- My wife and I just celebrated our wedding anniversary. Though we have had our “challenges” and “issues”, I praise God for bringing us together these many years. I hope you can do the same. Alpha and Omega, you have blessed us mightily. Our prayer today is to continue our blessing and to bless others as they live out their marriage commitment. Foster love, commitment, and forgiveness throughout the Christian community.
- We are in the midst of graduation ceremonies and parties as some of our grandkids and their friends close one chapter in their lives and embark on another. Shepherd of Our Souls, lots of young people have graduated from high school or college and face a future filled with both challenges and opportunities. Guide them to make decisions that will honor you and reward them with a fulfilling and prosperous lifetime.
- We have several prayer requests this month … NK seeks healing from lymphoma; FB seeks release from illness; a couple is battling health issues; AM seeks resolution for a property line dispute; PO asks prayer for her husband’s health. Redeemer, we bring these and many other requests before your throne. Honor your word where you proclaim in James 5:16b, “the prayer(s) of a righteous man is powerful and effective”.
- A part of the Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness … that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that when any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it…”. Thank you, Heavenly Father for our “declaration” and for the men who composed it. May we live up to that “declaration”.
- Bill Kaiser Ministries is a different kind of ministry; it ministers to missionaries. We became familiar with Bill and his people while we were on the mission field in Romania and came to realize how important and valuable this ministry is. Father God, prosper Bill Kaiser’s ministry as they seek to encourage those on the front lines taking the Gospel to people in foreign lands and refresh those missionary couples so they “do not grow weary in well doing”. Philemon, verse 7 says, “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints”.
- If you have never met someone who has a sincere passion to reach the lost for Jesus Christ, then you should meet Eldon Babcock from Cymric, Saskatchewan, Canada. He and his wife, Doreen, have been church planters all their ministry lives and in 2004 brought this passion to FCFI and FCFC. Eldon keeps busy setting up trade shows and FCF chapters in Western Canada and Northwestern United States. Light of the World, we thank you for Eldon and the passion and zeal he brings with him wherever he goes, Continue to bless and prosper him and Doreen and grant them the health and energy to continue to serve you through FCF for many years to come.
- North Collins Wesleyan Church, my home church in North Collins, NY, has experienced growth every year for the last seven years; nothing dramatic, mind you, but it has about doubled in attendance from about 90 to 180 people even though the town and village of North Collins have actually decreased in population. How is your church doing? Let’s pray today for our home church, our pastor(s), and our fellow congregants. Head of the Church, you have placed us in a church. Guide us as we actively take part in what our church is doing. Keep our church and our pastor(s) focused on what they are called to do and use us wherever possible to make our church and its people the best they can be.
- As I write the “Prayer Guide”, I try to use different names of Jesus or God (all taken from scripture) that best fit the prayer or situation we are praying about. I have fifty-five different names for Jesus and twelve different names for God. You and I have several “names” too, such as son, brother, father, husband, friend, uncle, grandpa, boss, pastor, doctor, etc. and we answer to all of them. Jesus answers to each one of His names also. In Philippians 2:10 it says … “at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow … and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”. Praise the names of Jesus.
- “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”, John 1:1. “The Word became flesh and made its dwelling among us”, John 1:14. Some denominations included under the Christian “umbrella” don’t believe that Jesus was “fully God”. I believe these two verses powerfully demonstrate that He was and is fully God. Image of the Invisible God, clear our minds of all man made concepts of who you are, turn our eyes and hearts to your infallible Word and draw us into the saving grace that only you can provide.
- “For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners”, Matthew 9:12. Jesus makes it pretty clear what His purpose was. In effect, He was saying, if you are righteous (perfect), you don’t need me. But Paul tells us in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned …”, thus, He came for all of us. Messiah, scratch that notion from our minds that we don’t need a savior and instill in us the hunger to tell others about that “amazing grace” that only you can provide.
- Sonny Kaufman is the point man for the FCF exhibit at the 3-I Farm Show in Dodge City, Kansas starting tomorrow. I am not the best speller but I didn’t think there was an “I” in Kansas. But regardless of the spelling, there are folks desperately needing to hear the “colored bead” story of faith and forgiveness. Wonderful Counselor, use Sonny and his fellow workers to convince many of their need for a savior and bless both the giver and receiver of your precious story.
- It goes without saying that we need to keep saying this message that comes from Ephesians 2:8,9, “For by grace you are saved, and that not from yourselves. It is the gift of God, not by works lest anyone boast”. Son of God, why is this such a hard concept to convey to others? Is it because it is just too simple or are people just too proud and think they can “do it themselves”? Or, maybe, it is because we ourselves are not completely sold on the idea? We give you complete freedom to minister to us as you see fit so that we can be the ambassadors that you have chosen us to be.
- “While Jesus and his disciples were crossing the Sea of Galilee, the disciples became afraid and woke the sleeping Jesus exclaiming ‘Lord, save us. We are going to drown’ “, Matthew 8:25. After calming the wind and waves they asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him”. Have you asked the same question? Raboni, we are all still in the learning process! We are like the disciples, continually amazed at what you do and who you are. Continue to reveal yourself to us as we grow in our faith and understanding.
- “Whoever accepts anyone I send you accepts me”, John 13:20. It took me a while to understand the implications of this verse. I then thought of the story of Balaam’s donkey. Three times the donkey veered off the path and lay down when confronted by the “angel of the Lord (Numbers 22:31 to 33). Finally, Balaam saw the “angel” and yielded to the Lord. Lion of Judah, open our eye so that we can discern and accept your “representatives” and the message they bring, thereby accepting you.
- “I care very little if I am judged by you …” 1 Corinthians 4:3. Paul is telling us here that he is not concerned by what others think of him. His concern is what God thinks of him. That should be our concern as well. Master, we are so often consumed by what others might think of us that we fail to consider you. Forgive us our folly, strengthen our “backbone”, and guide us to do your bidding, not that of the world.
- The three day Wisconsin Farm Technology Days begins tomorrow in New London, Wisconsin. As the world gets more and more technological, we begin to realize that God is the master technician. He communicates, invents, produces, controls, designs, discerns, releases, and assembles the entire universe and he doesn’t even have a “smart phone”. Bright Morning Star, use our FCFI team to reveal to their clients the omnipotence that only you possess and the grace that is your very nature.
- “Create in us a pure heart, O God”, Psalm 51:10. One of the most amazing stories in the Bible is the story of David and Bathsheba. David sinned when he called for Bathsheba, who was married to another man, to come to him and he slept with her. That is not the end of the story, though, David repented of his sin crying out “Cleanse me from my sins, create in me a pure heart, O God”. Subsequently, David and Bathsheba became the parents of Solomon, David’s successor to the throne of Israel. Create in me a pure heart, O God, for I, too, have sinned greatly.
- “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying. Neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away”, Revelations 21:4. That, my friends, is the promise of heaven but it happens not by chance but by choice; the choice is to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Have you made that choice? Have you told your family, friends, and neighbors? Savior, I accept you as my Lord and Savior. Now show me who needs to hear that truth and give me the boldness to tell them.
- Since they (four men carrying a paralytic) could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and lowered the mat and the paralytic man on it down to Him (see Luke 5:19). Who is the hero here? Obviously Jesus is “center stage” because He healed the man. But what about the four men? Their determination to help their friend is most admirable. Jesus, I want to be like one of these four men. Lead me to a friend in need and give me the determination to persist until I bring them to your feet.
- The Four State Farm Show begins tomorrow in Pittsburg, Kansas. While their corn and beans and other crops are growing, many farmers will take a break and head to this event to see what is new and exciting on the farm front. Though not new, our FCFI people have the most exciting thing of all to share, the glorious gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Bishop of Our Souls, use this outreach to draw many into your kingdom.
- “He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”, Matthew 5:45. God is trying to break through our selfish habit of reaching out only to those we like or who are popular or successful. He doesn’t pick and choose but treats and blesses everyone equally. Living Water, we need to be reminded continually that everyone is precious in your eyes and you expect us to treat each person as someone special.
- “Who am I that I should go to the Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11. Moses had lots of excuses why he shouldn’t be the one to help Israel escape from enslavement in Egypt. But, he finally consented and look at the results. How about you? What is your excuse? Father in Heaven, we are good at making up excuses. But, forgive us and don’t give up on us. We want to be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.
- “Do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some people have entertained angels”, Hebrews 13:2. Have you entertained any angels lately? In today’s society, we are warned to be very careful about associating with those we don’t know. In so doing, we may have missed the opportunity to “entertain angels”. Advocate, we have become “gun shy” about strangers. We have become closed to those who might minister to us and vice versa. With your Holy Spirit’s guidance, lead us to host strangers and angels.
- “… You created all things and by your will they were created and have their being” Revelations 4:11. Doesn’t it make you feel more important and secure knowing that God created you by His will? He wanted you to be exactly who you are. He determined the who, what, when, where, and how that makes you, you. Heavenly Father, thank you for creating me. Thank you for lovingly forming me and placing me right here, right now. And, keep on forming me, challenging me, directing me, disciplining me as long as I remain on this earth.
- “… everything God created is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving …”, 1 Timothy 4:4. In Marriage Encounter, we learned the vernacular of this verse — “God doesn’t make no junk”. Though Paul is talking here about food and Marriage Encounter is talking about people, our lesson today is to receive everything with thanksgiving and to realize that God has our best interests at heart. Thank you, I AM, for all your creation. Thank you for the sustenance that keeps us going and thank you for all the good people you have brought into my life.
- “See to it that none takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ”, Colossians 2:8. It seems to be human nature to think that we are smarter than God and thus we can make up our own rules and philosophies. But how foolish we are to think that way. Only Begotten Son of God, we again need “a check up from the neck up”. You alone are our Creator and sustenance and you alone know what’s best for us.
- “Offer to God a sacrifice of praise”, Hebrews 13:15. Don’t you think that the Israelites felt pretty stupid marching around the city of Jericho when they should have been preparing to fight or building a siege ramp or blocking the water supply or something that would have helped them to capture the city? But, instead, they followed God’s orders, marched around the city and praised God. Good Shepherd, when things just don’t seem to be going right, remind us that you are the ultimate in progress and that you “inhabit the praises of your people”.
- “A king delights in a wise servant”, Proverbs 14:35. That statement is so obvious in its meaning that it hardly seems necessary to put it in the Bible. But, there is a message there for you and me. We are servants to a mighty king and we would all choose to be a delight to him. King of Kings, we seek wisdom to better serve you. Lead us to the fount of all wisdom, your Holy Word.
- “Like clay in the hand of a potter, so are you in my hand …” Jeremiah 18:6. Remember that God is the potter and we are the clay. He can make us and remake us. He can form us and reform us. The neat part is that He doesn’t give up and discard us. Master Potter, shape me into the vessel that is most useful for you and those around me.
- “… when he (Peter) saw the wind, he was afraid”, Matthew 14:30. Peter was having a great time walking on the water until he saw the wind and began to sink. He was doing the unnatural until he saw the natural and naturally he began to sink. We are like Peter. We can be going along quite well until something “natural” comes along and our doubts take over. Holy Spirit, we tend to live in the flesh and deny or avoid our spirit being. Refresh our spirit so that we can recognize that God is a spirit and we should worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).
- “Drink and I will water your camels, too”, Genesis 24:14. This was the reply Rebecca gave to Abraham’s servant when he asked for a drink of water. She was willing to do much more that she was asked and because of this she became Isaiah’s wife and an ancestor of our Lord Jesus. Lord, I tend to be a bit lazy. Help me to “go the extra mile” to do more than the minimum so that you will be glorified and others will be pleased. Share Your Prayer Items with Others