upon You, the Rock of our salvation, we will not be shaken; we will not be moved. You are our Mighty Fortress, our Protector, and we will not fear. 

You are our Strength, our Courage, our sure Hope. No matter what storms rage around us, you are our Peace, and our Light in the darkness. 

You are our Sustenance, our Fountain of living water. 

As we stand upon you and walk in faith, may our lives be a reflection of your great love and grace, and may all we go through magnify and glorify the holy and precious name of Jesus Christ. 

In His name we pray, amen.

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If you would like prayer, please feel free to contact me. 

For His glory, 

Effective Prayer Life

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much.” 
James 5:16b

If there’s anything we need right now, it’s active and powerful prayer by God’s people that produces results.

But a lot can get in the way of that, and that can be confusing and discouraging. 

There’s an easy-to-read booklet, though, that addresses many of the concerns we all have. It’s called Effective Prayer Life, written by Pastor Chuck Smith, founder of Calvary Chapel. 

It’s simple and to the point, and very encouraging. 

The chapters start with the basics: What is Prayer?, and continues with The Purpose of Prayer, The Privilege of Prayer, Effective Prayer, Strength in Prayer, Pray, and I will Answer, and Sin of Prayerlessness. 

The book’s been around for decades so a paperback can be found for as little as 3 or 4 dollars, $0 for kindle. 

I hope (and pray!) that whether it’s through this booklet or something else, the Lord will fan the flames of our faith, and we would each grow in our desire to pray, in the Spirit, prayers that would move mountains. 

For Him,