A Personal Prayer for Power

My friend, Keith, sent up a personal prayer for power for me today and I have copied it and pasted it below as a prayer that can go even beyond me to be for anyone who wants to pray it and claim it as their own. I am appreciative that many readers of my blog are also people who prayer for all believers everywhere.

Lord God, I come before you today knowing that all power is in Your hand. I know that you are the Lord and that you care for your people. Right now, my friend is struggling with a difficult trial. I can see his strength is faltering, Lord, and know that you have all of the strength that he needs. I pray that you will reach down and touch him right now wherever he is at this moment. Let your presence fill the room where he is and let him feel an extra portion of your strength that can help him to get through this day. He needs you now, Lord, and I thank you in advance for meeting him where he is and shoring up his strength during this difficult time. In Jesus' name. Amen.

 Grateful

"The Most Awesome of Gifts"

After spending the night in the ER with his wife, Lori, who was experiencing severe abdominal pain due to gall bladder complications, my brother Billy Joe, sent me this message this morning:

"When Jesus promised He would send the Comforter, He promised us the most awesome of Gifts."

What a wonderful message, and what an awesome reality. Even through long, dark nights of pain and suffering, the comfort our Lord promised is present and presiding in our lives.

Following my own physical challenges last week, while the pain for now has subsided mostly, I am still somewhat weak. This morning when my brother sent me those "SWEET 16" words above, it added new strength to my heart, mind, soul, and body.

Of course, my brother, is referring to the promise made by Jesus on the eve of His Crucifixion. In John 14:16-17, hear that promise for your own life:

^"16 And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; ¹⁷ Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (KJV)

Thank you Father God, for Jesus, our Elder Brother, Who did not leave us as orphans but sent The Comforter, The Holy Spirit, to be with us and to live in us. Amen.

Grateful

Feeling Overwhelmed? Remember the Joy!

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by life? Well, you can drop the false guilt and exhale, because feeling overwhelmed is a very real part of being a human being. I've personally had moments throughout this week when it seemed the cares of the world and the details of my day would drown me in despair. But thanks be to God, I'm still above the flood.

When you feel overwhelmed what do you do? I don't know what you do, but I whisper the name of "JESUS" over and over and over again. Knowing JESUS will not abandon His own, causes my overwhelmed human feelings to experience the overflow of His Holy joy.

In fact, this verse has continuously held onto my heart moment-by-moment this week: Nehemiah 8:10b -- "...the joy you have in the Lord is your strength."

Let's remember that "the joy of our LORD is our strength!"
Grateful

Victory In the Camp

(14) My power and my strength come from the LORD, and He has saved me. (15) From the tents of God's people come shouts of victory: "The LORD is powerful! (16) With His mighty arm the LORD wins victories! The LORD is powerful!"
-- Psalm 118:14-16 (CEV)

Click here: Paul Wilbur - The Shout of El-Shaddai - YouTube

By Faith! In Faith! (Hebrews 11)
Grateful

Looking For Enjoyment?

Reading through the Old Testament, these words just jumped off the page at me:

...for without God... who can... find enjoyment?
-- From Ecclesiasties 2:25 (NIV)

Lord, I want Your Joy to be my Strength!
Grateful

Always Ready To Help

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
-- Psalm 46:1 (NLT)

In all manner of troubles God shows His speedy mercy and power in defending His.
-- Geneva Study Bible notes

God's love never fails and His hope always prevails.
Grateful

His Joy Equals Your Strength

This verse has been wonderfully invigorating to my soul lately:

Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
-- Nehemiah 8:10b (NKJV)

ALL JOY TO YOUR WORLD!
Grateful

You Encourage Me

This week I was blessed to hear Dr. Dennis Kinlaw speak at a conversation gathering for pastors and evangelists in Wilmore, Kentucky. Because he is advancing well into his eighties, he was wheeled in a chair to the front of the lecture hall where he greeted us in His encouraging Christlike manner and delivered one of the most wonderful messages I have ever heard from the book of Genesis on the topic of God wanting us to be His conversation partners for life and eternity. He spoke well over an hour but it seemed like a few fleeting moments to me.

After the sacred session, I walked to the front to thank Dr. Kinlaw and to ask him to personalize a copy of his newest book to me. He graciously did. Then I handed the book and pen to his precious granddaughter, "Cricket", who serves as his personal research assistant and who was his caretaker for the day and asked her to also personalize the book on the same page that her grandfather had just written. Humbly, underneath her grandfather's gracious words, she signed her name and referenced what is probably her life's verse -- Psalm 138:3.

The Lord sure encouraged me through Dr. Dennis Kinlaw and his precious granddaughter, "Cricket".

When I pray, you answer me; You encourage me by giving me the strength I need. -- Psalm 138:3 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Mainly Standing or Merely Fighting?

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
-- Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)

So which will it be? Will we mainly stand in His strength or merely fight in our weakness? Will we mainly stand firm in His armor or merely flail to no avail in our own?

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Spread the Sail...

Today I share just three words from Isaiah 33:23 (NKJV):

Spread the sail...

My paraphrase? It's now time to leave the harbor and to raise our sails high, so that we might immediately catch the upper currents of God's wind-strength, thereby allowing Him to ultimately bring Philippians 1:6 up to full speed in our lives.

Philippians 1:6 (MSG) -- There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.

Lord, let today be the day that I sense full recovery from the past, overflowing celebration for the present, and cloudless vision for the future. Be Thou my Vision, Jesus. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Need Wings? Wait on the Lord.

Isaiah 40:31 has really been an encouragement to my soul: But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (NLT).

And Malachi 4:2 also adds inspiration to Isaiah's words: But for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings (NLT).

Keep waiting, His Help and Healing is on the way.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

The Cost of Encouraging Others

I have learned that the cost of encouraging others is the raw reality of being chased by discouragement shortly thereafter, yes, usually the next morning. Still, I embrace with my whole being the gift that God has entrusted to me, yes the gift of encouraging others on His behalf.

Lord, cause Your Joy to be my strength as I encourage others and when discouragement comes chasing after me, may it only serve to run me further into Your refreshing presence. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

If your gift is to encourage others, do it!
-- Romans 12:8 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Beware the Barrenness of Being Too Busy

Beware the barrenness of a busy life. If the devil cannot get us to yield to temptation, he will just try to keep us too busy, because the end results will be the same -- soul destruction.

Isaiah 30:15-18 (NLT) warns us about running ahead of of God with our too busy lives:

(15) The Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says, "Only in returning to me and waiting for me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it. (16) You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.’ But the only swiftness you are going to see is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you! (17) One of them will chase a thousand of you. Five of them will make all of you flee. You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a distant mountaintop." (18) But the LORD still waits for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for him to help them.

The words from this Larnelle Harris song, Strength From the Lord, invite us to an Holy-Balanced Life:

Sometimes life seems like words and music,
That can't quite become a song.
So we cry and sigh then we try again,
And wonder what could be wrong.
But when we turn to the Lord at the end of ourselves,
Like we've done a time or two before.
We find His truth is the same as it's always been.
We never will need more.

It's not in trying but in trusting.
It's not in running but in resting.
Not in wondering but in praying.
That we find the strength of the Lord.

He's all we need for our every need.
We never need be alone.
Still He'll let us go if we choose to,
To live life on our own.
Then the only good that will ever be said,
Of the pains we find ourselves in.
They are places to gain the wisdom to say,
I'll never leave Him again.

It's not in trying but in trusting.
It's not in running but in resting.
Not in wondering but in praying.
That we find the strength of the Lord.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Retreat... Advance.

Unless we take time to retreat in solitude with our Lord, can we really expect to advance in His strength?

Isaiah 40:31 (NLT) -- But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

The Lord "Had" Left Him

In Psalm 51:11 (TLB), King David included this plea in his passionate prayer of repentance: Don’t toss me aside, banished forever from your presence. Don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

Precious Holy Spirit, let me never put You off, lest You would put me off. In Jesus' name. Amen.

(16-17) She (Delilah) nagged at him (Samson) every day until he couldn’t stand it any longer and finally told her his secret. "My hair has never been cut," he confessed, "for I’ve been a Nazirite to God since before my birth. If my hair were cut, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else." (18) Delilah realized that he had finally told her the truth, so she sent for the five Philistine leaders. "Come just this once more," she said, "for this time he has told me everything." So they brought the money with them. (19) She lulled him to sleep with his head in her lap, and they brought in a barber and cut off his hair. Delilah began to hit him, but she could see that his strength was leaving him. (20) Then she screamed, "The Philistines are here to capture you, Samson!" And he woke up and thought, "I will do as before; I’ll just shake myself free." But he didn’t realize that the Lord had left him. -- Judges 16:16-20 (TLB)

At the very end of his life, Samson humbled himself, prayed, sought God, repented and wouldn't you know the Lord returned upon His life with power.

We read the end of the story in Judges 16:28-31 (TLB) -- (28) Then Samson prayed to the Lord and said, "O Lord Jehovah, remember me again—please strengthen me one more time, so that I may pay back the Philistines for the loss of at least one of my eyes." (29) Then Samson pushed against the pillars with all his might. (30) "Let me die with the Philistines," he prayed. And the temple crashed down upon the Philistine leaders and all the people. So those he killed at the moment of his death were more than those he had killed during his entire lifetime. (31) Later, his brothers and other relatives came down to get his body, and they brought him back home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, where his father, Manoah, was buried. He had led Israel for twenty years.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Beauty For Ashes

Crystal Lewis sings one of my favorites songs based on Isaiah 61:3. Here are the lovely lyrics:

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair

When sorrow seems to surround you
When suffering hangs heavy o'er your head
Know that tomorrow brings Wholeness and healing
God knows your need
Just believe what He said

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair

When what you've done keeps you from moving on
When fear wants to make itself at home in your heart
Know that forgiveness brings
Wholeness and healing
God knows your need
Just believe what He said

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair

I once was lost but God has found me
Though I was bound I've been set free
I've been made righteous in His sight
A display of His splendor all can see

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair

To all who mourn in Israel, He will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the LORD has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for His own glory.
Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

I Fall To My Knees And Pray...

Today, as "I Fall To My Knees And Pray" I invite you to do the same. Seriously, go ahead right where you are, yes, if you're able and you want to, right now, just physically get on your knees.

Take a few moments just to allow your heart, mind, and soul to spiritually breathe.

Now, let's pray together the Apostle Paul's prayer from Ephesians 3:14-19 (NLT). I will pray the prayer for you and you pray it for me. It is really a prayer of blessing:

(14) When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, (15) the Creator of everything in Heaven and on earth. (16) I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you mighty inner strength through His Holy Spirit. (17) And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love. (18) And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is. (19) May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Seasons of Great Struggle

You have seen me suffer for Him in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of this great struggle.
-- The Apostle Paul's Testimony in Philippians 1:30 (NLT)

Without doubt, God allows those who wear His name to be fastened to seasons of great struggle in their lives. But let us never forget that the same mysterious God who brings forth the beauty of the butterfly (only because of its season of great struggle from the cocoon) surely knows that seasons of great struggle will likewise bring out the most marvelous of colors in our lives.

Lord, have mercy on us especially during seasons of great struggle. Give us grace to pray, trust, and wait on You for release from whatever seasons of great struggle you have ordered in our lives. Give us confidence in knowing that You, our Greatest God, will be our Greater Strength in Seasons of Great Struggle. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Help's Coming!

In reading the Psalms this morning, these twelve words really encouraged my heart, mind, soul, and strength. I *must share these twelve words of Good News with you. (*It's a Romans-Ten-Fifteen thing :-).

Help’s coming,
an answer’s on the way,
everything’s going to work out.
-- Psalm 20:6 (The Message Paraphrase)

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Every Moment of Your Life is Sacred

These precious thoughts came to my mind yesterday during a quiet time -- true gifts of inspiration from God's Holy perspective to my human thinking. I bless you with the same precious thoughts today:

Your life is a sacrament -- a sacred moment before your Eternal God. Yes, every moment of your entire life is sacred to Him! Every breath you breathe is beautiful before your Holy God.

Don't compartmentalize your life between what's sacred and what you might consider to be something other than sacred -- your whole life is sacred. -- a James Spruill paraphrase

Psalm 139:3, 16-18 (NLT) -- (3) You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. (16) You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. (17) How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable! (18) I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!

Nehemiah 8:10b (NLT) -- This is a sacred day before our LORD. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful