Monday, March 22 – Day 34

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples

Seek God…..for God to restore children to their parents..

We are admonished to seek God

...to restore children to their parents:

“Dear Father, there are so many children who are alienated from their parents. I know that is not your plan. Father, bring them home! Reunite them with their families in body and in spirit. Many have sought the "easy way" out of a bad situation only to end up in much worse situations than they ran away from. My heart is especially heavy for the many young girls who have been enslaved by sex traffickers, and don't see any way out. Lord, show them the way! Help us to do our part to rescue those who are lost!”

...to seek God on behalf of broken families:

Our country is filled with families that have been torn apart, leaving permanent scars on the hearts of all those involved. “Lord, help us to set good examples, to encourage struggling marriages, and be a support to those children who have know the heartache of broken relationships with parents and siblings. You, Lord, are the answer to all their needs. Help them to determine to break the cycle of broken marriages as they grow into young men and young women.”

...and for those who have lost a loved one through death:

“God, fill the void with Your love, show them the joy of being part of Your family, guide them in the decisions that need to be made, surround them with positive friends who know You and can affirm Your love for them.”

Trudy Carpenter,

Aid to Women, His Hands Free Clinic, Oakland Church of the Nazarene

Wednesday, February 24 - Day 8

Wow! What else could I say to express how powerful the words are that the Psalmist uses in Psalm 51:7, 10? Powerful words like “purify me”, “wash me”, “create in me”, and “renew… within me” in order that I “shall be clean”, “whiter than snow”, possessing a “clean heart” and a “steadfast spirit”. These are words that require transparency and expect transformation. Maybe the honest question for us is whether we’re ready for either.

We’re in the eighth day of our 40 days of prayer and the call to pure hearts has to be embraced or ignored. Ignoring the call is like saying, “Jesus, I know this is what you want but there is only so far I’ll go in following you.” Embracing the call requires of us a bold action like I find with David in the 139^th Psalm. In this Psalm it is as though we get to step into David’s personal chambers and listen to him think out loud about God.

In all the insight we are privileged to gleam from David nothing may be as important to us during these 40 days of prayer as verses 23 and 24 of Psalm 139. It is in these verses that David, as it were, gives God permission to, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” When I use the word “permission” some of us cringed because we know that God can do whatever he chooses. But we also know that God is a gentleman and he doesn’t force himself on us. So, after David revels in the wonders of God’s consuming presence, and gets excited about the potential he has with God he gives God permission to examine his life and if necessary realign it with His.

I wonder if in these 40 days of prayer if what we may need to do is give God permission to search us and know our hearts; to test us and know our anxious thoughts. To see if there is any offensive way in us so that He can purify our hearts and lead us in the way everlasting? So, does God really have permission to do that in your life?

Pastor Tim Carter, First Church Of The Nazarene

Monday, February 22 – Day 6

Seeking His Life to Revive the Church
Seek God…to impart His life-giving Spirit

When Brother Charles asked me to write on day 6, he had no idea about 3 passions of my life. The first passion is “to impart His life giving spirit”. "I am sending you, just as the Father has sent me." ²²Then he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. John 20:21-22 The second passion is the Athletic Industry. ²⁴You know that many runners enter a race, and only one of them wins the prize. So run to win! ²⁵Athletes work hard to win a crown that cannot last, but we do it for a crown that will last forever. ²⁶I don't run without a goal. And I don't box by beating my fists in the air. ²⁷I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won't lose out after telling the good news to others. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. These 2 verses are life verses in my journey with God.

The third passion is praying for Haiti. I recently returned from Haiti as being part of the National Disaster Medical System. I deploy as a Dr of traumatic stress specializing in psychological disorders and as a Chaplain representing Christ in a faith based response to a disaster.

We are asked as a nation to seek God for the city. We are witnessing three events taking place right now under our eyelids; the Olympics, the devastation of a nation with catastrophic results of death, injuries, and loss, and the Holy Spirit available and willing to breathe life into the hearts of those drawing near to God. The prayers today encompass these three events.

I was schooled on faith in Haiti. I was surrounded by a people of faith because that is all they had. This is a nation that was maimed, lamed and shamed. This is a nation broken physically and emotionally. The Holy Spirit was imparting life all around me in a sea of death. I am humbled in pure faith and changed as a result. As we watch our Olympians compete and a nation survive an earthquake, my prayer is that we keep our purpose : seeking God, Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; disciplined in prayer, I do not fight like a man beating the air; and available for divine appointments, No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Lord Jesus, breathe life into our dead bones that we might rise from the depths of despair. Ignite a flame in us to consume those around us with your power and presence. May we learn lessons from the Olympians and Haitians in their journey for survival. May we become a city desperate for You. May we become a people humbled to a pure state of faith, hope and love.

Jim Coyle
Neighborhood Church, Cedar Rapids, IA