Sunday, April 10, 2011

Seeking the Joy of the Kingdom

Seeking God…..For Confident Gladness in Turmoil

"always giving thanks to the Lord for everything" – Ephesians 5:20

Lord, we thank you that we can always give thanks for everything because we know that you are "working for our good in all things." Help us to stay on track, because we know that you are working for our good only if we love you and are walking in your will- doing what is right. We know if we stay in your will we can have confident gladness in turmoil. That certainly has been true in my life.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." – Romans 8:28

Grant Carpenter

His Hands Ministries

Oakland Church of the Nazarene

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Seeking the Joy of the Kingdom

Seeking God…..for Confident Gladness in Turmoil

As I began writing this blog, the lead story on my yahoo is "Another Strong Quake Strikes Off Tsunami-Hit Japan" and I begin to process this terrible news along with Psalm 46 which is listed in today's scripture prayer reading.  This portion of God's Holy Word has been a consistent signature of hope and strength throughout the ages for millions of people.  Through it I have a better understanding that God is present and when He declared creation to be good as we read in Genesis; He also remained actively involved with all creation even after sin entered.

Martin Luther certainly processed similar thoughts shared through Psalm 46 which inspired him to write the magnificent song "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God".  Through the stanzas we are comforted in the reminders of the truths of God and the promise that His Kingdom will ultimately be fully established.  We certainly serve the ETERNAL God.  In the meantime as creation is being restored, God's grace is active and He is in control of all things.  Though we may not fully understand why such suffering exists due to natural disasters, we do know that ultimately the battle has been won through the power and the blood of Jesus Christ.  

"Did we in our own strength confide.
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right man on our side.
The man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth His name;
From age to age the same, and He must win the battle"  (verse 2)

We thank you God for being active among Your creation.  Your grace is sufficient and we rely fully on Your promises this day.  Lord, grant us more faith and may we begin to see life with an eternal perspective in mind and rely fully on the power that is in the name of Jesus.  Amen    

Michael Sjogren, Lieutenant
Corps Officer - The Salvation Army
Cedar Rapids, IA

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Seeking The Peace Of The Kingdom

Seeking God….to Declare Peace Among the Nations

Peace for the world.  Interesting thought!  Pageant contestants when asked what they dream for they answer, “World Peace.”  Wouldn’t it be nice if there was peace in the world? 

For the last month and a half we have been watching conflict break out all over the Middle East and North Africa.  When the Libyans revolted against their tyrant leader who did they call out to for help?  Answer: The United State of America.  We were seen as a savior of the oppressed and persecuted.  And as usual we pick and choose our response and in this case we decided to help.  But, do they have peace? Do they have freedom yet? No.  If they do get it how long will it last?  One year, ten years, one hundred years?

Peace in a world infected with sin is impossible.  Or is it?  I am reminded of a great passage in Philippians 3 that reminds us not to worry.  Because of Jesus Christ we can have peace.  Peace that can only come from Him.  True peace in the world won’t come about by the nations choosing peace but rather you and I as individuals relying on “the peace of God that transcends all understanding as we live in Christ Jesus.” 

When you and I as individuals live out the peace of God in our individual lives we will live in peace with others. 

This reminds me of a bumper sticker that I have seen over the years on cars.  It says, “Know God, Know Peace, No God, No Peace.”  In closing I say to you all:

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Keith Pitts

Associate Pastor of Youth and Children

Valley View Baptist Church

Chaplain Linn County Juvenile Detention Center

Friday, April 8, 2011

Seeking the Peace of the Kingdom

Seeking God . . . to Raise up Champions of Peace by His Spirit

Seeking God for….Broken Families

Today we pray for broken families.

“Lord, how your heart must break when you see the pain and despair that accompanies divorce and family separation.  I pray that you would pour your wisdom and peace upon husbands & wives and those couples who live together outside of marriage.

Help them, Lord, not to point the finger every time that an issue arises, but rather help them to work together to solve the problem.”

A few years ago experts told us that children were strong – resilient - and divorce did not affect then…that quality time was better than quantity time.  We now know that this is wrong, that these are lies from the enemy. 

“Please Lord, help families to stay together.  Help children who need two parents.  Bring others alongside to help single parent families.  We pray that Godly couples will help mentor those couples who need their wisdom on staying the course. Help couples forgive each other as Jesus forgives us. And we pray Lord that you would be a Father to the fatherless and a husband to the single mothers & the widows. We ask you to heal the broken hearts and pour healing balm in all their wounds.  Amen.

Patricia Daugherty

Serve The City

Friday, April 8, 2011

Seeking the Peace of the Kingdom

Seeking God . . . to Raise up Champions of Peace by His Spirit

On the night of Christ’s birth the heavenly host proclaimed “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14 KJV)  Isaiah 9:6 tells us that one of the names given to the child would be “Prince of Peace.”

While men speak much of peace it has proven itself time and again to be quite elusive.  Even now nations are at war with nations, politicians of differing philosophies shout at one another across the aisle as to how to secure peace, churches divide over inconsequential matters, families are filled with strife, and the minds, hearts, and spirits of individuals are deeply troubled.  Men and women long for peace but seem unable to lay their hands upon it.

The missing piece in many people’s search for peace is the child of Bethlehem.  And that is where the Christian comes in.  We are to proclaim God’s peace and good will toward men just as the heavenly host did so long ago. 

The apostle Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (NIV), “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.  And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.  We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

In finding peace with God one will be able to find peace with him/herself and with others.  And we have the opportunity, nay, responsibility, to be those of whom Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9 NIV) 

May we rise up as ambassadors of the Prince of Peace!

Bill Holley

Eastview Christian Church

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Seeking The Peace Of The Kingdom

Seeking God…..To Rebuild Devastated Cities

To Rebuild Devastated Cities is our prayer focus today. In light of recent events from the devastating floods out east to Japan’s killer-quake and subsequent tsunami reaching all the way to our most western cities – it’s time to pray!

With civil uprisings from Cairo to the shores of Tripoli one can’t help but be mindful of Jesus’ end-time discourse in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. Prior to His return Jesus warns that wars and civil wars, famines and earthquakes, violence and intolerance would increase. Like the birth pangs of a woman they will increase in frequency and intensity as the return of our Lord approaches. 

Lest you think I’m a gloom and doom prophet – let me say how excited I get (maybe enough to shout!) when I read Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

We have the Message!  We bring tools of hope and the message of life to rebuild our devastated cities. No one needs to hang their head in fatalistic despair but we can all lift our heads towards a brighter tomorrow in Christ Jesus.

Father, today we pray for those whose lives are in ruin.  Empower us to reach out through your love to them spiritually, emotionally and physically.  Thank you that our faith in you is unshakable.

Larry Sohn

First Assembly of God

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Seeking The PEACE of the KINGDOM

Seeking God….For An Early Homecoming For Prodigals

Heavenly Father! Hear the cries for our Children. We hold fast to you Lord God asking for wisdom in these dark times.  This world is spiraling down so fast that our Children are being drowned in a sea of darkness. The darkness is cleaver and disguised as all things exciting, shiny & thrilling.  You father are our only need, our strength our hope and our Journey.  Father, light the path homeward for the lost Children, Husbands who are blinded by distractions & Wives absent from their vows.  Set a moral compass within their hands and lead them to back home.  The home built with the brick & mortar of the Love of God whose foundation is resting on solid rock. We pray this blessing to be etched into the hearts of the modern day prodigals.  In the name of our Mighty Powerful Savior Jesus Christ, Amen!

Leo and Janet Bonifazi

Neighborhood Church

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Seeking The Peace Of The Kingdom

Seeking God….for Forgiveness to Heal Broken Relationships

Forgiveness……. the dictionary definition of “forgive” means:  to give up resentment against or the desire to punish; stop being angry with; pardon.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean that I forget what has been done or to even trust the person again.  Trust has to be earned.  Forgiveness is a CHOICE, but the ABILITY to forgive needs the supernatural intervention of mighty King Jesus.  The process of forgiveness is beyond my own abilities; however, the choice is always mine.

I have been through much.  I’ve experienced physical and emotional hurt, rejection, a sense of abandonment and even betrayal by some family members, friends, church people and ministry leadership.  

But through it all I’ve passionately asked the Lord to “guard my heart”.  You see, forgiveness allows my heart to stay tender towards the things of the Lord and keeps anger and bitterness from poisoning my life and the lives of those I am around. 

My reaction to hurtful people and situations needs to be a CHOICE to forgive.  As I cry out to Jesus, He helps me through the process and at the end I no longer feel a sting of pain from the memory.  I am able to truly pray God’s best for that person. 

What choice will you make about the hurtful situations in your own life?  In your childhood?  I urge you to choose life…a life of freedom in forgiveness. 

Come Holy Spirit………..

Tawnya Gardener

The Salvation Army

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Seeking The Peace Of The Kingdom

Seeking God….for Forgiveness to Heal Broken Relationships

Lord, help us to walk free of the prisons we have made for ourselves by our lack of forgiveness and lack of mercy.

Do so by comparing the magnitude of forgiven offenses against us by Christ with the petty offenses by others that have become a log in our eyes.

Enable us to walk in the liberty by which Christ has made us free.

TE

Jordan’s Grove Church

Monday, April 4, 2011

Seeking The Peace Of The Kingdom

Seeking God…to Teach the Nations His Way of Peace

The thoughts for this day, about God teaching the nations His ways of peace, reminded me of an episode that occurred a few months back at work.

On Friday mornings at work, before our work day begins, I meet with a fellow co-worker for prayer.  We span the globe, the nation, and our workplace.  Little did I know how our prayers would unfold this day.

I was looking for a co-worker  to ask him a question about a program and found him gathered with a group of about 4 or 5 others listening to one explain the rationale of having their teenager use a contraceptive because they were going to choose to become sexually active.  When this person got done, and since I had heard a good smattering of the explanation, the speaker turned the group’s attention to me and asked, “So, Bernie what do you think?”

I thought, “Wow, Lord”.  I could have quoted verses to them but that’s not what was needed now.  Instead I said something like, “It’s commendable that you want to protect your child, but all the things you proposed won’t protect their character, or their heart and emotions, or even their physical well-being.  Where is the special-ness in being used and given away over and over and over?  There are a number of serious STDs that are transmitted by skin to skin contact that could leave your child ruined for the remainder of their life – unable to have a child, managing chronic flare ups of legions and boils and warts, and, worst of all, struggling to stay alive with AIDS.  Outside of the one man- one woman marriage relationship, you are exponentially exposed to all these diseases.  (I gave her a link to the Aid to Women website.)

To my utter shock, one of my friends who is more cynical about God than Hawkeye Pierce (on MASH), was visibly nodding his head in agreement as I spoke.

God provided the "teachable" moment.  We had to be willing to show up and be used of Him.  And, "Lo and Behold", even hardened skeptics were willing to acknowledge the (biblically based) wisdom that God wants to impart.

Bernie Hayes

Noelridge Park

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Seeking The Peace Of The Kingdom

Seeking God….to Fill Our City With People Who Bring Peace

Peace. That word alone inspires me to pray. To seek God’s face. And to ask the Lord to bring peace to our city, state, nation and the world.

As I contemplate what it means to have peace, I also pray that we would have the mind of Christ.

What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? I read recently that it means that our hearts can be filled with the redemptive, creative thought-life of God. (See 1 Cor. 2.)

Paul had it right. He wrote:

"But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:14-16).

This revelation is a big help to me. We have the mind of Christ. God wants us to have the Prince of Peace’s mindset, eyes, ears and discernment.

Paul wrote to the Galatians,” My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you" (Gal 4:19).

If we have the mind of Christ, we will have a spirit-led desire for peace. The very nature of Christ is peace.

I believe that God's goal is not only to see us saved and go to Heaven, but for Christ to be formed and living through us on earth. We are not just to have a religion about what Jesus did; we are called to possess the very substance of who Jesus is. If we have the “substance” of Jesus, then peace would surely reign. Wouldn’t it?

We have this promise: We will all go to heaven through a faith in Christ (John 3:16). But, in a world filled with strife and war, He can “showcase” His Son through us. It is ultimately only so Christ, in the midst of a “less than peaceful world”, reveals how His life overcomes death. Now that is true peace.

"For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor. 4:11).

My prayer today is…………..

” Grant us, Lord, the motives of Jesus. In a fallen world, teach us to think, not as a prosecutor whose quest is to condemn, but as the Savior whose heart is to redeem………I pray for the peace of Jesus Christ on our city, state and nation…………Lord, we especially pray today for people and churches and countries in Europe and Central Asia………..may you bring the peace of Jesus Christ………...Amen………..”

Carl Gonder

Fellowship of Christian Athletes

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Seeking The Righteousness of His Kingdom

Seeking God….To Come with Blessing, Guiding Many to Live Rightly

Hostage to Living a Godly Life

Today we pray “for God to intervene to restrain dark powers that hold people in bondage.”  

The true battle we face is the war in our head and how we deal with it; “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

If we identify Satan’s strong hold that is holding us hostage we can eliminate its power and replace it with Christ’s stronghold and His power. Our mind and what we dwell on holds us captive. Paul identifies himself as a prisoner of Christ (Ephesians 3:1). If we can learn to hold all of our thoughts obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5) then we are held hostage to the freedom of Christ.

Picture a crock-pot. When we take off the lid, pour in the ingredients, and let it cook, an incredible meal is served at the end of the day. I want you to take the lid off your head, pour in some Godly ingredients, and let them cook. These ingredients are recorded in 1 Peter 4:7-11. Throw them in your head and let them cook.

 Crock-pot ingredients to living right 

 Be Alert   v 7

 Be Sober-Minded  v 7

 Be in prayer   v 7

 Love each other deeply   v 8

 Be Hospitable   v  9

 Don’t Grumble  v 9

 Use Your Gifts  v 10

 Serve One Another  v 10

 Speak the Very Words of God  v 11

 Serve in the Strength of God  v 11

 In All Things Give Praise through Jesus  v 11

Jim Coyle

Neighborhood Church

Friday, April 1, 2011

Seeking The Righteousness Of The Kingdom

Seeking God…. For Courage To Contend For Righteousness!

Today we are seeking God for courage to contend for righteousness!

That phrase jumps out at me more than anything else on the detailed page, for in that phrase lies an exhilarating truth. We can kneel before an Almighty God and ask Him for courage…..a powerful brand of courage that will fortify us as we “contend for righteousness!”

I work at a Christian school.  Using baby steps of courage-building, our faculty trains their charges to seek God for courage in the simplest situations, so that as life gets bigger, and harder, and more complicated, these students will be unleashed into the world girded with courage, persistent and patient in crying out for justice. As they struggle with the enemies of righteousness, they will confidently call on the Lord for courage.

Whether you are a teacher, coach, parent, grandparent – whatever relationship you hold in a child’s life, you can be part of helping them develop courage! 

Give them love, for “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). 

Give them heroes; teach them about heroes of the faith. 

Be courageous; help them understand the costs and sacrifices that are involved in wearing the name of Christ (1 Peter 3:14-15). 

Share your experiences and ways you stood fast during trials. 

And, let them experience difficulty.  A wise columnist wrote, “When we protect our children from all that is negative or challenging, we deny them the opportunity to become brave and strong.”

Praise the Lord for building courage into the lives of this new generation.

Kathryne Oates

Isaac Newton Christian Academy

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Seeking The Righteousness of His Kingdom

Seeking God…..To Give Our Leaders Love For Truth

Leadership is an important element in each one of our lives. 

Whether we are a parents, employers, teachers, youth ministers, or volunteer coordinators we need to allow the Lord to hone that leadership spirit within us. 

An absence of it leaves us impotent; a misunderstanding of it leaves us as harsh rulers. The very thought of power and authority can corrupt our mind without the balance of God’s heart for leadership. 

Can we agree that our leaders are here to lovingly rule in graceful justice and righteous truth? Without us walking in righteous truth and graceful justice ourselves, we will never be able to intercede effectively.

So, let’s seek God to restore truth and justice in us, along with the leaders over us.   

Brian Fink

River Of Life Ministries

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Seeking The Righteousness of His Kingdom

Seeking God…..To Give Our Leaders Love For Truth

Lord, Your word of truth gives us a great deal of wisdom about…

…righteousness in relationships,

…righteousness in government,

…righteousness in education,

…righteousness in business practices,

…righteousness in the messages we communicate through the arts, the press, and the pulpit.

We pray along with your word in Isaiah 32:1 for our leaders in our community to have a love for truth: “Behold, a king will reign righteously and princes will rule justly.”

Lord, give us leaders for our city in all these areas who understand, love, and know how to implement your truth. May they lead us into a culture of truth that will produce a community of people who will see, hear, and discern the truth and will become truth-tellers that You send out into Your harvest fields. 

May Your truth reign in our city…

…in our mayor and our city council and other government officials,

…in our educators and in our schools,

…in our chamber of commerce, businesses, and entrepreneurs,

…in our arts and in the press,

…in our churches and pastors.

May Your truth go forth from our city to be a blessing to our region, our country, and even to the ends of the world. Amen!

Dan Koskamp

New Covenant Bible

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Seeking The Righteousness of His Kingdom

Seeking God….To Rise Up Against Spiritual Enemies

When I read the scriptures and prayers for this day, the New Testament scripture and prayer struck me the most. Luke 13: 11-13 tells us a little more about the woman, how she met Jesus and how she was healed:

¹¹And there was a woman there who for eighteen years had had an ^[f]infirmity caused by a spirit (^[g]a demon of sickness). She was ^[h]bent completely forward and utterly unable to straighten herself up or to ^[i]look upward.

    ¹²And when Jesus saw her, He called [her to Him] and said to her, Woman, you are released from your infirmity!

    ¹³Then He laid [His] hands on her, and instantly she was made straight, and she ^[j]recognized and thanked and praised God.

Verse 11 tells us that it was a spirit of infirmity that caused the woman to have this condition. Because of her condition she was forced to look down. I could only imagine this was a constant reminder of her condition. Imagine all of things in life she missed because she could only look down. This is what Satan does to us. He gets us in a situation and wants to keep us there, with no hope of ever coming out.

Verse 12 tells us that Jesus initiated the healing. Because she could only look down, she couldn't even see Him. Verse 13 tells us that she didn't recognize Him until after she was made straight. Like so many other places in the Bible, Jesus looked on her with compassion and delivered her from the hands of the enemy.

This is what Jesus wants to do in the life of every person that is gripped by Satan's power. Luke 4:18 tell us this is why He came:

¹⁶And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

¹⁷And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 

 ¹⁸The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

¹⁹To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

²⁰And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

 ²¹And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

God wants to deliver His people. We just have to the enough faith to ask Him.

LaToya Southerland

Greater Word of Faith Pentecostal Church of God in Christ

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Seeking The Righteousness of His Kingdom

Seeking God….To Rise Up Against Spiritual Enemies

Today's reading concerns those gripped by Satan's power.  I'm struck by the phrase, "Many righteous people have retreated from these settings."  How true.  As followers of Christ, we often try to remove ourselves from places of darkness and evil.  We do all we can to surround ourselves with good Christian friends, read Christian books, listen to Christians music, watch positive shows on TV, and generally  surround ourselves with a "Christian bubble."  Surveys have shown that the longer a person is a Christian, the fewer and fewer non-Christians friends he or she has.  But the result of all this is that too often we cannot have much of an impact on the world around us. 

In contrast, I'm struck by Jesus, who seemed to spend much of his time with the needy, the hurting, the partiers, and the sinners--those caught in Satan's grip.  Jesus knew that these people were not the enemies--they were the hostages of Satan, and needed to be set free.  What if Christians today were to quit worrying so much about our own safety and security, and started spending more time thinking about the needs of others? 

It was C.T. Studd, the famous missionary to China, India, and Africa who wrote:
 

"Some want to live within the sound
of church or chapel bell;
I want to run a rescue shop
within a yard of hell." 

As we draw close to Easter, may God give us all the strength and passion to go be a light in dark places.

Terry Seufferlein
Central Church of Christ

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Seeking The Righteousness of His Kingdom

Seeking God….To Grant The Gift of Righteousness

During mid-1500s in Germany, there was no concept of a united effort to SEEK GOD FOR THE CITY as we do here today.  Evangelical churches were torn by violent religious dissension. For nearly 50 years Protestant groups battled each other.

With a view toward uniting the churches, in 1562, Elector Frederick appointed two prominent church leaders to prepare a catechism replacing all other catechisms and confessions which had been used previously. The result was a series of 129 questions and answers, a simple summary of the meaning of the Christian Faith.

The primary theme is stated in the first Q & A, "What is your only comfort in life and death?

That I am not my own, but belong - body and soul, in life and death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a away that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven: in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.

Because I belong to him Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures my of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him".   Heidelberg Catechism Q/A1.

"The Spirit calls all believers to embrace God's mission in their neighborhoods and in the world: to feed the hungry, bring water to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and free the prisoner.

We repent of leaving this work to a few, for this mission is central to our being.  Jesus said, "As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you."    Adapted from Our World Belongs to God 2008.

Earl Dykema

Peace Church

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Seeking The Righteousness of His Kingdom

Seeking God….To Grant The Gift of Righteousness

My attention was drawn to the phrases: “self- justification pride”, “straighten what is twisted in our arrogant hearts” and “living in hourly reliance upon You” in our prayer guide today. 

For many years now, the Lord deals with me primarily in a picture when it comes to my pride.  Typically He”shows” me a picture of my own face with kind of a smirk on it.  This is one way He confronts me with the sin of pride.  Another way is that when I go to prayer or I begin to worship Him in private I sense I am a noisy going and a clanging cymbal (I Corinthians 13) or I sense an emptiness and a distance between Him and me (Isaiah 59:2). 

I am so thankful He continues to love me by reproving me and correcting me (Proverbs 3:19).  When I confess the pride and the self-reliance and allow Him to straighten out my arrogant heart, there returns to me a tender and open heart to our relationship together. 

How does He show you the error of your prideful and self-reliant ways?  Be attentive to Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit and be open and thankful to our Saviors’ loving strong hand of reproof and correction.

Stephen J. Russell

Jordan’s Grove Church, Central City

Monday, March 28, 2011

Seeking the Righteousness of His Kingdom

Seeking God…..to Hear of Our Confession of Unrighteousness

As Daniel, we identify with the sins of our people, Lord.  Please forgive us for devaluing life, for not defending the defenseless.  Thank you Lord, for hearing our cries for our city, for forgiving us, for giving us new opportunities to speak the truth in love.

We pray today for those in the valley of decision:

"Should I keep this baby?  

Who will support me?  

Will I be able to finish college?  

Adoption??  

What will people think?  

Can I just get back to life as it was before all this by taking a few pills?"  

Lord, speak to their hearts.  Give them your vision for their life and the life of this child. Help the Daddy's, Lord.  You've called them to defend their children.  Awaken that warrior spirit in them to give them courage to stand for the life of their child.  Send these moms and dads people who will encourage them, who will stand by them, who will help meet their needs.  And give us eyes to see them, Lord, not to judge them, but to lovingly share in their struggle, to speak hope into their lives by the power of your Holy Spirit.  

This we pray, in Jesus' name.  Thank you for hearing us, Lord, and for your amazing answers.  We declare: Jesus, be glorified in this city of refuge.

Marilyn Schneiderman

Aid To Women – Cedar Rapids

New Life Community - Anamosa