Have you heard … it’s 100% cancer? I have.
Have you lost someone close to you? I have.
Have you heard … something overwhelming, something you didn’t want to hear?
In those moments, what do you do? Where do you turn?
All in Prayer
Spiritual Sacrifices
You are a living stone. In the previous verse, Peter said Jesus is a living stone. You are being compared to Jesus! Wow!
You are being built into a spiritual temple. The architect and builder are none other than God himself! He promises to complete the project.
He Never Tires
Moving to a new home is a challenge. You wrap and pack your belongings, carry them to a new location, unpack, unwrap and place each item in its new space. It is a lot of work and takes a lot of energy.
Six Reliable Resources for Hard Questions
We all wrestle with tough questions at times.
I’ve had this one surface lately: Does prayer change God’s mind?
(The short answer is no. But then, we’re left wondering why should we pray?)
Fighting Back
I’ve heard the story so many times I can see it in my mind.
My grandmother’s chili simmered over the campfire. My dad and his brothers, fishing in the nearby stream, noticed movement in the trees. A bear with a fondness for beef sauntered toward the fire.
The Sounds of Silence…revealed by His Spirit
Ladies, put yourselves in the shoes of Jesus’ closest followers in the forty days between resurrection Sunday and His ascension. Think how absolutely amazed on one hand and bewildered on the other you would have felt. He was alive! He was the Messiah as the prophets of old said! There would indeed be a kingdom of God on earth! But He would be leaving—it would be up to you to testify to the world about this kingdom. Oh yes, and I have promised you a gift from the Father; only you must wait for that gift (Acts 1:1-10).
Oh Wait, I’m Not Finished
My grandson loves to say the prayer before a meal. He finds it humorous to say amen, but then say, “Oh wait, I’m not finished.” Then he starts “praying” again. Of course, while doing so he looks around to see if we are looking and laughing at him. His parents finally have to tell him he can only say one more thing because he likes to go on and on.
Believing Prayer
Name a famous couple. There are many famous couples from history, legend, literature, or Hollywood: Cleopatra and Mark Antony, Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, Tarzan and Jane… The list goes on.
A Woman’s Prayer for Loved Ones
You’re invited to pray aloud with me during my morning commute.
Watchman
Words are powerful. Words can ignite or extinguish a relationship. Words can generate war or inspire peace. Words bring tears of emotion. But words can also make us laugh until our sides ache. A teacher’s words can establish everlasting motivation in the life and soul of a student. Mighty prayers uttered in every language on earth can bring revival. The lyrics of beautiful songs bring healing and joy. The precious gift of salvation resonates through the sweet and simple words of Jesus Christ’s birth, death and resurrection. (John 3:16, John 14:6, Romans 10:9)
Sweet Water
Life’s difficult circumstances can turn peace into panic. Our survival may depend on living through complicated medical treatments, making difficult decisions about our children, struggling with financial hardships, providing care for a loved one, coping with unhealthy habits, or confronting generational family dysfunction. But “hopeless” situations are the perfect ground for God to show us His glory, as he did for Moses and the Israelites.
When the Holy Spirit Prays
I enjoy sunsets from a pink chair in the shade of an ancient Pine. I prop my feet up on rusty barbed wire that runs straight through that tree. A deep gash spans ten feet up the side of this warrior Pine—damage from a lightning strike. Even though the wound is deep, bark has grown over it allowing the tree to survive. Nevertheless, I sense the tree’s groaning from the wound and the wires. Paul sensed this also when he wrote that creation will one day be set free from the bondage of corruption. Until then, all creation is “groaning together with labor pains” (Romans 8:22 CSV).
Strengthened by Yahweh
A brief prayer in the memoirs of Ezra reveals a poignant concept about prayer. Ezra resided in Persia along with thousands of other misplaced Hebrews. His prayer praised God for what He had done. Ezra prayed, Praise Yahweh the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king’s mind to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, and who has shown favor to me before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officers (Ezra 7:17 CSSV). This is a huge praise! The king of Persia (modern Iran) had given permission for Ezra and other Jewish leaders to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city.
We’re No Accident
King David brings a vulnerability to his prayers. We glimpse the heart of a poet as he pours out his thoughts to the Lord. I’ve spent several days meditating on the last verse of Psalm 138 and discovered great comfort. David confronted fierce battles once again. While fleeing from his enemies, he found solace in an important area of his understanding of God—God has a purpose for his life!
What’s a Parent to do?
I’ve begun a different type of journey-through-the-Bible. I’m studying each of the 222 prayers. Imagine, of all the prayers spoken through the ages, God selected these specific ones to record. I’m focusing on the types of things people prayed for and how God responded. It’s a rich and rewarding pilgrimage.ho
Hang in There
“Hang in there” is an expression of encouragement in today’s world. It’s a way to say, “Don’t give up.” Recently, I needed to apply the hang in there concept to my prayer life.
A Prayer for Leaders
Psalm 15 begins: LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? (Psalm 15:1). Several years ago, as I read the words “holy hill,” the words “capital hill” came to mind. I continued reading Psalm 15, using it as a prayer for national leaders. Now, when I read Psalm 15, my thoughts and prayers go to those who are in leadership—whether they be political leaders, judges, or even pastors and leaders in churches.
Prayer Requests—Cut & Paste or Forward?
I remember receiving chain letters as a young girl. The letter instructed me to mail additional copies to ten friends and add my own name to the bottom of the list—or something like that. The goal was to eventually receive letters from people all over the country. I always complied but, to my knowledge, never received any letters in return. Today news, prayer requests and other helpful information arrive via email, texts or other forms of social media. I often forward, cut-and-paste or even screen capture specific information to pass onward.
MIGHTY GOD!
I didn’t deserve to go on this mission trip. My registration occurred during the same month of the deadline. Some choir and orchestra members had prayed, saved their money, and rehearsed the repertoire of almost 90 songs for two years. Six concerts were to be performed throughout Italy to sing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Golden Thread
I’ve enjoyed reading through the Old Testament minor prophets. I wanted to focus on the circumstances in Israel’s history as well as the God’s message entrusted to them to proclaim. The twelve minor prophets were sometimes referred to as The Book of the Twelve since scrolls often combined them within one scroll: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Johan, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah and Malachi. Importantly, though, they were called ‘minor’ prophets only because of the length of the books, not because of a lesser important message.