A Prayer for Soul Rest
by Glynnis Whitwer
by Glynnis Whitwer
1/2 Hour of God’s Power with Scott Ralls
#Jesus #Christian #Bible #Salvation #Heaven #God #HolySpirit
When Our Feet Face Fear
When Our Feet Face Fear
NICKI KOZIARZ
NICKI KOZIARZ
“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91:4 (NIV)
I wasn’t familiar with prayer walks, but somehow I knew they were something I needed to do.
My daughter attends a school where a horrible event took place at the end of the school year. Thousands of people were impacted by this incredibly tragic situation last spring.
Sadly, we see these tragic stories played out across our news feeds regularly. Every day we leave our homes and enter places and spaces where we know we could encounter such unthinkable acts of evil.
Concern, worry and fear filled me as the calendar flipped the page to the week before school started again.
So, I had a choice: Sit with fear or put my feet to my faith, literally.
I choose the second option.
Texting my friend Wendy, a faithful prayer warrior and the mom of a student at the same school, I asked if she was up for a prayer walk across the school campus.
She was in and texted a few others to join us.
The Scriptures don’t specifically reference prayer walking, but 1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs us to “pray without ceasing” (ESV). And in Joshua 6, we read about the Israelites walking around the city of Jericho seven times to see the city walls fall down so they could enter the promised land God had given them.
Based on that passage in Joshua and 1 Thessalonians 5:17, I can’t help but think there’s a connection between our feet and our faith.
In our easily distracted culture, prayer walks can become a tool that helps us fix our faith on one particular place. Whether at a school, neighborhood or community area, prayer walking can be a focused way to help us pray.
So on the Sunday night before school resumed after the horrible event, we made our way to the campus with our battle plan:
Prayer.
Prayer.
And … prayer.
We printed off Psalm 91 to use as our guide:
- We prayed for God’s place of refuge to feel real on that campus. (Psalm 91:2)
- We prayed for discernment, for eyes to see things that need to be seen. (Psalm 91:3)
- We prayed for God’s shield to be known. (Psalm 91:4)
- We prayed for peace over the anxiety the students and staff would feel as they returned to the campus. (Psalm 91:5-6)
- We prayed those who would call upon the name of the Lord for protection would experience it. (Psalm 91:14-16)
After our feet had faithfully stepped across most of the campus, our group stood in one final prayer circle. We held hands and declared one more time the protection of God over the vicinity.
Then the neatest thing happened.
As we said, Amen, one tiny, white feather floated into the center of our circle. It reminded me of our key verse today, Psalm 91:4, and an overwhelming sense of peace stirred inside me. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” No matter what would come, we knew God was with us.
What if today — during a lunch break, when walking the kids to the park, or while out running errands — we used that time as an opportunity for a prayer walk?
It’s free, quick and you don’t even need anyone with you. Just pick an area you feel led to pray over and head that way. You can find a few verses to pray, or use Psalm 91 as your guide.
As your feet press the ground and your prayers go up, declare God’s promises will come down on this very broken world. Speak the name of Jesus again and again. Read Scripture. And believe there is a security and hope in seeking His presence where evil has tried to prevail.
It’s not a guarantee nothing bad will ever happen there again, but it’s a confidence in knowing our God is watching over that area, and He hears our prayers. We might never see on this side of eternity what our prayers do, but they are doing something. Don’t stop praying.
Dear God, thank You for Your promise of protection. Help us call upon You whenever we feel unsafe or uneasy. Remind us to pray wherever we go. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (ESV)
Contagious Joy
Jesus calls us to be His “witnesses.” When some Christians hear this word, they worry that they need exceptional skill or charisma in order to share the good news with others. Yet to witness is not to merely speak of the “plan of salvation” to someone. The word literally means to see, hear, or know by personal presence and perception; to testify; bear witness to; give or afford evidence of. When John wrote that he was sharing what he had experienced first-hand, he was saying, “I am full of joy because of the experience of knowing Jesus, and I want to invite you to share in that joy!”
When you’re in love with someone, you are excited about the relationship and time spent together. Likewise, when you’re in love with Jesus, you can’t keep to yourself the joy that comes from knowing Him—it just spills over, bearing witness and strengthening other believers. In fact, as you give testimony of who God is and how He’s working in your life, it makes no difference whether you speak quietly or with great exuberance: in their spirit, Christians will pick up on the deep, genuine gladness in your heart that goes beyond natural happiness. And people who don’t yet know the Lord will find themselves hungering for the relationship you have. In that way, they will be drawn to His Spirit in you.
Witnessing is not a matter of eloquence or talent. It’s an overflow of the personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is conforming you to His image. As you allow the Holy Spirit to increasingly express His life and power through you, contagious joy will be “fruit” of His indwelling presence.
Learning to Be Still and Stop the Rush
Learning to Be Still and Stop the Rush
By Debbie McDaniel
By Debbie McDaniel
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10
He got dressed, ate breakfast, brushed his teeth, then said, "Mom, how many minutes till I have to leave for school?"
"10 minutes," I yelled out as I busily worked packing lunches and backpacks.
I saw him get out some paper and markers. My sweet 7 year-old son worked diligently on a project up until the time that I was rushing him out the door.
"Hurry up Noah, it's time to go!" We said our goodbyes, 3 kids hustling, bustling out the door.
It closed.
Minutes later I came back to clean the kitchen table. And found this.
Tears came.
Such truth...such love...straight from the heart of a child to his God.
Maybe that's why Christ reminds us to be more like them, precious children, Matthew 18:3.
Humble.
Teachable.
Loving.
Trusting.
Simplicity of truth shining through so profoundly.
May He help us, as adults, to keep the perspective they often seem to have. And to slow down. Stop rushing everywhere, and everyone, and everything.
And just listen close for His voice.
So many things and people will call our names every day. We’re needed. We’re pressed. But without simply learning to be still first, within His presence, we’re never re-fueled. Or refreshed. We get drained and irritated. We lose our focus and our awareness of His Presence in our lives is dulled.
In the midst of busyness and hectic, full days, I'm reminded again to stop for a few minutes, focus on the most important, and ask God to make my heart more like His. May He fill us with such a spirit of praise and gratefulness, that all we do would bring honor to Him.
Grace.
Intersecting Faith & Life: Choose to give God all that concerns you today, your worries, your full day, your to-list list, and your cares. Spend some time just being “still” before Him. Give Him thanks and praise for who He is. It is time never wasted. He will bring you refreshing and peace from His Spirit, that only He can give.
The First Time Shepherds Heard about Jesus
The First Time Shepherds Heard about Jesus
by Lynette Kittle
by Lynette Kittle
Do you remember the first time you heard about Jesus? If so, what was your initial response? Did you want to run and go tell everyone you knew about Him?
Scripture describes how the shepherds in the fields reacted after being told about Jesus’ birth, “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about’” (Luke 2:15).
Luke 2:16 records what happened next “So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.”
After seeing Jesus, the shepherds didn’t contain their excitement but starting telling everyone they knew about Him. Luke 2:18 describes how those they told received the news, “and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”
Yet, so many in the culture today leave Jesus out of their Christmas celebrations. 2 Corinthians 4:4 explains why, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that display the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
However, because your mind has been opened to see Jesus, like the shepherds did on the night of his birth, you have the opportunity to tell everyone around you about Him.
And what better time to tell others about Jesus than at Christmas?
Decide to look at your neighbors, co-workers, family members, and others who seem oblivious to the true meaning of Christmas with compassion, realizing they are blinded to seeing Jesus as the true reason for the season.
Reach out to them in love, like God did to you. “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Choose to tell those you love, and those you meet along your way, how God gave the very first Christmas gift.
As Acts 10:35 reminds, “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”
Ask God to give you the kind of joy and enthusiasm the shepherds had, to spread the Good News of Jesus’ birth to everyone you know and meet.
STAR
STAR
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Matthew 2:10
Matthew 2:10
FROM THE FATHER'S HEART
My child, search for Me daily with as much diligence as the wise men on the night of My birth. My "star" still shines. I still bring hope. I continue to light the way for anyone who seeks to worship Me. And as long as you keep Me on the throne of your life, you won't have to look far to find Me.
My child, search for Me daily with as much diligence as the wise men on the night of My birth. My "star" still shines. I still bring hope. I continue to light the way for anyone who seeks to worship Me. And as long as you keep Me on the throne of your life, you won't have to look far to find Me.
A GRATEFUL RESPONSE
In search of the star, I journey far to see my heart's delight. There, all along, in the day or the night, You wait to receive my gifts of praise and adoration. I have seen the light; I have found love wrapped in a manger. You, Lord, will always be the star of my life.
In search of the star, I journey far to see my heart's delight. There, all along, in the day or the night, You wait to receive my gifts of praise and adoration. I have seen the light; I have found love wrapped in a manger. You, Lord, will always be the star of my life.
SIMPLE TRUTH
By Rebecca Barlow JordanAt the center of Christmas is the heart of God.
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