Thursday, November 2, 2017

LHM Daily Devotion - November 3, 2017 "Care or Control"

They say that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder...
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour




"Care or Control"

November 3, 2017

For there is one God, and there is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

They say that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

I suppose the same thing could be said about controlling and caring. For example, the wife of 62-year-old Malcolm Applegate probably thought she was being caring when she expressed concern for the number of hours he was working. No doubt she believed she was being considerate and compassionate when she suggested he might want to cut back on his outside commitments. Yes, I'm sure that is the way she saw it.

In contrast, Applegate was convinced his wife was controlling, and he didn't like it.

Now there probably were a number of ways Applegate could have handled that problem. Most folks would have gone to a counselor for assistance and direction; some would have gone to the divorce court and put the marriage out of its misery. But Applegate went a different route; he disappeared.

That's right. One day, without telling anyone of his plans, Applegate walked into the woods ... and he stayed there for five years. As he told reporters, "I camped in the thick woods near Kingston, and made some money taking care of the garden at a senior citizen's center. After some time, Applegate moved to London's Emmaus Greenwich Center, a shelter for those who are homeless. To earn his keep, he did odd jobs and drove a bus for the elderly.

And his family? After ten years, Applegate wrote to his sister and reunited with her and all who had missed him and thought him dead.

Reading through Applegate's story, I wonder how many folks have done the same thing to the Lord.

They have come to the conclusion that the Lord, with all His laws which say, "Thou shalt do this" and "Thou shalt not do that" is simply too controlling. They think that when their Heavenly Father says that forgiveness and salvation come only through Holy Spirit-given faith in His Son, our Savior, well, that is simply too narrow minded.

And then these folks walk away. They never understand that what they think is God being controlling is merely His care and concern. They never realize that even as care and love motivates them to give their children laws ("Don't play in the street" or "Don't talk to strangers") to protect them, God's laws serve the same purpose.

They never figure out a man who is drowning doesn't need a flotilla of life-preservers; he just needs one he can cling to.

Similarly, we who are drowning in sin don't need a gaggle of redeemers. We only need one who has done all that was necessary to rescue us from our transgressions, the devil, and death. Yes, we need only one life-preserver, and we need to cling to Him most tightly.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, today we pray for those who have misconstrued and misinterpreted Your actions of love for humankind. Grant that they may, in Your Son's life, suffering, death, and resurrection, see just how much You care and love them. This we ask in the Name of our crucified and risen Redeemer. Amen.

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin!  Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).

CPTLN Devocional de 03 de Noviembre de 2017 - Brillen delante de todos


Alimento Diario

Brillen delante de todos

03 de Noviembre 2017

De la misma manera, que la luz de ustedes alumbre delante de todos, para que todos vean sus buenas obras y glorifiquen a su Padre, que está en los cielos.
~ Mateo 5:16 (RVC)

Un grupo de una iglesia de Líbano decidió ir al centro de la ciudad a evangelizar. El área elegida era muy concurrida por la tarde, por lo que podrían hablarles a muchas personas.

Cuando arribaron, encontraron a una señora muy pobre y de avanzada edad sentada en el suelo. Era difícil verle la cara debido a lo arqueado de su espalda. Pensaron que tendría hambre, así que le compraron un sándwich y luego le hablaron de Jesús, aunque no supieron si les entendió algo. A la mujer le llevó mucho tiempo terminar el sándwich. El grupo se alejó, dudando si sus esfuerzos habrían tenido algún resultado.

Poco después, se encontraron con un joven que estaba fumando apoyado en una verja. Luego de presentarse, una pareja del grupo entabló conversación con él. Finalmente, él les preguntó qué hacían y por qué se habían tomado tanta molestia con la anciana. En respuesta, ellos le hablaron de Jesús y de su amor por él.

Cuando terminaron de hablar, el joven dijo: "Yo los estaba observando y vi cómo ayudaron a la pobre anciana, así que pensé: 'si estas personas se me acercan, escucharé lo que me digan'."

¡Cuán cierto es que muchas veces nuestros actos hablan más fuerte que nuestras palabras! De no haber sido por la compasión demostrada por ese grupo a la anciana, ese joven no hubiera escuchado el mensaje que ellos tenían para darle. Sus acciones construyeron un puente que ni sabían que se podría construir. Gracias a eso, pudieron compartir con él el Evangelio de Jesucristo.

Pero el Espíritu Santo aún no había terminado con ese joven... todavía no.

La pareja escuchó unas semanas después que el joven había hecho confesión de su fe y reconocido a Jesucristo como su Señor y Salvador. Cuando en la iglesia escucharon esto, agradecieron a su Padre celestial por usar sus humildes esfuerzos: primero para ayudar a una anciana, y luego para dar testimonio del Evangelio a aquel joven.

ORACIÓN: Señor Dios, permite que nuestra luz brille ante los demás. Permite que nuestras acciones te glorifiquen, para que otros lleguen a conocer tu gracia salvadora. Sea que estemos en el mercado o en una calle cualquiera, indúcenos a hablar y actuar en amor. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

Biografía del autor: Esta devoción fue escrita por un voluntario de Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones en Beirut, Líbano.

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. ¡Utilice estas devociones en sus boletines! Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados por la Int'l LLL.

The Daily Readings for THURSDAY, November 2, 2017 - All Souls' Day

The Parable of the Sower Explained - Matthew 13:18-23
Daily Readings

Nehemiah 1:1-11
The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capital, one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men from Judah; and I asked them about the Jews that survived, those who had escaped the captivity, and about Jerusalem. They replied, "The survivors there in the province who escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire." When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. I said, "O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments; let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned. We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name.' They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!" At the time, I was cupbearer to the king.

Revelation 5:11-6:11
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, "To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the elders fell down and worshiped. Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, "Come!" I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer. When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, "Come!" And out came another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword. When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, "Come!" I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand, and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's pay, and three quarts of barley for a day's pay, but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!" When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, "Come!" I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth. When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; they cried out with a loud voice, "Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?" They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.

Matthew 13:18-23
"Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."


Morning Psalms

Psalm 50 Deus deorum
1   The LORD, the God of gods, has spoken; he has called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2   Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty, God reveals himself in glory.
3   Our God will come and will not keep silence; before him there is a consuming flame, and round about him a raging storm.
4   He calls the heavens and the earth from above to witness the judgment of his people.
5   Gather before me my loyal followers, those who have made a covenant with me and sealed it with sacrifice.
6   Let the heavens declare the rightness of his cause; for God himself is judge.
7   Hear, O my people, and I will speak: "O Israel, I will bear witness against you; for I am God, your God.
8   I do not accuse you because of your sacrifices; your offerings are always before me.
9   I will take no bull-calf from your stalls, nor he-goats out of your pens;
10   For all the beasts of the forest are mine, the herds in their thousands upon the hills.
11   I know every bird in the sky, and the creatures of the fields are in my sight.
12   If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the whole world is mine and all that is in it.
13   Do you think I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
14   Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and make good your vows to the Most High.
15   Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor me."
16   But to the wicked God says: "Why do you recite my statutes, and take my covenant upon your lips;
17   Since you refuse discipline, and toss my words behind your back?
18   When you see a thief, you make him your friend, and you cast in your lot with adulterers.
19   You have loosed your lips for evil, and harnessed your tongue to a lie.
20   You are always speaking evil of your brother and slandering your own mother's son.
21   These things you have done, and I kept still, and you thought that I am like you."
22   I have made my accusation; I have put my case in order before your eyes.
23   Consider this well, you who forget God, lest I rend you and there be none to deliver you.
24   Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me; but to those who keep in my way will I show the salvation of God."


Evening Psalms

Psalm 103 Benedic, anima mea
1   Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy Name.
2   Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
3   He forgives all your sins and heals all your infirmities;
4   He redeems your life from the grave and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness;
5   He satisfies you with good things, and your youth is renewed like an eagle's.
6   The LORD executes righteousness and judgment for all who are oppressed.
7   He made his ways known to Moses and his works to the children of Israel.
8   The LORD is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great kindness.
9   He will not always accuse us, nor will he keep his anger for ever.
10   He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our wickedness.
11   For as the heavens are high above the earth, so is his mercy great upon those who fear him.
12   As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us.
13   As a father cares for his children, so does the LORD care for those who fear him.
14   For he himself knows whereof we are made; he remembers that we are but dust.
15   Our days are like the grass; we flourish like a flower of the field;
16   When the wind goes over it, it is gone, and its place shall know it no more.
17   But the merciful goodness of the LORD endures for ever on those who fear him, and his righteousness on children's children;
18   On those who keep his covenant and remember his commandments and do them.
19   The LORD has set his throne in heaven, and his kingship has dominion over all.
20   Bless the LORD, you angels of his, you mighty ones who do his bidding, and hearken to the voice of his word.
21   Bless the LORD, all you his hosts, you ministers of his who do his will.
22   Bless the LORD, all you works of his, in all places of his dominion; bless the LORD, O my soul.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

All Souls' Day


Today the church remembers All Faithful Departed.

If we have trouble thinking of dear old Aunt Polly or Uncle John as being "saints," now is the appropriate time to remember them formally. There are countless departed souls who were faithful Christians but who could hardly be regarded as exemplary saints. We like to remember them and to give thanks to God publicly for them.

This occasion, sometimes called All Souls's Day, is a twin feast of All Saints's Day. It has been observed in the Eastern Church from very early times and was introduced into Western Europe in the tenth century. The sixteenth-century English Reformers cut this festival out of the church year because they did not like to distinguish between "all saints" and "all souls." The New Testament makes no such distinction but, rather, refers to all Christians as saints, stressing the fact that salvation is a gift from God and that none of us earns a special place in his kingdom by our good deeds. This is a good time to remember the unspectacular children of God: those whose Christian witness may have been weak or faltering, but who are still very dear and important to God and to us.

O God, who has brought us near to an innumerable company of angels, and to the spirits of the just, made perfect: Grant us during our pilgrimage to abide in their fellowship, and to become partakers of their joy. Amen.

Read the Wikipedia article here.

O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers; Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer of the Day for THURSDAY, November 2, 2017 - All Souls' Day


O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers; Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen

Verse of the Day for THURSDAY, November 2, 2017


1 Peter 2:9 (NIV) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Read all of 1 Peter 2

Listen to 1 Peter 2

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Morning Devotions with Cap'n Kenny - Warning Signals


Warning Signals

"Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn't we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?"
~ Hebrews 12:9 (NLT)

I’ve flown in a lot of planes in my lifetime, in big planes and in small ones. Every plane has a warning system that tells the pilot when there is a problem. Maybe the plane is losing altitude. Maybe it’s low on fuel. Whatever is wrong, there will be a warning signal so the pilot can take corrective action.

As believers, God has given us something called a conscience, a warning system He has built inside of us. The Holy Spirit works within the consciences of believers, giving us a sense of what is right and wrong. Thus, when we begin to do something that isn’t right, the Holy Spirit works through our consciences to convict us of wrongdoing.

The Bible says that because we are God’s children, He will discipline us. We are told in Hebrews 12:7, “As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?”

When we start to go astray, when we do something that is wrong, the Holy Spirit is there, lovingly yet firmly saying, “Don’t do that.”

Here’s the problem. People who are not true believers will not sense any conviction at all. They will go out and do whatever they want to do, and their hearts will be so hard that they won’t even care. The Bible says of such people, “If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all” (Hebrews 12:8).

If you are doing something that is wrong, and God’s Spirit has been telling you to stop, I have one word for you: repent. Change your direction. God is warning you for your own good.

In Jesus,
Cap'n Kenny


Seeking God?
Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.


Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation®, NLT® copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Devotion © 2017 Harvest Christian Fellowship; all rights reserved.
Have you been experiencing God's discipline lately? That's a good thing.

Un Dia a la Vez - Tesoros en el cielo


Tesoros en el cielo

Porque donde esté tu tesoro, allí estará también tu corazón.
~ Mateo 6:21 (NVI)

¡Es increíble cómo a nuestro Dios le interesa que seamos personas equilibradas y rectas en la vida! Por eso le agradezco mucho que nos dejara la Biblia. A través de su lectura he podido conocer los principios de vida y la manera más fácil de ser feliz.

Hoy en día, se escucha muy a menudo esta frase bíblica: «No os hagáis tesoros en la tierra» (Mateo 6:19, rv-60). Eso significa que nuestro ídolo no debe ser el dinero y que no debemos apegarnos a las riquezas.

Fíjense que no se trata de que Dios no esté de acuerdo en que seamos prósperos. Lo que Él no quiere es que ese sea nuestro tesoro y nuestra vida. Así que ten en cuenta que cuando partamos de este mundo, no nos llevaremos nada en lo absoluto. Por lo tanto, es más importante pensar en nuestra vida eterna.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón

Standing Strong Through the Storm - BOLDER AND FEARLESS


BOLDER AND FEARLESS

And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

The Apostle Paul indicates that another reason why the gospel was actually advancing during his imprisonment was the bold courageous witness of other believers who had lost their fear.

Two Chinese itinerant evangelists who carried Christian books with them were arrested in Anhui Province during their ministry. The Public Security Bureau (PSB) put them in jail and beat them. The guard beat the face of one until it bled and then took his shoes away in the cold of winter. Then they poured cold water on him throughout the winter. He became deformed from the harsh treatment. Both were kept in jail for six months.

They had led two people to the Lord in that prison location before they were arrested, and when they were released from jail after six months, there were over one hundred new Christians in the area from the seeds that these men had planted. The two people that they led to the Lord spread the message to others. The work grew even while the itinerant evangelists were in prison.

In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, fourteen Christians continued their witness while in prison by reading scripture aloud. By the time they were released, they had read through the entire New Testament and forty-four inmates professed faith in Jesus Christ.

Pedro Pablo Castillo shares a similar situation in Nicaragua where half of the four thousand political prisoners became Christians. On the eve of their release, they prayed, sang and read scripture to celebrate their pardon. Castillo returned to the jail to urge them to let Christ shine in their lives whether in jail or outside.

We shared earlier about Pastor Tu in Vietnam—leader of the fastest growing house church network. Pastor Tu spent three years in prison for his evangelistic ministry. When he was released, he found his house church network had grown three hundred per cent during his imprisonment years.

I received a Christmas card from him the following year that read: “…God greatly gives our church 20,203 more new believers this year. Hallelujah!”

RESPONSE: God’s kingdom will advance when I overcome my fear and become a bold and courageous witness to the power of the gospel.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to trust You fully and become a dynamic force in boldly advancing the growth of Your church.

NIV Devotions for Men - The Best Policy


The Best Policy

Psalm 130:1–8
Recommended Reading: Psalm 89:1–52; 123:1–4; Colossians 1:15–23

Have you ever noticed the boldness of David and of other composers of psalms? They courageously questioned God (see Psalm 89:46) and went so far as to boldly outline for him what in their view he needed to do (see Psalm 123:3). As people well versed in Israel’s history, the songwriters, we might expect, would have kept silent when it came to questioning God’s ways.

However, the psalmists “got away” with what they said because they expressed their feelings with honesty. They knew their own weaknesses and limitations and understood God’s strength and power and majesty. They knew who they were and where they were. But they also knew God.

Here, the songwriter acknowledges his own state as being in “the depths” (Psalm 130:1). Whether this refers to a physical, emotional or spiritual place doesn’t matter. He’s honest enough to recognize his desperate situation and to cry out to God for help. Simply acknowledging our need is the first step down the pathway of redemption.

But what does the songwriter need? He realizes that if God were to keep a record of sin, the psalmist would certainly be lost. With his rhetorical question “Who could stand?” (Psalm 130:3), he anticipates the words of the New Testament: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). In almost the same breath as his admission of sinfulness, the songwriter honestly expresses who God is. With God “there is forgiveness … unfailing love … full redemption” (Psalm 130:4,7). Finally, the songwriter acknowledges God’s promise that “he himself will redeem Israel from all their sins” (verse 8).

Perhaps the apostle Paul had the words of Psalm 130 in mind hundreds of years later when he wrote to the church at Colosse, “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [Jesus], and through him to reconcile to himself all things” (Colossians 1:19–20).

Because of Christ we can be honest with ourselves: God comes to where we are to redeem who we are because of who he is.

To Take Away
  • Do you think you’re honest about where you are, who you are and who God is? How can you be sure?
  • When was the last time you thanked God for his forgiveness?
  • In what ways does your life show that you are forgiven and accepted by God?

Girlfriends in God - Do You Have Friends Like These?


Do You Have Friends Like These?

Today’s Truth

Aaron and Hur held his hands up - one on one side, one on the other - so that his hands remained steady until sunset.
~ Exodus 17:12b (NIV)

Friend to Friend

After the Lord had delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt they spent 40 years in the desert. During that time God provided for them both miraculously and practically. One practical way God moved was through His people. Much like today.

Moses was God’s chosen leader, but many others were used as well. We see this demonstrated in Exodus 17 when a savage, nomadic tribe called the Amalekites attacked the Israelites. The Amalekites lived in in the desert region near the Dead Sea and were quick to destroy anyone who got in their space. I imagine that when they went into battle with the Israelites they had no idea that if they messed with Moses and his traveling companions they were messing with the all-powerful, unstoppable army of the Lord!

Here’s the way it went down…
The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”
             So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. (Exodus 17:8-13)
This enemy was defeated because a group of likeminded believers stuck together and took action. Most of these Israelites weren’t warriors - they were just like you and me. People of trade, fresh from captivity and hopeful for a bright future. Normals, not heroes. They didn’t win this battle because of their amazing war skills. They won this battle because they did what God told them to do. They had access to God, they looked to Him for help, and they worked together on behalf of His people.

You and I have access to God and can ask Him for help. We can partner with believers to win battles and achieve great things too.

When the enemy attacks me I need reliable friends who have my back and are willing to do battle on my behalf, like Moses had. I’m thankful to have a handful of girlfriends and a prayer team that hits their knees when I write and travel. I’ve witnessed their prayers move the hand of God.

Likewise, when my friends or church leaders are in the thick of it, they need others (including me) to join them in the spiritual battles. As an elder’s wife, I’ve felt the strain that church leaders feel constantly and cannot overstate the importance of lifting up our pastors and women’s ministry leaders in prayer.

We get attacked on all fronts: emotionally, relationally, socially, and financially.

Lies assault us, toxic conversations break us down, temptations vie for our honor… the list is endless. It’s important to recognize that every attack we face has a spiritual component. And when these attacks come our way (daily) it’s essential that we surround ourselves, and our friends, with prayer.

Taking a cue from Moses, I see an opportunity. Why don’t you and I choose a few friends to do prayer-battle with today? Let’s move forward with our eyes wide open to the invisible attacks coming our way and partner up with one or a few who will join us in pulling up a rock, holding each others’ hands up, and bending knees low.

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord,
Thank You for giving me access to unending grace and strength through Your Son, Jesus Christ. You are my Refuge, my Help, and my Hope. I am so grateful that when my days are filled with battles that You are right beside me – and that You have given me friends to join me on the front lines. Please open my eyes to see the needs around me and to step up as a friend.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

READ Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” What is one practical thing you can do to make this happen today? Tell me your answer as a comment on my blog.

Today’s devotion reminds me of a sweet song from the movie Toy Story, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” I’ve posted it on my blog. Click here to swing on over and hear the tune! {This is the cutest version ever!}

More from the Girlfriends

SPECIAL OFFER: If today’s message is where you are and you need more practical help, check out Gwen’s latest book I Want It All. We’re offering a 20% OFF discount on the I Want It ALL book at her web store when you use the coupon code: 20OFF. Click here to get yours now.

Seeking God?
Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God