Author Archives: Bolling Bryant

About Bolling Bryant

My ministry is praying for and preaching revival in America. I am also involved in a new ecumenism which is bringing balance to the Church.

National Day of Prayer

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 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people — 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.
Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.   (1 Timothy 2:1-8)

Walking with God

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In the beginning man walked with God in companionship. But then things changed:

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”   (Genesis 3:7-9)

Because of the fall of man and the shame of humankind it became difficult to walk with God. But it was not impossible. Noah walked with God:

This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.   (Genesis 6:9)

Enoch walked faithfully with God for 300 years. He began his journey at about our retirement age:

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.   (Genesis 5:21-24)

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.   (Hebrews 11:5)

Our real ministry it to walk with God. That is our true calling. Everything else comes from that ministry and calling.

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.   (Micah 6:8)

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.   (Psalm 84:11)

If we are to pray effectively we must learn to walk with God faithfully. We should not let fear and shame destroy our walk with Him. We have the blood of Jesus which washes away all of our sins.

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.   (Romans 6:3-4)

We must dare to come into His presence with thanksgiving. We must learn to trust God. We must walk in His forgiveness. Let his walk in His mercy and love. Let us enter into His peace and find our rest in Him.

 

Proclaiming the Resurrection in Our Prayers

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Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”   (John 11:25-26)

And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. 33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:

‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.’

And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus:

‘I will give you the sure mercies of David.’  (Acts 13:32-34)

 And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.   (1 Corinthians 6:14)

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.   (Ephesians 2:4-7)

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he hassomething to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”   (Romans 4:1-8)

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.   (Romans 6:3-5)

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.   (Romans 8:10-12)

Even when we were dead because of our sins, He made us alive by what Christ did for us. You have been saved from the punishment of sin by His loving-favor. God raised us up from death when He raised up Christ Jesus. He has given us a place with Christ in the heavens. He did this to show us through all the time to come the great riches of His loving-favor. He has shown us His kindness through Christ Jesus.   (Ephesians 2:5-7)

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.   (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which isfrom the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.   (Philippians 3:7-11)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.  (1 Peter 1:2-4)

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.   (Revelation 20:4-6)

The Way of the Cross

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ogafci57r3zxfp6c1The Way of the Cross

Holy means “set apart.” Let us set apart an entire week – Holy Week – to recall the events surrounding the suffering, death, and Resurrection of Jesus. Let us also set ourselves apart.

During the very week of our Lord’s Passion, James and John made a special request of Jesus:

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

“We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” (Mark 10″35-40)

What strange baptism is Jesus talking about in His response to James and John. He is speaking about the “way of the cross.”

“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. (Luke 12:49-51)

This Holy Week let us contemplate what this baptism means for each of one us.

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin — because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. (Romans 6:4-7)

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

We look forward to the resurrection and the celebration of Easter. But have we died with Him? Are we a living sacrifice unto the LORD? Have we enter the way of the cross? If we have not then we do not fully understand the meaning of our baptism. We must die and our life must be hidden in Him. Otherwise, we may ask the same inappropriate question of James and John. Many in the church still do, even to this day.

Sitting under God’s Rain

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“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.   (Isaiah 55:8-11)

As intercessors we must continually seek God. In prayer let us sit under the rain of God’s word. His purpose is to rain down his word upon the earth. But who is listening? Many people believe that their thoughts and ways are better than God’s. This would include many so-called Christians. For many, their wisdom is better than God’s wisdom.

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks[ foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:20-25)

As intercessors, our prayers must rise up to God like the water vapor that returns to the heavens after a rain. Let our prayers rise up to God drenched in His wisdom and Word.

Ash Wednesday Prayer

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In many liturgical Ash Wednesday is observed as a day of prayer and fasting. This observance officially begins the season of Lent. Although this date is not observed by many churches it does serve as a reminder to prayer warriors that their sources of strength, calling, and purpose comes from the Almighty. The key phrase of Ash Wednesday is this:

“In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”  (Genesis 3:19)

We are nothing without God. Without Him we would not even have life. Thus we need to see ourselves in this perspective if we are to be effective prayer warriors.

There is a positive side to the story of ashes which we also need to understand:

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.   (Genesis 2:7)

Job declared:

The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.   (Job 33:4)

We are created, sustained, and inspired by the breath of God. To seek a more fulfilled life, to seek a more powerful prayer life, we need to continually breath-in the breath of God.

But there is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.   (Job 32:8)

Are we praying prayers with our own breath or are we relying on the breath of God? We must pray as God directs.

Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’” So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.   (Ezekiel 37:9-10)

A Relationship with God the Father

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Prayer is about developing a relationship with God the Father. We have been created by God so that we might have a relationship with Him. The quality of that relationship is not limited by God. It will only be limited by ourselves. Many will consider themselves unworthy for such a relationship. When doing so they will be denying the power of the cross of Christ.

The good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that we are to have the same relationship with the Father as does Jesus. We cannot be Jesus but we can have His relationship with the Father. Does that ring true?

Let us examine scripture. First we must understand that Jesus has led the way for us so that we might have this relationship. As we die to ourselves we begin to live the life that Christ has purchased for us on the cross:

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.   (Romans 8:12-17)

Our destiny is to live as sons and daughters of God. Notice that we are called to be joint heirs with Christ.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 2For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.   (Romans 8:28-29)

Notice that Jesus is the firstborn of the Father but that He is also the firstborn of many brethren. We have been privileged to follow Him and conform to His likeness.

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.   (John 14:23-24)

Notice that both Jesus and God the Father will live in us. We are to have no less a relationship with God than Jesus, provided that we keep the Word of God.

Joining Christ in Intercession

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Jesus is our chief intercessor. As intercessors we must join Him in His intercession. We have not authority to pray outside of Him.

The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:

“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
‘You are a priest forever.’”

Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

How do we join Jesus? We must do so in the Spirit:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.   (Romans 8:26-27)

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.   (John 14:26)

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.   (John 16:13)

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.   (Romans 8:5)

However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—

these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.   (1 Corinthians 2:9-11)

We join Jesus in prayer as we listen to the Spirit of God who is always in connection with Jesus. To achieve perfect results from our prayer we must be in touch with the One who is perfect and pray His perfect prayers in agreement with Him.

New Year’s Prayer Resolution

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Resolved: to live in God’s presence and walk with Him as did Enoch.

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.   (Genesis 5:21-24)

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.   (Hebrews 11:5-6)

Jesus is Our Intercessor

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My heart is not proud, O Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me. (Psalm 131:1-3)

Let us seek God with great humility. We are not prayer experts. Jesus is the One who prays through us. He is more effective than we will ever be.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.   (Hebrews 4:14-16)

We do not take intercessory prayer upon ourselves. We have been appointed by God, but we must follow the example of our Lord:

Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.

And he says in another place,

“You are a priest forever,
in the order of Melchizedek.”

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.   (Hebrews 5:1-10)

 

Who is he who condemns? It isChrist who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.   (Romans 8:34)

Glory to God in the Highest

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Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.   (Psalm 29:1-2)

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God,
In His holy mountain.
Beautiful in elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.   (Psalm 48:1-2)

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth.   (Psalm 115:1)

“GlorytoGod in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”   (Luke 2:14)

Merry Christmas dear prayer warriors.

Giving Glory to God

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And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”   (Luke 2:8-14)

Notice how the angels praise God. We cannot speak or pray in His name unless we first give praise to God Almighty. Observe also the example of Mary:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.”   (Luke 1:47-55)

Let us begin our prayers with thanksgiving, reciting the great things which God has done in our lives.

Direction

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“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”   (Luke 1:68-79)

We live in darkness, but the light of Christ has come into the world. As intercessors we look for direction. That can only come through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Light of Christ

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As the day approaches its darkness night, as the light seems to be receding each day, there is still hope that a brighter day will come. This applies to the season we live in whether that season pertain to nature or to the spiritual. Mankind is not getting any better. There is much evidence that it has grown worst. Yet there is someone we can still count on. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is our hope. He is our bright and shining star.

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields[ with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.   (Psalm 46)

If we live in darkness and fear then we have forgotten where our help comes from.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”   (John 8:12)

Pray Rejoicing

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Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.   (Philippians 4:4-8)

In trying times it may be difficult to rejoice. The prayer warrior must learn to rejoice as a discipline. The Apostle Paul rejoiced in prison and his circumstances soon changed. We must not allow ourselves to be defeated in spirit by the enemy.

We see and hear terrible things. We must pray then, but we must pray in a spirit of victory and not defeat. The victory is never ours. It is the Lord. As we live out our daily lives we must then think on things that are praiseworthy. Let us not let the enemy take away our praise. God is worthy of praise.

Prayer for Newtown

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Our national tragedy calls for continual prayer for the victims and their families as well as our lawmakers and leaders.

I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord;

he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live;

and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

I know that my Redeemer liveth,

and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth;

and though this body be destroyed, yet shall I see God;

whom I shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold,

and not as a stranger.

For none of us liveth to himself,

and no man dieth to himself.

For if we live, we live unto the Lord.

and if we die, we die unto the Lord.

Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord;

even so saith the Spirit, for they rest from their labors.

Prayer for the children:

O God, whose beloved Son did take little children into his

arms and bless them:  Give us grace, we beseech thee, to

entrust this child N. to thy never-failing care and love, and

bring us all to thy heavenly kingdom; through the same thy

Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Prayer for the families:

Give courage and faith to those who are bereaved, that they may have strength to meet the days ahead in the comfort of a reasonable and holy hope, in the joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love.  Amen.

Help us, we pray, in the midst of things we cannot understand, to believe and trust in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection to life everlasting.  Amen.

Prayer in time of conflict:

O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Dwelling in God’s Protection

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Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your dwelling place,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble,
I will rescue them and honor them.
With long life I will satisfy them,
and show them my salvation.   (Psalm 91:9-16)

Now is the time to seek and live in God’s protection.

The Joy of the Lord

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I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  (Psalm 16:5-11)

In prayer we seek the presence of the Lord. We do not seek His hand; we seek His face.

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”   (Nehemiah 8:10)

Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes shall say, “All my springs of joy are in you.”   (Psalm 87:7)

Be It unto Me According to Your Will

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Mary, the mother of Jesus, heard the message from the angel Gabriel concerning a miraculous virgin birth promised to her from God. She could not fully understand the message but she was able to both to believe and trust God. For that reason she was able to accept what the angel told her.

Are we able to hear from God? God is truly speaking to us if we would but listen. Are we able to believe what He tells us? If so, are we able to trust Him so that we may follow Him in all areas of our life?

Our time of prayer must be a time of listening, a time of believing, and a time of trusting in God’s Word. That is our approach to God in prayer. We do not have the right to dictate to God. Our privilege is to listen and obey. Let us follow Mary’s example:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.   (Luke 1:46-55)

A Morning Prayer

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Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord. (Lam. 3:22-26)