Good, good Father,
to David You gave Jonathan
to Moses, Aaron
to Paul, Timothy--
And so we pray for Your sweet provision for our warriors.
May they find deep friendships, spiritual battle buddies.
May they sharpen each other, hold each other accountable,
hold each other up, spur each other on.
May they laugh together.
This world is too lonely, Lord, especially in our military.
Help our military members find friends, and go deep quickly.
Please help them stay connected through the moves.
And Lord please hold them close; help them grieve,
when so many they know die and they can't take the time to mourn.
May they be willing to reach out again.
May they have those they can truly trust.
May they be quick to defend, to encourage.
May they rejoice with those who rejoice, (even when jealous)
and weep with those who weep.
Thank You Lord Jesus for Your example of selfless love for others.
And thank You for always being with us, even in our darkest, most lonely hours
Help our warriors learn to lean in to You. May Your presence be very real in their lives.
We pray for our veterans. May they find healthy relationships and community and purpose.
We pray against the choking spirit of loneliness, the demonic spirit of suicide.
Lord may our warriors reach out to You and to each other and conquer the isolation of shame.
For You alone can heal the heart.
You alone can be the friend closer than the brother.
You alone will never fail to love.
Thank You Abba.
Friday, March 29, 2019
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
March 17, 2019
Lord—our Perfect Parent—thank You for our children. What amazing creations—beautiful eyes, awesome smiles, funny perspectives, great potentials. How You have blessed us! How You have blessed them.
“I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14
God we ask for healing for the sick children that only You can provide.
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29
Father God, above all, may they know You. Whatever it takes, Lord, make them miserable and lost without You.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30
Lord please guide their steps. Lead them in the way they should go. Help them to not be overwhelmed by the tasks, but to see Your power in their lives.
“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him.” Psalm 37:23
We ask for direction in their lives. Help them to see the closed doors as part of Your plan. Help them to find their way in serving You. Be with them through the tests and grades and applications and choices.
“For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6
And may they have the courage to do Your will.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deut 31:6
Please surround them with encouraging friends. May they reach their generation for You.
“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22
We ask that You will keep our children safe from the enemy.
“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” Psalm 32:7
May they be surrounded by reminders of You. May they be hunted down by You!
“For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Psalm 91:11-12
Father God may they have true joy in their day today.
“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:12
Lord, may they grow in You!
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18
From the toddler struggling to obey 'no' to the young adult choosing college classes, Lord we place them on the altar before You. We especially pray for the extra hurdles the military child has—grief compounded with the loss of friends in moves, fear as parents deploy, adjustment to the constant changes.
We pray for us as parents and leaders. May we never cause them to stumble in their walk.
We pray for safety for our deployed. For wisdom in those making decisions that place our warriors in harm's way. And we pray for our veterans who have fought the fight. Lord, be with them in the war for their soul. May they not give in to despair.
All your children look to You! Amen.
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
March 10, 2019
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ― Albert Einstein
Let’s pray with the song "How Deep The Father's Love For Us"
“How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure”
Lord God, Almighty One, Father in Heaven, Abba,
We sit in our little houses, surrounded by our little things, encapsulated in our own little lives, and we see no miracles. We pretend we're taking care of everything by ourselves. We lull ourselves to sleep without noticing Your love.
But then the snow geese pass. Flocks like clouds, singing Your praise, white bodies tipped with black and for a moment, our eyes awaken to the miracles.
The miracles of temps rising, of new life growing, of hearts changing. And as we see the miracles, we see the love behind them from You.
Help us to see Lord. Help us to be engulfed in Your love.
“That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure”
And there's the greatest miracle of all--that You would love us enough to create us; and then to die for us. So many times, we wonder how You can forgive us; and yet You already did, 2000 years ago.
“How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory”
During this season of Lent, Father don't let us forget the cost. Help us be changed by it. May the cross make us grateful. Humble. And overwhelmingly confident in Your love.
“Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers”
Lord, we want to confess for our people. We understand that all need to individually repent, but we corporately confess too. Forgive us for our pride. Forgive us for our egocentrism. Forgive us for thinking we don't need You. Forgive us for filling our need for You with so many other things like drinking and relationships and greed and busy-ness. So much busy-ness. Forgive us for not protecting the innocent. Forgive our foul, scoffing mouths. Forgive us for not seeking You.
“It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished”
It is finished. Lord help us to remember the chains of our sinful lives, without staying in them, without wallowing in them. Without saying 'your sacrifice wasn't enough, I still need to punish myself.'
“I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection”
Resurrection Sunday is coming! And beyond that You are coming again! Lord, help us shout this out! Help us share the joy. Not the joy in the new dress or the eggs or the spring. The joy in You.
“Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom”
Great, unending love. And it is because of this we can pray.
We pray You will guard the hearts of our deployed. May Your resurrection be real to them as never before in this season.
We pray against the demonic spirit of suicide in our troops. May they all know the deep love of Jesus.
Lord please give our warriors direction in their careers--promotions, difficult situations, choices to make, new moves. We trust in You through it all.
We ask for Your wisdom Lord. How our warriors raise their children. Guide them in the logistics of another move. Help them reach their neighbors.
Help us to live as deeply loved children today. May Your love overflow into our warriors’ marriages. May grace and forgiveness abound. May self-sacrifice be the goal. May their love be long-suffering.
May these hard times be the catalyst for great things. We pray for our leaders, including the spiritual leaders in the Chief of Chaplain's office.
We pray for healing for our friends--for surgeries and miserable flu bugs and mysterious illnesses and suffering babies. We turn to You, our great Physician, recognizing that everything is a miracle.
And we love You Lord, the God of Love, Amen.
Click here to consider “How Deep the Father’s Love”
“How Deep the Father’s Love”
CCLI #7051633
Written By Stuart Townend
1995 Thankyou Music
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