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THE SIGN OF THE RESURRECTION

Posted by David Young on June 3, 2021 at 23:13

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Theos was tired and footsore when he came to the little fishing village on the coast of Asia. He had been sent by Timothy, the bishop of the church in Ephesus, to find Mary, who was with a group ministering somewhere along the road to the north. He doubted if he would find a place to eat and spend the night in this village, but he might find the evangelistic team here. In keeping with his assignment, he approached a stooped old man on the road from town.

“Pardon me, I am looking for a group who are teaching about Jesus. Do you know if they have been here?”

“Oh,” the man grinned through missing teeth and tapped his cane on the road. “You mean Mary and the others with her. She is here. The whole town has gone down to the shore to hear her.”

“The whole town? Is that dangerous?”

“Not for our Mary,” he said. “The daughter of a fisherman had a demon and none of us knew what to do. We couldn't afford an exorcist. But Mary took her in her arms and prayed to Jesus, who seems to be a god. The demon left the girl and Mary restored her to her family. Now the whole town has gathered to hear Mary teach about this Jesus.”

Theos said, “I have news for her. Can you direct me to where they are?”

“I can do better than that. I will take you to them.” With that he turned and led Theos into the village. Passing through they came out on the beach. At least a hundred people were gathered around a fishing boat set up on blocks with Mary standing on the boat’s pulpit teaching. Theos saw several of the others on the team sent out from the church. One of them, a young lady named Diana, came to meet him.

“Theos! Have you come to help us? We have been asked to go and pray for everyone with any illness in the whole town.”

“Timothy sent me to find Mary. I need to speak to her as soon as I can.”

Diana looked at Mary and then at one of the others on the team and said, “We will have to wait for her to finish. Lucian will take her place.” After a few minutes Mary motioned for Lucian, the leader of their team, to come up.

“Wait here,” Diana told Theos and ran to meet Mary as she climbed down from the boat. She brought Mary to him.

“Mary,” Theos called to her before the ladies reached him. “Timothy sent me to bring you back as quickly as possible. We have had a letter with news from Syria.”

“Oh my,” she said. “Has something happened to my sister?”

“Timothy sent me without any explanation, except that I needed to hurry. I suppose it would be dangerous to travel this road by night. But we need to leave early tomorrow morning.”

Mary said, “The rest of the team will need to stay here for a few more days. The town is going to feed us all on the beach tonight. They can put you up with some of the men on the team.”

Theos and Mary left early the next day and made good time back to Ephesus. It was shortly after noon when they came to the home of Timothy. One of the young men Timothy was training answered the door. He had been instructed to bring Mary to his teacher immediately. Several church members were talking with Timothy in his sitting room. Knowing what was happening, they excused themselves. Timothy explained that Susanna, one of the women who had followed Jesus from Galilee had written to tell them that Martha, Mary’s sister, was seriously ill.

When Mary had read the letter she said, “I have to go to my sister if it is at all possible!”

Timothy said, “We need to pray, Mary.” He prayed fervently for her sister Martha and for Mary’s own peace and for the comfort of the Holy Spirit. Mary prayed as well. Then Timothy said, I have sent word through the whole church. Everyone will be praying. Several men have said they will donate money that I expect will be enough for your passage. I will arrange for Epaphras and his wife, or possibly young Theos, to travel with you.

Arrangements were made and they were able to leave in less than a week. They found Martha near death when they arrived in Judea. For days Mary sat at the bedside of her sister, who remained unconscious or delirious. Mary talked to Martha as if she could understand. She told about many things she had seen in her travels and in service to their Lord. In all that time she received no indication that Martha heard anything she said. Late one night Mary woke to the clear sound of Martha’s voice. “Mary. Mary, are you awake?”

“Yes, Martha, I’m awake—I think.”

“I am so glad you are here with me tonight. How long have you been here.”

Mary took Martha’s hand. “I have been home for several weeks. I am so relieved to hear you talking to me like in the old days. You have been very sick.”

Martha squeezed Mary’s hand in return and said, “I thought I heard your voice, but you seemed to be too far away for me to speak to you. I guess I thought you were still in Asia or wherever.”

Mary said, “I knew I needed to be by your side. And our Lord has arranged for me to come. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Yes, I want you to talk with me.”

Mary said, “There will be plenty of time to talk now that you seem to be reviving. But tonight you need your rest.”

“No, Mary. I want to talk right now. I think Jesus has arranged this time for us to talk.”

Mary stretched to relieve her stiff muscles, shook the sleep from her eyes and asked, “What shall we talk about?”

“Tell me again about discovering Jesus at the empty tomb after His crucifixion.”

Mary began, “I was so heartbroken as we all were. Nothing made any sense in the days following His death. I had gone to His tomb with several other women. His tomb was empty, so I wandered out into the garden belonging to the rich man named Joseph. Falling down on a large stone I wept there. I sensed someone behind me but I did not want to talk to anyone. He asked me why I was crying. I thought He was the gardener. I said, ‘Sir, If you have moved Him, please tell me where, and I will take His body away.’

“Tenderly He spoke my name, ‘Mary.’ And I knew it was Jesus. I turned and fell to His feet worshipping in the joy that He was truly alive!” Martha smiled, sharing the thrill of Mary’s experience. “Martha,” Mary said, “I was the first to see Jesus alive again!”

They told several more stories of their experiences with Jesus, then Martha said, “Tell me about the day Jesus raised our brother from the tomb?”

Mary said, “That also came about in a terrible time, as you know too well. We had sent for Jesus, but He didn’t come in time, and Lazarus died. When Jesus finally came, I worshipped Him and said, ‘Lord, if you had only been here, my brother would not have died.”

“What did He say to you, Mary?”

Mary frowned in thought. “I don’t remember that He said anything. He just wept with me. After a while He asked where we had laid Lazarus. You were with me when we led Him to the burial place.

“At the command of Jesus they rolled the stone away, and He cried, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ And our brother came out of the tomb stumbling over the grave clothes wrapped around his body.” Both ladies chuckled at the memory.

Martha said, “I remember that day so well. I was out in the street before our house. I think I was going to buy more food for the people who had come to comfort us. A boy came running up with the news that Jesus was coming. I forgot everything else and ran to meet Him. I also said if He had been there He would have kept our brother from dying.”

He said, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ It was hard for me to believe anything on that day, but I still knew. I said, ‘I know that he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’

“Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me shall live even if he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.’ He asked if I believed this.

“I said, ‘Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who is coming into the world.’

“I still believe that, Mary. I know He is with me right now. Somehow I sense His presence more than I have at any time since He ascended into the clouds. You may be among those who are alive when Jesus returns. That will be so wonderful! But Mary, I am going to be with Him tonight. You need not worry about me. You can know, as surely as He raised Lazarus, that I will return with Him.” Mary held Martha’s hand even more tightly. Martha spoke no more through the night. Unable to speak herself, Mary wept as she sensed that her beloved sister was passing into the presence of her Lord.

This story was composed from memories Mary and Martha must have had from events recorded in John 11:38-44.

Lord, we trust you with life and death.

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GLORY!

Posted by David Young on May 28, 2021 at 1:18

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John 15:7,8 gives us some crucial insight into answered prayer.

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you,

ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

By this my Father is glorified,

that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

The phrase, “By this my Father is glorified” explains the intended result of prayer. God is to be glorified. Our desire to be honored above everyone else is one of the things that God needs to prune out of our lives. Selfishness is so automatic that we usually do not even realize that we have the problem. We begin cleansing self-centeredness from our hearts by recognizing and rejoicing in the glory of God. God is the Creator/Provider of all things. He is the center of creation. He is the source of all good things. All prayer should revolve around Him. All praise and honor and glory belong to Him. In the third chapter of John some people came to John the Baptist saying that Jesus, whom he had endorsed, was baptizing more people than John was. John answered, “He is the bridegroom. I am the friend who rejoices when I hear the voice of the bridegroom.” Then John added, “He must increase. I must decrease.”

The point of God answering our prayer is that God will receive the honor due Him. That is at the heart of our joy in the Lord. Real joy comes as we shift our focus from ourselves—me, me, me, and begin to focus our hearts and minds on Jesus.

I do not believe Jesus is simply saying that the point of prayer is the glory of God. Rather, He is saying our whole lives are to bring Him glory. We are to remain in Him, His word planted deeply in our lives, bearing fruit as disciples of Jesus, so that God will be glorified in everything He does in and through us.

This is part of a blog series on keys to answered prayer. If you click on http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/ and scroll down you can see the previous posts.

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A Prayer that Hasn’t Changed

Posted by Dan Crawford on May 23, 2021 at 9:43

I have been compiling a collection of prayer quotes from lesser-known authors. As I was preparing to donate my collection of five hundred books on prayer to the Southwestern Baptist Seminary Library, I got to wondering who all these authors were. A few were recognizable, but most were unknown, at least to me. I decided to scan all the books before releasing them, to see what I, or some previous owner, had underlined or highlighted, thus my collection of quotes. One of my favorite quotes is from a book published in 1954 entitled, “The Practice and Power of Prayer” by John Sutherland Bonnell, whose name I did not immediately recognize. A bit of Google research reminded me that he was the twenty-six-year pastor of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City, whose Sunday sermons were regularly reported in the New York newspapers. The quote: “The secret of the victorious march of the Early Church across the Roman world is found in its belief in and practice of prayer . . . These early Christians were spiritual conductors, and God manifested himself mightily in their lives . . . The need of the hour in our churches is more prayer . . . that they may become a pulsating, dynamic, spiritual power.” The quote could have come from any pastor, of any church, in any denomination, in any location, in any day. The need of the hour in today’s churches is still “prayer, that produces a pulsating, dynamic spiritual power.” The need of the hour in our churches is still “more prayer . . . that they may become a pulsating, dynamic, spiritual power.” After all, “The urgent request of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect” (James 5:16, HCSB).

THE VOICE OF GOD

Posted by David Young on May 20, 2021 at 22:28

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Phillip walked with Simon the leper and his wife Martha from the Temple Service where the church that had sometimes been uncomfortable with Philip’s Greek name had encouraged him and prayed for him as he prepared to leave. Many had gone out from the Jerusalem church. Some were driven more by the danger of persecution than they were by the final command of Jesus, but all of them went with the gospel in their hearts. Martha had seen her own sister sail for Asia. Phillip was the first of the twelve apostles to go beyond Israel. Simon had invited him to stay that night at their home in Bethany. It would be better to begin the journey in the cool of the next morning. Simon had agreed to travel with Phillip to the coast. The apostle intended to preach in the villages surrounding Joppa before sailing for Greece.

On the walk from Jerusalem to Bethany they talked about those from the church who had suffered persecution. Phillip almost wept as he told about people who had been imprisoned or beaten. Some had even been killed. When they arrived at Simon’s home, their servant washed the dust of the road from Phillip’s feet as Martha began preparing for the evening meal. Phillip was able to rest a while before they broke bread. Simon prayed as Jesus had, asking the Father to bless the loaves.

After they had eaten a little Martha asked, “Can you tell us why you are leaving Jerusalem, Phillip? Is it because of the increasing danger of hostilities against us here?”

Phillip finished a bite he had dipped into the sauce and then said, “No. It is because I have sensed our Lord sending me out. The other disciples have been praying with me and they too are convinced that God is sending me at this time.”

Simon said, “But don’t you think you should wait longer before going out? Exciting things are still happening here.”

Phillip said, May that always be true. But Jesus told us we were to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.”

Martha asked, “Why then have Peter and the other apostles not gone out?”

Phillip said, “Peter and John and others have been to preach in places like Samaria, Joppa, and Capurniam in Galilee. And Martha, your brother has gone to Cypress.”

Simon said, “But you are going farther than that. How will the Greeks understand anything about the true God?”

Phillip shook his head. “I am not sure. But few people will listen to me here. I am not named, like you Simon, after the leader of the Macccabeans. I am named after the father of Alexander the Conqueror. As we were praying, one of the other apostles said He believed my name would help to proclaim the name of Jesus to those who know nothing about Him. Of course, I will tell Jews about Jesus as well.

I am convinced that God is speaking. When we were entering the city that final time before the cross, the people came out to meet us shouting ‘Hosanna!’ Jesus found a donkey and rode it into the city. At that time none of us knew what that meant. Later John and Peter, and I think you and your sister, Martha, remembered that the prophet had said, ‘Fear not daughter of Zion. Your king is coming to you riding on the colt of a donkey.’ God also spoke to us through Jesus. Our Lord still speaks to us by His Spirit.

In that final week before Jesus was Crucified some Greeks came to me asking to see Jesus. I went to Andrew for advice. Together we told Jesus. Jesus immediately knew God was speaking. He announced that ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.’ He went on to say His soul was troubled about what He was going to face on the cross. He said, ‘What shall I pray, “Father save me from this hour? No Father, glorify your name!”’ After He said that, there came a voice from heaven, ‘I have glorified it and will glorify it again!’ Some people said it must have thundered, though there were no clouds in the sky. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to Him.’

“Jesus said that voice was for us. God spoke to me on that day, and He is still speaking. The most important thing we do as His people is to hear and obey God’s voice. And God will be glorified as Jesus continues to speak through us.”

Simon said, “But Philip, it may cost you your life. Do you want to die in some strange place far from everyone who has loved you?”

Philip said, “That is in the hands of our Lord. On that day that I spoke about, Jesus was troubled in His spirit. He said, ‘Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains alone, but if it dies it bears much fruit.’ We can see now that He was speaking of His own death. But I also believe that what He said will apply to me, if that is His will.”

This story drew upon events recorded in the 12th chapter of John.

Father, you still speak through your Holy Child Jesus. Bring our hearts and lives to obey your voice.

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ASK

Posted by David Young on May 13, 2021 at 17:18

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I began this blog series earlier. If you click on http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/ and scroll down you can see the previous post. The series is on keys to answered prayer taken from John 15:7,8.

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you,

ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

By this my Father is glorified,

that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

After Jesus had laid the foundation of living and praying in God’s will, He invited us to ask. “Ask and it will be done for you.” While this passage and others give a fuller picture of prayer, a number of Bible verses simply say, “ask.” John 16:24, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you.”

Actually, you do not have to read far in any of these passages to find the concept of praying in and for God’s will. However, they all emphasize the opportunity to ask. Asking is a practical way of merging our will with God’s. Like so many things in life, you learn by doing.

This calls us to consistent continuing prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 calls us to, “Pray without ceasing.” Matthew 7:7 reads,

“Ask, and it will be given to you;

seek, and you will find;

knock, and it will be opened to you.”

Greek, the original language of Matthew and the rest of the New Testament, has a tense that most other languages do not have. The action in this verse must continue or be repeated. One English translation renders these words, “Ask and keep on asking. Seek and keep on seeking, Knock and keep on knocking.” We are to keep our petitions before God until He answers or redirects our prayer.

God also gives us a safety valve on the power of prayer so we do not move mountains onto our neighbors’ houses. In inviting us to ask, Jesus assures us that asking is safe. God protects us as He teaches us to pray. You don’t need fear that you are praying for things that may ruin your life or the lives of people around you. This ought to give us a freedom to pray for whatever we believe to be God’s will. Ask and you will receive.

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HARD TO BELIEVE

Posted by David Young on May 6, 2021 at 22:43

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The two men were walking home from the temple after their baptism. Much had changed in their lives after the resurrection of Jesus. Like many who had been afraid to come to Jesus while He taught in their cities, they both now believed wholeheartedly in the risen Christ.

Jonathan said, “Simon, I can’t understand how I could have been so blind to Jesus before His crucifixion. I should have understood from the miracles He performed that He was God’s Messiah. I was one of those who questioned the parents of the man Jesus healed who had been born blind. I remember Jesus saying to us, ‘If I do not do the works of God, do not believe in me. If I do them, even if you cannot believe me, believe in the works, that my Father may open your hearts.’ Believe me, I thought about that. But I was still too cowardly to admit that He had come to us from God.”

“I was worse,” Simon said. “I was there when Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb after four days. I knew then that Jesus was God with us, as Isaiah wrote, but when I was with my Pharisee friends I was ashamed to confess Him. I don’t think we would have come to believe even now were God not working in us in spite of our hard hearts.”

Jonathan said, “The priests seemed so holy, and the Pharisees were so forceful, that it was hard to go against them. Confessing Jesus meant being put out of the synagogue. I felt that would mean ceasing to be Jewish. And yet our Lord used those things, and even the power of Rome, to bring His Father glory.”

Simon said, “I wonder how our priests, who seemed to be righteous, could have been so hard hearted. Bethany is my home. I was there when Lazarus died. I was with them when Jesus went to the tomb. I knew He had to have come from God. He had already healed me of leprosy. Chills went up my spine when Jesus stood before the tomb of Lazarus and thanked His Father that He always heard Him. Elijah prayed almost the same prayer before God sent fire down from heaven. Jesus then cried out for Lazarus to come out, and the man came still wrapped in his grave clothes. I suspect everyone standing there that day knew we were in the presence of God. Who else could raise the dead? But even though many confessed Him that day, some of them went and told the Pharisees what Jesus had done. They knew I was a Pharisee so they dragged me along.

“The Council was worried that the Romans were going to take away their position. Caiaphas, whom many considered the holiest man alive, stood up and spoke. ‘Have you not considered that it would be better for you if one man died for the people than that we should lose the entire nation?’ And get this—as High Priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the people. God had to be speaking through him even though his heart was absolutely against the Messiah.”

Jonathan said, “You mean he actually said Jesus was dying for the people? He could not have understood that Jesus was dying for our sins.”

“I suppose not,” Simon said, “but he still said those words”

“I tell you the truth, Simon. The power of God stuns me. God spoke through His fiercest enemy on this earth even as Caiaphas was plotting to turn Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified.

Simon said, “Our town held a feast for Jesus. We gathered in my house because it would hold the most people. Multitudes came from Jerusalem not just to see Jesus but to get a glimpse of Lazarus whom Jesus had raised. And so many of them went away believing that the council actually planned to put Lazarus to death so we would stop believing.”

This story was conceived from events recorded in John 11:45-53/

Father, You gave us many prophecies of Jesus, including one by the High Priest who condemned Him. Help us hear your voice as you continue to speak to us through Your Son, Jesus.

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A message for Grandmothers on Mother's Day

Posted by Lillian Penner on May 5, 2021 at 19:56

"I have been reminded of your sincere faith,

which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice?

I am persuaded, now lives in you also" (II Timothy 1:5 NIV)

If Timothy's grandmother Lois had not been faithful in passing on her faith to her daughter Eunice and grandson Timothy, we would not have the books I and II Timothy in the Bible today. Their example is an excellent generational example of the importance of passing on the faith to future generations. Lois is our forerunner who modeled grand mothering for us.

Isn't it interesting, nowhere in the Bible does it say that the church has the primary responsibility to pass on our faith to the next generation? It clarifies that parents and grandparents are the principal conduits to instruct their children and grandchildren about God and his love for them.

Today, many parents are not passing on the values and faith with which they were raised.

With the pressure on families today, grandchildren need our hugs, reassurance, and wisdom more than ever. It is also imperative for us to communicate to our grandchildren that we love them and accept them, even though we may disagree with their behavior. In today's broken world, Satan's purpose is to destroy the family. Therefore, we must pray God will give the mothers and fathers of our dear grandchildren godly wisdom in the monumental task of teaching and guiding our grandchildren in the ways of the Lord.

Therefore, grandparents have a crucial role to fill if faith is to be found on earth when he comes back for his own. In the Bible, we read about many people God used in the autumn season of life for life's most significant work. According to God's Word, God wants grandparents to focus on passing a godly legacy to the next generation. The demonstrations of our faithful walk with the Lord and our prayers for our grandchildren are effective ways to pass on our faith to the next generation.

In Proverbs 27:19, we read, "As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person" (NLT). What does the reflection of our "real person" reflect? When we are committed to read and meditate on God's Word, we will replicate a life transformed into his image. As we invest in our walk with the Lord, we are spiritually investing in the lives of our grandchildren by modeling a godly example. As spiritual role models, we can demonstrate the reality of walking with God through both the storms and sunny days of our lives.

Do your grandchildren see authenticity and sincerity about you in your relationship with God? What a blessing it would be for me to hear my grandchildren say, "I want to have a relationship with the Lord like my grandmother modeled for me." I hope I can say in the years to come, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children and grandchildren are walking in the truth" (3 John 1:4).

Ask yourself:

What kind of memories will my grandchildren have of me when I pass away?
Is my walk with the Lord what do I want to be reflected in my grandchildren's lives?
Do I want my grandchildren to imitate my spiritual life?
Will they want my Jesus?

Prayer

Dear Lord, forgive me when I have not taken the time to read your Word or modeled the life of a godly grandparent.

Help me to take the time to read and meditate on your Word every day so that I will reflect your face in the heart of my grandchildren.

Help me to be a godly example, teaching my grandchildren to live lives of truth

with integrity, authenticity, and seriousness.

Help me give sound, wise, wholesome counsel and guidance,

encouraging my grandchildren to know and follow Christ wholeheartedly.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

By Lillian Penner, Prayer Director for Christian Grandparenting Network,

lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

A message for Grandmothers on Mother's Day

Posted by Lillian Penner on May 5, 2021 at 19:56

"I have been reminded of your sincere faith,

which first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice?

I am persuaded, now lives in you also" (II Timothy 1:5 NIV)

If Timothy's grandmother Lois had not been faithful in passing on her faith to her daughter Eunice and grandson Timothy, we would not have the books I and II Timothy in the Bible today. Their example is an excellent generational example of the importance of passing on the faith to future generations. Lois is our forerunner who modeled grand mothering for us.

Isn't it interesting, nowhere in the Bible does it say that the church has the primary responsibility to pass on our faith to the next generation? It clarifies that parents and grandparents are the principal conduits to instruct their children and grandchildren about God and his love for them.

Today, many parents are not passing on the values and faith with which they were raised.

With the pressure on families today, grandchildren need our hugs, reassurance, and wisdom more than ever. It is also imperative for us to communicate to our grandchildren that we love them and accept them, even though we may disagree with their behavior. In today's broken world, Satan's purpose is to destroy the family. Therefore, we must pray God will give the mothers and fathers of our dear grandchildren godly wisdom in the monumental task of teaching and guiding our grandchildren in the ways of the Lord.

Therefore, grandparents have a crucial role to fill if faith is to be found on earth when he comes back for his own. In the Bible, we read about many people God used in the autumn season of life for life's most significant work. According to God's Word, God wants grandparents to focus on passing a godly legacy to the next generation. The demonstrations of our faithful walk with the Lord and our prayers for our grandchildren are effective ways to pass on our faith to the next generation.

In Proverbs 27:19, we read, "As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person" (NLT). What does the reflection of our "real person" reflect? When we are committed to read and meditate on God's Word, we will replicate a life transformed into his image. As we invest in our walk with the Lord, we are spiritually investing in the lives of our grandchildren by modeling a godly example. As spiritual role models, we can demonstrate the reality of walking with God through both the storms and sunny days of our lives.

Do your grandchildren see authenticity and sincerity about you in your relationship with God? What a blessing it would be for me to hear my grandchildren say, "I want to have a relationship with the Lord like my grandmother modeled for me." I hope I can say in the years to come, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children and grandchildren are walking in the truth" (3 John 1:4).

Ask yourself:

What kind of memories will my grandchildren have of me when I pass away?
Is my walk with the Lord what do I want to be reflected in my grandchildren's lives?
Do I want my grandchildren to imitate my spiritual life?
Will they want my Jesus?

Prayer

Dear Lord, forgive me when I have not taken the time to read your Word or modeled the life of a godly grandparent.

Help me to take the time to read and meditate on your Word every day so that I will reflect your face in the heart of my grandchildren.

Help me to be a godly example, teaching my grandchildren to live lives of truth

with integrity, authenticity, and seriousness.

Help me give sound, wise, wholesome counsel and guidance,

encouraging my grandchildren to know and follow Christ wholeheartedly.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

By Lillian Penner, Prayer Director for Christian Grandparenting Network,

lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

MARINATED IN HIS WILL

Posted by David Young on April 29, 2021 at 15:29

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You may be familiar with the word about praying in the will of God in 1John 5:14-15.

“And this is the confidence that we have towards him,

that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask,

we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

I remember a time when I showed my spiritual immaturity thinking this verse takes away the entire point of prayer. I can receive what I pray for, if I pray for what God wants me to pray. As we grow in Him, we begin to see more clearly that the best that can happen through prayer and in our lives is for God’s will to be done. God transforms our hearts to desire what will truly satisfy. Growing in Him teaches us to seek and pray for things that are His will, but will not come about until we ask Him.

John 15:7-8 effectively applies 1 John 5:14-16. John 15:7,8 reads,

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you,

ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

By this my Father is glorified,

that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”

Intermittently in the next few weeks I intend to post blogs on the keys to prayer in this passage. It is important to see this in the entire context of John 15. Verses 4 and 5 set the stage for this passage. Jesus said,

“As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself,

unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him,

bears much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing.”

The first word in John 15:7 is, “If you abide in me.” This is a call to plant our lives in Him. We can live in continual fellowship with Jesus. We depend upon Him like branches depend on a vine. As we do this God begins to think His thoughts in us, and to love and work through us. The second clause in the sentence is, (if) “my words abide in you.” These two phrases are connected. We cannot do either one of these without the other. Prayer and fellowship with God are anchored to His word. Do you read God’s word everyday? Do you memorize Scripture? We should memorize from God’s word everyday. This leads to meditating on His word and His will.

Many years ago we moved to a farming community in Texas. The most influential man in that community had recently died. I lived and pastored the only church in the area for years. And I never stopped seeing positive effects from that man’s life. His widow once told me a regular practice of his. Every morning as he read his Bible he would choose something in scripture to run through his mind all that day. What God did in that man's heart affected the whole community.

As we saturate our lives in God through His word, we set the stage for powerful petition.

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Pray for the Parents of your Grandchildren

Posted by Lillian Penner on April 28, 2021 at 17:39

In these insecure, unstable times we live in today. Young families are busy with their jobs, church activities, children’s activities, etc. There are many distractions for them in their marriage, employment, and parenting.

In today’s broken world, Satan’s purpose is to destroy the family. It is important that we pray God will give our children wisdom and time management in their monumental task of guiding our grandchildren in the ways of the Lord.

Prayer

Dear Lord, first, I want to thank you for the parents of my grandchildren.

Help my children to value their children in the same way You value them.

I pray they will commit to the responsibility You have given

them to teach the children to love You and train them

according to your parenting manual, God’s Word.

Give our children wisdom to manage their time so they will be able

to take the time to teach our grandchildren the ways of the Lord.

Give them wisdom on how to nurture and care for the children.

I pray they will be loving and caring parents.

May the children see their home and family as a “safe place.”

Help them to rule their home well,

not provoking the children to anger.

Help them to be fair and understand the children as You understand us.

Pour out your Spirit upon my children,

as they parent my dear grandchildren.

Bless their homes.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Lillian Penner

PS: I have developed “Thirty-one Scriptures to Pray for Grandchildren” that many grandparents have found helpful to pray Scripture for their grandchildren. Just by joining the mailing list on the right side of this page, you will receive blogs about grandparenting and suggestions to pray for your grandchildren. I will email you a free downloadable copy of “Thirty-one Scriptures to Pray for your Grandchildren” you can print.

HONORING THE INTERCESSORS

Posted by Deborah Perkins on April 26, 2021 at 15:32

The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts we consider less honorable, we treat with greater honor.
1 Corinthians 12:23

I just hung up the phone tonight with someone like you: a His Inscriptions reader who is a dear friend and part of a vast community of prophets and prayer warriors who love the Lord.

At the Lord's leading, she blessed me deeply with a simple prayer that was powerful and effective to break an unseen attack of the enemy. And I am so grateful!

Perhaps it is more my heart than the Lord's that I write this, but I feel compelled to write a thank you to the "hidden ones;" the parts of Christ's Body that are often forgotten.

You are the indispensable warriors on the front lines who pay a price daily to cultivate the Presence of the Lord in your homes, churches, and nations. Some of you have taken huge "hits" from the enemy and have not been released to explain why; your assignments are often top secret and cannot be shared.

You set the stage for God to come and manifest Himself in the earth; your lives are an open gateway to glory!

Like my friend tonight, you are available to pray and intercede on a moment's notice when the enemy comes in too close. Some of you will occasionally stay up all night to blanket those in ministry with your prayers. Others intercede in practical ways, offering assistance, support, or kind words and deeds to encourage those around you.

(One of you, after reading my post on God's heavenly prayer room, even took the time to send me a scented handmade candle to bless my prayer times. So thoughtful and appreciated!)

You are the "spies" like Joshua and Caleb who have pioneered missions, staked claims in new territories, and stood fast for the ground already gained. You've returned from heaven's courts with fresh strategies for battle. Some people have listened to you and received their victories. Some haven't, and you have wept over losses that could have been averted.

You are the servant-nurturers who have perceived - often before anyone else - that someone was wounded and needed care. Other parts of the Body have you to thank for their own ministries, yet rarely do you receive thanks! Amazingly, you do not need or seek it; you work for the Lord.

You are the prophets of your own lives and of the nations you live in, receiving Divine intel daily and taking the world's news to the Lord so that disasters may be averted.

You choose to believe against hope that things will be okay in the end, because you partner with the Great Intercessor who is before God's throne!

You are lovers of God and of men. You are well hidden on earth, but well known in heaven!

You are so loved and cherished by the Lord. I know because I've seen His heart for you! Your transactions with God in prayer are holy; even angels wonder at the intimate relationship you cultivate with your Father!

Moment by moment, day by day, in every situation and sometimes at great cost yourselves, you honor the Lord by holding up the arms of those He's called you to support.

As darkness increases on the earth, it sometimes seems to you that you're on a "night watch" in the Spirit. You know the enemy's strategy is both to outnumber and surround you in the dark, striking multiple blows. But you are filled with light!

It is the wisdom of God and keen strategy, not strength, that will win the coming battles. Intercessors and watchmen, seers and prayer warriors are extremely important to the Body right now.

When the Lord says He upholds all things "by the Word of His power" (Hebrews 1:3), you understand that Word must at times come through YOUR mouths!

I just want to say thank you. I think the Lord does, too.

I believe you are a very special breed of people whose lives are deeper, richer, and more powerful than the world will ever know.

It takes one to know one.

Jesus knows.

~Deborah

Promise #114: Wait patiently for Me and I will hear your cry.

Posted by Malva Birch on April 24, 2021 at 9:23

https://www.365promises.com/daily-promise/promise-114-saturday-april-24-2021

Promise #114:
Wait patiently for Me and I will hear your cry.

Psalm 40:1 (WEB)
I waited patiently for Yahweh.
He turned to me, and heard my cry.

It was King David who wrote this psalm. He was a man who knew a lot about learning to be patient in the midst of extreme hardship. As a teenage boy, he was anointed king of Israel by the prophet Samuel, only to then wait many years to see it come to pass. In between the promise and the fulfillment there was much heartache and suffering.

Not long after the promise, things were looking good for David. He slayed a giant named Goliath, married the king's daughter and was a national hero in Israel. Then for reasons outside of David's control, his father-in-law, King Saul, became jealous and decided to hunt David down to kill him.

For many years, David was on the run, hiding in caves and hanging out with some of the most disreputable men of the day. But then a series of events happened that made him king of all Israel. After much heartache and disappointment, David finally saw the fulfillment of God's promise that he would one day become king.

So when David says, I waited patiently for the Lord and He heard my cry, he knew what he was talking about. No matter what trials you are facing today, God is faithful. As we continue to look to Him to fulfill all the promises He has made to us, may we find strength and encouragement in today's promise... Wait patiently for Me and I will hear your cry.

LIGHT

Posted by David Young on April 23, 2021 at 0:02

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Several of us who were baptized in that first week after the Spirit came upon the church were remembering things we had heard Jesus say before we believed and understood. We were still having some difficulty understanding. Dorcus suggested that we ask some of the apostles to explain these things. That made sense to the rest of us, and we began searching the temple area for apostles. We found several of them praying in Solomon’s colonnade. Thomas, Phillip, Bartholomew, and Mary were there along with several others that we had seen but did not really know.

Several of us were not comfortable with a woman speaking for us, but somehow Dorcus’s boldness seemed right. She stood before the praying group until they noticed us. They turned to us with holy smiles.

“What can we do for you?” Thomas asked.

Dorcus looked around at the rest of us and began. “Before His crucifixion Jesus told us ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up.’ And even then we were pretty sure He was speaking about the way He was going to die. But the rabbis had always taught that when the Messiah came he would remain forever. Of course we did not understand how He could die, if He was indeed the Christ. Jesus did not tell us how this would be. He simply said we needed to walk in His light lest darkness overtake us. We understand a little more of this now, but we need you to explain about the light.”

Phillip, one of the apostles in the prayer meeting said, “I didn’t really understand at that time either. But on that same day Jesus said, ‘The words that I say came from my Father. He gave the commands of what to say and what to speak.’ Walking in the light is living by what His Father says to us through Jesus.”

Thomas said, “That is true even when there are some things we cannot understand.”

Martha, one of the women in the prayer meeting said, “You probably know that Jesus called my brother to come out of the tomb and raised him from death. We had sent for Jesus when we knew Lazarus was about to die. We were heartbroken when He did not come to heal him. When Jesus did come, He told me my brother would rise again. I still did not understand, but Jesus knew what He was going to do. It was hard in those days to believe Jesus still loved us, but of course, He did.”

“That is right,” Thomas said. “When we heard that Lazarus was sick, Jesus told us, ‘This illness will not end in death but in the glory of God so that the Son of God might be glorified. So we stayed where we were. After a few days Jesus said, ‘We are now going back to Judea.’ We were terrified. We had fled because the people were ready to stone Him to death. We said as much to Jesus. He said, ‘Are there not twelve hours in the day. If anyone walks in the day he will not stumble. We must do the works of Him who sent me while it is day.’ Then Jesus explained that Lazarus was already dead. He knew that because He prayed and listened to His Father all the time.”

We never understand everything our Lord is doing in our lives. But it seems that He has always shown us something that is His will, so we can walk in His light. One of the things the Spirit does in us and in the whole church is give us the light to follow Him. This is a continuing miracle that we experience. We are all learning to sense the Father’s will and walk in His light.

This story rose from words and events recorded in John 11 and 12.

Father, open our eyes to the light of Jesus in our daily lives.

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PTAP: Week 2: Students, Expats, 2nd Generation, Tradition, Justification, Evil in Islam, Ramadan

Posted by Merton J. Hershberger on April 20, 2021 at 17:41

Day 8 (April 20) - Pray for university students in the AP

Col 1:27-29 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Young adults are often considering life’s biggest questions and are open to the gospel. Thousands of them from all over the world are moving to the AP to study at universities, joining the thousands of local, Arab students. In this setting, disciples of Jesus can participate in campus life as professors, staff, and students. As God opens these doors, local young adults in the AP have unprecedented opportunities to develop friendships with Christians and hear the good news for the first time.

Prayer: Father, thank you for opening doors for Christian professors and students to come to universities in the AP. We pray that you would help them live a holy life that causes students to ask questions. We ask that you would fill them with love for students and staff, to serve them, and speak the good news of Jesus to them so that they can present everyone mature in Christ. Please give local students ears to hear and eyes to see the riches of the glory of the gospel, Christ in us, the hope of glory! Amen.

Watch this testimony of how one Saudi international student came to faith:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkb09G2RK0w

Day 9 (April 21) – Pray for expat churches in the AP

The Gulf countries have opened their doors to foreigners from all over the world to come and work (The Gulf countries are the six AP countries minus Yemen). Some have even given official permission for international churches to meet. These international churches are gathering in many languages, worshiping Jesus, and shining his light in the AP. These churches are full of engineers, teachers, maids, construction workers, embassy workers, and other professionals who come from around the world. Each of these believers have unique opportunities to start relationships with local co-workers and neighbors. Praise God that there are over one million expat Christians in the Gulf today!

Prayer: Father, please fill these believers with your Holy Spirit to speak your word with boldness (Acts 4:31). Empower them to make the most of every opportunity, speaking with wisdom to give answers to each person who asks about the hope that they have (Colossians 4:6). Protect the pastors as they shepherd these believers from all over the world and equip them to minister the gospel in the AP. Encourage them as they bear the burdens of their people. Help them to faithfully proclaim Christ, that in him only are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Use the churches to bring firm faith to those who don’t know you yet. Make the church a bastion of truth and good order against false and plausible arguments against you. Amen.

Day 10 (April 22) – Pray for second generation believers

Col 2:6-7 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Second generation believers in the AP are very few, but God is doing amazing things in the lives of AP Arab families, in both the parents and the children.

Prayer: O Heavenly Father, we praise you that you have worked through families in every generation since Adam and Eve. We pray specifically for the second generation of believers in the AP. We thank you for the children and teenagers who have professed faith. As they have received Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, give them power to walk in you. Give them even firmer roots and continue to build them up in you. Establish them in the faith and train them to abound in thanksgiving in all things. Especially bless this family that came to faith on two different continents. Lord, we ask you for more families to come to faith for your promise is for us and our children (Acts 2:39). Amen.

Day 11 (April 23) – Pray against the human tradition of Islam

Col 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

The church around the world needs to have compassion on Muslims because they suffer from fear, anger, condemnation, and constant attacks from the devil and elemental spirits. They have been taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition and not according to Christ who is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes (Romans 10:4).

Prayer: O Christ, have mercy on our dear Muslim friends. We love them, but the evil one has blinded and enslaved them. Please have mercy on them and break the bondage of empty deceit. Destroy the elemental spirits which rule in their hearts. May they experience freedom in you, freedom from fear, anger, and punishment. Pour out your grace and love so that they will be refreshed like drinking water in the Arabian desert. Bring real joy and freedom to their hearts for the first time in their lives! Amen.

Day 12 (April 24) – Pray for justification by faith alone

When we know Jesus Christ, there is no need to seek meaning in life through religion, philosophy, or cults as the Colossians did. Christ is the meaning of life because he is life itself! We don’t need to add anything to what Christ has achieved for us to be saved. We are complete in him. Muslims believe that one must do good works to accrue favor with Allah. One’s good deeds and bad deeds are literally recorded by angels and measured on a scale. However, for Christians, God has cancelled the record of debt that stood against us, nailing it to the cross of Christ. There is no record of wrongdoing! We have been completely forgiven in Christ, buried, and raised with him through faith through the powerful working of God’s grace. Sermons in mosques always urge Muslims to become better Muslims, to be more obedient to the tenants of Islam. In contrast, our God’s ultimate goal is not to make bad people more religious, but to make dead people come alive!

Prayer: O Savior and Lord, if you kept a record of sins, who could stand? We thank you that there is forgiveness with you so that we can serve you (Psalm 130:3,4). We constantly wait for you and put our hope in your unfailing love. May Arab Muslims in the AP experience the grace of your forgiveness in Christ alone. Show them that their deeds are worthless in gaining salvation, that physical circumcision and religious rituals cannot earn your favor. Circumcise their hearts and make them alive together with Christ! Baptize them in Christ’s death and resurrection so that they may be spiritually united to Christ, the head of all rule and authority. Amen.

Day 13 (April 25) – Pray to fight against spiritual evil

Col 2:15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

The city of Bahla in Oman is the center of black magic in Oman and arguably for the entire AP. The occult is alive and well in the AP despite the fact that orthodox Islam forbids it. Stories abound of humans being turned into animals, people being transported to anywhere in the world by stepping over a line drawn on the ground, demons speaking through family members, witches casting curses upon their opponents, etc. Muslims are like the rest of us, weak people who seek relief and practical answers to life. Because Islam does not satisfy the inner being, some Muslims go elsewhere to find answers.

Prayer: O Lord of hosts, God of armies, you are a powerful warrior who fights for us in the heavenly places! Thank you Lord that you defeated Satan on the cross and that your kingdom and righteousness are growing and will not be stopped. Thank you that you have disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame by triumphing over them in Christ. We pray the same for Muslims in the AP, that you would free them from the evil spirits that rule their lives through black magic in particular. We pray especially for Bahla. Put the evil authorities in Bahla to shame so that they may no longer oppress the Omani people! Have mercy on them, O God, and build your church in Bahla. Also, may local believers in the AP put on the full armor of God because Satan is enraged that they are in a different kingdom now. Protect them from the evil one and give them victory over all evil rulers and authorities. Amen.

Pray for Bahla, Oman:

Day 14 (April 26) – Pray during Ramadan, a new moon festival

Paul had to respond to doctrinal errors affecting the church. He had to deal with issues regarding food, drink, festivals, and new moons. Ramadan is a type of new moon festival based on the lunar calendar. Sightings of the moon mark the beginning and the end of the month of Ramadan. Ramadan also deals with food and drink since a Muslim cannot eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset. And verse 18 could describe Mohammad, someone who insisted on asceticism during Ramadan and also claimed that the angel Gabriel came to him in visions with the words of the Qur’an. On the contrary, Paul continues to exalt Christ as preeminent. Christ is the substance, not the shadow!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you with humility that you have freed us from unnecessary rituals and religious piety that cannot save us. The substance belongs to Christ. Thank you for qualifying us in him alone! Please have mercy on Muslims in the AP who try to justify themselves through asceticism and religious rites. Help them, O God, to discover that Christ is all in all. Save many during Ramadan when they are more aware of spiritual matters. May they know that on the cross, “it is finished”! Amen.

Suggestions & Scripture to pray for your young adult grandchildren

Posted by Lillian Penner on April 15, 2021 at 16:55

I have two granddaughters attending college at this time. I will have four granddaughters in college in the fall. I have found these Suggestions and Scriptures helpful in praying for them. I feel it's important that my husband and I stay in contact with them, so I have been sending them a short text to let them know I am praying for them and love them. Often, I ask them how we can pray for them. If you have grandchildren in college/or young adults, I hope you will find these suggestions and Scriptures helpful to pray intentionally for your grandchildren.

Never underestimate the power of a grandparent's prayers. Just knowing that you are praying for them will act as a reminder if you tell them you are praying for them.

Suggestions to Pray for your Young adult Grandchildren

Pray, they will:

Experience the reality of a relationship with Jesus Christ and live the adventure of following Jesus.
Grow spiritually with a hunger for God's Word.
Be motivated, disciplined, and challenged to apply themselves in their studies to excel academically.
Seek God's wisdom and direction in their management of time, money, and talents.
Think creatively and live with integrity.
Recognize their gifts so they can find their God-given assignment.
Provide the resources to fulfill their God-given assignment.
Date wisely (which leads to a spouse for a lifetime).
Find a spouse with a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Remain sexually pure for marriage.
Be willing to accept responsibility and make wise financial decisions.
Have open communication and a good relationship with their parents.
Recognize the deception of the world and flee from it.
Be covered with God's safekeeping physically, spiritually, and emotionally.
Choose friends who will have a positive influence.
Have a balanced view of their beauty, charm, and strength. 1

Scriptures to Pray for your Young Adult Grandchildren

Dear Father, I pray that: (Insert your child's name)

Peace

________ will not worry about anything but pray about everything. Philippians 4:6

Protection from the Enemy

________ will be alert and watch for the temptations from the Enemy, standing firm in his/her faith. I Peter 5:8, 9

Responsibility

________ will learn to be responsible for his/her actions and behavior. Galatians 6:5

Salvation

________ will believe that Jesus loves him/her and died for his/her sins so he/she can have a personal relationship with you and enjoy eternal life. John 3:16

Security

_________ will always remember that you will never leave nor forsake him/her. Joshua 1:56

Self-control

________will live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God. Titus 2:12

Servant's Heart

________will develop a servant's heart, serving wholeheartedly, as to the Lord and not men. Eph. 6:7

Anxiety

__________will cast all his/her anxieties and disappointments on you. I Peter 5:7

Spiritual Growth

_______will be rooted and built up in his/her faith, growing strong in the truth as he/she was taught. Colossians 2:7

Guard

________ will guard his/her heart, for it is the wellspring of his/her life. Proverbs 4:23

Thankfulness

_______ will learn to give thanks in everything, no matter what happens. I Thessalonians 5:18

12. Timidity/Fear

_______will not have a spirit of fear and timidity, but the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. II Tim. 1:7

Trust the Lord

______ will trust You with all his/her heart and not depend on his/her own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Wisdom

when _______needs wisdom, he/she will ask you for it, for You are waiting for him/her to ask. James 1:5

Hunger for God's Word

______will hunger and thirst for the Word. Matthew 5:6

Taken from the book, Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren, available on this website.

Written by Lillian Penner, Pray Director for ChristianGrandparenting Network, lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

A SOLEMN JOY

Posted by David Young on April 15, 2021 at 14:42

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We celebrated the Lord’s Supper at church Sunday. We had not been at church in person for more than a year, and we rejoiced to be there. The pastor began by saying, “Communion is a serious celebration.” I immediately thought of the words, “solemn joy.”

We do not often use those two words together. But they describe a greater intensity of joy than candles on a birthday cake. The closest picture I can think of for this is weeping for joy, although tears do not cover the entire range of solemn joy. When a mother gives birth to a baby she may weep for joy. A family may weep when their son or daughter returns from battle alive and well. Our nation wept for joy on the first V.E. Day. The war in Europe was over, and our troops were returning from that terrible conflict.

The Lord’s Supper is such an experience. We sense an intensity of joy over the price paid by Jesus on the cross that changes everything in our lives. We joined in that celebration Sunday with thankful hearts. In The Lord's Supper we participate in the trembling joy of our Lord’s presence in our lives. That is the heart of Christian fellowship. We join in the communion deeper than a smile or a hug. This was a serious celebration.

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