Pray Network Forum

Blessings for our Nation and the Upcoming Elections

• Father we honor You as the God who created this land and every tongue and tribe and nation that lives within its borders.
• This day, we rededicate and consecrate the land and people of this nation to You.  
• As your ambassadors, In Jesus’ name, we bless each and every one of them to having the eyes of their understanding enlightened to know the hope of the high calling of Jesus Christ and a saving encounter with His Love.
• We bless our land and its people to the life, healing, blessing and restoration of Your son, our redeemer, Jesus Christ.
• We humble ourselves before you and admit as Daniel did that we and our fathers have sinned and done evil in your sight.  We repent, renounce and forgive the 5 things your word says brings a curse upon the land: shedding of innocent blood, covenant breaking, moving ancient boundary stones, sexual immorality and idolatry. Again we acknowledge and repent for every one of the sins we and our ancestors committed.  We declare that we break all agreement with these sins and forgive every way we have cooperated, deliberately and ignorantly with the curses on our land. 
• We repent and renounce every idolatrous practice that we have allowed to become a normal part of our culture.
• We bless the land to be released from all offenses and trauma it has been carrying because of these sins.
• We bless the people of our nation to: moral purity, covenant keeping, respecting your boundaries , respecting life, and keeping the golden rule to love God and love their neighbor as themselves.
• We forgive the sins of those who do not honor You and are deliberately cursing us and our nation.  We bless them to salvation and deliverance and an encounter with God’s love for them.
• We forgive every sin that has been committed by and against the people of this nation that has brought the curses of division, lawlessness, strife and confusion.
• We forgive the sins of all curses, vexes, hexes, charms, spells, jinxes, psychic powers, psychic prayers, bewitchments, witchcraft, magic, voodoo, sorcery, unholy prayers, unholy fire, unholy sex and unholy blood letting targeting The Trump, Pence and Kavanaugh families, and all conservative candidates and release the double portion blessing of God for every curse that has, is or will be sent against them and our nation.
• We rededicate and consecrate the electoral processes to you.
• We bless the electoral process to deliverance from all corruption.
• We bless the people to vote according to heaven’s standards and for authorities submitted to God to occupy the seats of office in the upcoming election.  
• We bless our executive, legislative and judicial systems to alignment with the Biblical principles of justice it was founded on.
• We bless the people to vote for judges who will uphold righteous judgements in all decisions.
• We bless the people to vote for leaders who will rightly uphold and interpret the US Constitution
• We bless the people to vote legislators to truly represent the people who elected them and to be delivered from the political processes that put them in the pocket of special interests, whose interests are not in the best interests of our nation.
• We bless all offices to be filled with righteous men and women who walk in integrity and truth and understand that they are accountable to God for their actions.
• We bless our economy to come under God’s principles of wise management.
• We bless our nation and its people to get out of debt and have integrity in all of its financial dealings.
• We specifically forgive and bless those deliberately cursing our nation to salvation in Jesus Christ and forgive the curses and sins behind the curses they are sending in Jesus’ name.
• We forgive every evil word and deed dedicating our nation and its people to any other God but the one true God, Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit.
• We bless our media to integrity, purity, truth, in their reporting.
• We forgive every wrong word and deed committed by civil authority, past, present and future.
• We forgive God’s people for idolatry to the government and its leaders, through our silence in the face of that which violates God’s standards.  
• We bless our Civil Authority structure to the authority of the Bible on which it was founded.
• We bless our Civil leaders to wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the Fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom.
• We forgive those who have abdicated their responsibility to vote.
• We forgive all sins of cursing those who are in authority.
• We bless those stewarding our electoral process to truth, integrity and wisdom.
• We bless this nation to truly be: One Nation, Indivisible, with liberty and justice for all!

In Jesus’name!

Have you ever asked, “Why me?” when you faced pain or heartache? How can a church or a church leader minister to hurting people who are asking the question, “Why?”

Let me propose three crucial facets of ministry to people who might ask this question in the midst of hardship. We must deal with this issue by teaching, love, and encouragement.

Teaching is foundational to ministry in such situations. The question itself can be prompted by bad theology. Many of us living in sheltered and affluent societies have the notion that if you are a Christian, or possibly a good person, God will not allow terrible things to happen in your life. This is a false doctrine. You will not find it anywhere in Scripture. I believe it is legitimate to ask God that you not be led into the temptation that comes in trials. But in John 16:33 Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation.” Your people need to know that God has not promised them the American dream. The purpose of life is not comfort or pleasure.

However, it is important to note that you need to teach these things before your people come into heartache. The parents of a teenager killed in a car accident don't need your teaching in the crisis. They need God's love through you and through your church. Sometimes the less you say in a tragic situation the more God's love can be poured out through you and your presence with them. It is more important to pray with them than it is to teach them. They need your prayers and the prayers of the whole church family to endure the trial.

Even in trials you can encourage people to pray, to seek God, and to see that He is at work in the situation. And you can encourage them to seek God's glory in the midst of crises. There is an answer to the question, “Why.” It is actually the same answer to the question of why God blesses us. The purpose of heartache and blessing is to glorify His name. One of the ways God will be glorified through trials is by the character that He develops in you. You can encourage people to trust that God is working in their lives. James 2 calls us to rejoice when we fall into many kinds of trials, because we know that tribulation develops patient endurance. James goes on to say we must let endurance produce its perfect work in our lives. In Romans 5 we find the same promise. There Scripture tells us that endurance develops character. And character produces hope. And hope does not disappoint because the love of God is poured out on others through our lives. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4 speaks to this.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

So, let patience have her perfect work

Of character and hope in and through our lives.

http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/

http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

Website

http://daveswatch.com/

YouTube

https://goo.gl/PyzUz7

My eyesight is not as good as it once was. And that affects many things in my life. Astigmatism has distorted my vision since I was a boy, and cataracts do no help. In Matthew 6 Jesus compared eyesight with spiritual vision.

Matthew 6:22,23

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

Let me point out a few distortions that plunge us into spiritual darkness.

Worldly Eyes

If your focus is only on this world, even for your church or your ministry, you have been blinded to ultimate reality. Many people do this deliberately. Others of us are simply distracted by the worries and desires of this life. If you live as though this life is all there is, all meaning is reduced or eradicated. Your body becomes your soul, and time becomes eternity, the church becomes a club, and life becomes meaningless.

Lustful Eyes

Do you look at others with lust in your heart? Lust distorts people into fleeting pleasures. This shallow vision is soon reinforced by glandular drives. However, lust can be broader than physical desire. The word translated lust in the original language of the New Testament is also used to translate covetousness. If your vision is distorted by anything that you want, you will never be able to understand why things do not satisfy. In Luke 12:15 Jesus warned us to be on our guard against all kinds of covetousness. We have to watch out for it because we seldom recognize it in our own lives. When you cannot even see that you are blind, how deep that darkness is indeed.

Prideful Eyes

These are eyes that see everything in the light of yourself. Pride does not just see yourself as better than others. It pushes you to claim the most prominent position. Pride studies, not to learn, but to impress. Pride dresses, not comfort, or even beauty, but for success. Pride looks at a home or a car as a means of intimidating others. Pride is blind to anything and anyone beyond yourself.

Selfish Eyes

The previous two eye problems are self-centered. But I think we need to see selfishness as a separate category. First, it is always in competition for what you want. Selfishness sees love as a means of personal fulfillment rather than commitment. It treats other people as means to its own ends. And also because it tends to self-pity, this malady turns everything into resentment. It often seeks friends, marriage partners and sometimes even counselors who will reinforce your resentments.

But what can you do about spiritual blindness? In one of my books a doctor tells about a patient who got a thorn in his eye. (In The Wilderness, https://www.amazon.com/WILDERNESS-David-Young-ebook/dp/B00BLNMUIA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1539279887&sr=8-3 ) He pointed out that the natural defence mechanism in humans kept him from removing the thorn. That is also true of our spiritual blindness. We need God in His tender care to correct our diseased eyesight. To some extent our perspective is transformed at our conversion. “All things become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) But God also puts us through a process of therapy to enable us to see more and more as He sees. And ultimately, we will see as clearly as we ourselves are seen by God. (2 Corinthians 13:12)

http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

Website

http://daveswatch.com/

YouTube

https://goo.gl/PyzUz7

When I was a young woman, I had many opportunities to visit my widowed grandmother while I attended college in her town. As she grieved my grandfather’s death, she reflected her trust in God to care for her and showed how God sustained her each day, by claiming the promise Jesus gave His disciples after His resurrection. 

“Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20 (KJV).

My grandmother’s faith that God would always be there for her made a significant impact on my life. Her testimony influenced me to incorporate that verse into my daily experiences. Since those early adult years, whenever life has been difficult, disappointing, or downright discouraging, I have claimed that same scripture verse. My prayer is that I will have opportunities to reflect on my life experiences of trusting God during my difficult times to my children and grandchildren.

In Proverbs 27:19 we read, “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person.” However, we may ask what does that look like. When we meditate on God’s Word and grow in our relationship with God, we will reflect God’s glory because we are being transformed into His image. We glorify God when we reveal or manifest his character by the way we live by demonstrating God’s love to those around us.   

My grandmother made a lasting impression on my life because she reflected her faith in God’s provision to sustain her during her time of grieving. When we reflect God’s love to our family, and they are walking with the Lord, our love for God will keep on living through our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and future generations.

Grandparents who love the Lord have a responsibility to reflect a godly life to their children and grandchildren. We must ask ourselves, is my walk with the Lord one I want to be reflected in the lives of my family. My prayer is that I will reflect a godly life to my children, grandchildren, and great-granddaughters.

My grandmother made a lasting impression on my life because she reflected her faith in God’s provision to sustain her during her time of grieving. When we reflect God’s love to our family, and they are walking with the Lord, our love for God will keep on living through our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and future generations.

Questions to ask ourselves:

What does the reflection of my life look like to my grandchildren?

Do I want my grandchildren to imitate my spiritual life?

Will they want my Jesus?

Pray your love for God will keep on living through your grandchildren, even after you are deceased.

Prayer

Lord, forgive me when I have not taken the time to be in Your Word and model the life of a godly grandparent.  Help to take the time to read and meditate on Your Word every day. So I will reflect your face in the heart of my grandchildren. Even after I have passed on to be with you.   In Jesus name.

By Lillian Penner, Co-Prayer Director for Christian Grandparenting Network, lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

Morning by Morning, October 3 - Only by "Sharing in the Spirit" are Dividing Walls Broken Down

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God, I look to You and listen for Your leading to begin my day intentionally, deliberately pursuing and embracing Your Presence  -- here with me and here within me.  ...

"If there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete:  be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and one mind" (Philippians 2:1-2).

Religion and politics will never unite us. Doctrinal decisions and theological dogma will not unite us. Enforcing the rules and demanding obedience cannot unite us. Only "sharing the Spirit" can unite us with "the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and one mind." 

As we each pursue Your Presence and welcome Your Spirit in our hearts and our lives, You align us with You and with one another. In the "sharing of the Spirit," You "break down the diving wall, that is, the hostility between us" so that "through (Christ, all) of us have access in one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2:14-18). It's the "Spirit of Christ" -- the Holy Spirit of God -- who unites us as one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world (Romans 8:9).

Your Word compels us and commands us to be found daily "bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as (we) were called to the one hope of (our) calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:1-6).

So the ancient prayer, "Come, Holy Spirit" is one of the most important and powerful prayers we could pray --- as Your Church, as the Body and Bride of Christ, as Your people who are called by Your name in our land and throughout the earth. As we pray, "Come, Holy Spirit" we are "filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18). Then we are united as one in the Spirit and one in the Lord to embrace the great blessings of God that can only flow from our unity of "sharing in the Spirit" according to the ancient promise of Your Word:

"How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!

It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard of Aaron running down over the collar of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained His blessing, life forevermore!" (Psalm 133)

Yes, Lord. Stir in our hearts, stir in my heart to pray as one with my kindred in Christ across this land and throughout the earth, "Come, Holy Spirit!" For there -- there in the place of unity, in the place of Your Presence by the unity of "sharing in the Spirit" -- You command and ordain Your blessing of Your life for us. 

Lord Jesus, as You prayed by the Spirit to our Father in heaven during Your last days on the earth on behalf of all Your disciples to come and follow You throughout all generations:  "That they may all be one. As You, Father, 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" (John 17:21). May Your prayer be answered, may Your kingdom come, and my Your will be done -- here in me and here in us. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays

My friend, I pray you are filled with the Holy Spirit to be of one mind with Christ and His Bride throughout our land and our world, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!

Friends, I'm excited to be sharing a message of hope and healing at the First Wednesday Service of Worship and Prayer at Oak Hills Church, Crownridge Campus in San Antonio this coming Wednesday Night, October 3, at 7pm. All are welcome!

First Wednesday Service of Worship and Prayer 

Why doesn't God answer prayer immediately?  Why does he seem at times to hold back, to keep us in difficult circumstances when he could bring healing, relief, finances, reconciliation, and more - all with just a word?

There is no "one-size-fits-all" answer to this question.  First and foremost, we must acknowledge and agree with God that His ways and His thoughts are higher than ours, and we're not going to understand them all the time (Isaiah 55:9).  With Paul, we cry out, "Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God.  How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" (Romans 11:33)

But Scripture does provide us with some examples of waiting and what God accomplished through it:

• God allowed the Hebrews to suffer 400 years of slavery in Egypt while He built them into a strong nation, so numerous that the Egyptians came to fear them.  He did this while allowing the Amorites and other Canaanites time to repent before being destroyed.
• God seasoned Moses for 40 years in the desert, turning an impetuous man who took matters into his own hands into one with home He could speak faced to face as He led Israel out of Egypt.
• God allowed Hannah to suffer through years of barrenness in order to create within her a heart that would dedicate her son Samuel to his service, resulting in the dedication of Israel's greatest judge.
• God caused proud Nebuchadnezzar to graze with the cattle for seven years to humble him and turn him into a servant of the Most High.
• God allowed a woman to suffer with bleeding for 14 years, setting up an encounter with Jesus where she would find spiritual as well as physical healing.
• God caused a man to be born blind and to remain this way into adulthood in order to bring this man to Jesus and to challenge many with Jesus' identity.
• Jesus waited for two days after learning of Lazarus' sickness before going to him, in order to bring glory to himself by demonstrating power over death.

And what can happen when we don't wait for God to act?

• Abraham stepped outside God's plan and had a child by Hagar, Sarah's servant - resulting ultimately in enmity between God's people and the Canaanites, an enmity that in many places continues to this day.
• Saul grew impatient waiting for Samuel, and surrendered his kingship by offering sacrifices before Samuel's arrival.

Waiting is not always God's answer.  But when he does call us to wait, we can trust that he is working in us and in circumstances around us, preparing us for his answer.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:3

I am not sure we think enough about the Beatitudes. Jesus gave us these truths as the foundation of His kingdom in our lives, in the world, and forever. I love the name, “Beatitudes,” because these eight principles are not just something we are to hear like a lecture. They are what we are to become.

The first of the Beatitudes given us by Jesus is, “Poverty of Spirit. Are you poor in spirit? All of the Beatitudes are counterintuitive. They go against all human thinking. But I think this first one is the most alien to our thoughts about spirituality. The point is, you are not going to make it on your own. Jesus is saying you are blessed if you are spiritually deficient, because He provides what you lack.

Let me give you a picture of deficiency. Can you imagine being in a boating accident? Maybe you were going out of a bay into the ocean when your boat overturns. As you are thrown free of the boat you realize some things you had not fully understood when you were still in the boat. The water is colder than you ever imagined. And The ocean is bigger than it looked before. You could never swim to a distant shore, which you can't even see from the water. You wouldn't even know which way to swim. You go into panic mode, kicking your feet and flailing your arms. Your panic increases as you realize you can't keep this up much longer.

Then from nowhere it seems, a Navy SEAL appears. He couldn't have got there this quickly had he not been on watch when your boat went down. As he approaches, you are still kicking and whipping your arms about. Your fist actually blacks one of his eyes or bloodies his nose. But he speaks words of hope to you. “Calm down. You will never be able to save yourself.” If he were not there those would not be hopeful words. But those words force you to relax in his arms. And he begins drawing you with his confident strokes toward the shore.

You are actually blessed by the fact that you could never save yourself. Jesus came to save you. Your weakness is a blessing because you have a Savior. And the fact that you could never save yourself helps you rest in His arms.

http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

Unity in the church is a God thing. http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

Website

http://daveswatch.com/

YouTube

https://goo.gl/PyzUz7

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