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Entries in Prayer (12)

Tuesday

Apr052016

As Often As You Drink It

Gail Bones is one of the most caring people I know. Heart tender and oh-so-wise, she uses her words and music (like her new CD, Still) to offer women biblical truth as she calls them to hope in God. In this Spiritual Life UPGRADE, she focuses on a unique way to pray for those who do not know Him.

“Jesus calls us the ‘salt of the earth.’ Whose spiritual thirst are you meant to arouse?” Gail asks.

“Is there someone in your circle of loved ones who stands outside the circle of faith?

"Who can you enlist to form a prayer circle around this beloved unbeliever to pray regularly and systematically for their salvation?”

I (Dawn) have to admit, I never thought of this creative approach to praying for loved ones who have not yet met Jesus.

Gail continues . . .

At the Last Supper, Jesus raised his cup said,

“Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me” (I Corinthians 11:25).

What if those you call together to stand in prayer for your loved one were to use the simple act of drinking a beverage as a guide and reminder?

1. COFFEE

The first step in making coffee is grinding the hard bean and crushing it to a usable powder.

Perhaps your loved one has a hardened heart toward God. As you enjoy your morning coffee, pray that the Lord will soften their heart toward Him and that they will sense his loving care as they experience trials in the daily grind of life.

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Exodus 26:36).

Next, the ground coffee is placed in a filter, which removes both impurities and bitterness as the boiling water streams through it.

Ask God to work in your loved one’s heart to reveal impurities or bitterness toward Him or others that hinders their ability to repent and trust God.

Pray that they would find mercy and grace to turn to him for salvation.

As you stir in the sugar, ask the Holy Spirit to enable them to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 38:4).

When you pour in creamer, pray that they’d begin to desire the “pure milk of the word” (1 Peter 2:2).

2. TEA

As you cradle a comforting cup of tea, ask that your loved one would begin to experience the warmth and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

The teabag, when immersed in the hot water, transforms the water by infusing its color and flavor throughout. Ask God to give them eyes to see the rich color and flavor of the Lord in your life and to desire it in theirs. Pray that they would receive Him and be changed as their lives are steeped in the Holy Spirit.

3. GRAPE JUICE or WINE

The fruit of the vine must be first crushed before it is drinkable. Jesus used the symbol of wine to represent His blood shed for the sins of mankind.

As you drink it, ask God to give your loved one a vivid sense of the sacrifice Jesus made, and to have faith to believe that Jesus died for their sins to bring them peace and healing. Pray that they would soon be able to come to the communion table to share in the fellowship of those who rejoice in the salvation that is found in Christ alone.

“He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

4. WATER

As you take a sip, ask the Lord to give your loved one a longing for Jesus Christ, the Living Water, and to come to him so that they will never thirst again.

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice. ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink’” (John 7:37).

“Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life” (John 4:14).

Drink by precious drink, let your beverages remind you to come to the Living Water today.

Who do you know today who needs to be drenched in prayer for salvation?

Dr. Gail Nelson Bones is the author of Living CrossWise: Hope and Help for Navigating Transition. She is a speaker, Bible teacher, singer-songwriter and worship leader. Her latest release, Still, features 10 original songs encouraging listeners to “Be still and know that He is God.” Her website is www.gailbones.com.

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Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at 8:30AM

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Thursday

Mar172016

Embrace Your Royalty

Dawn Wilson

Doreen Hanna calls herself the "Queen of the Princesses" because she leads events to teach young Christian girls they are God's princesses. I could think of no one better to share this Relationship with God UPGRADE.

"Do you know you possess a royal status?" Doreen said.

Royalty. I (Dawn) enjoy watching kings and queens, princes and princesses on television. But I too often forget I am "royalty" too!

Doreen continues . . .

When Jesus dwells within your heart you are a Daughter of the King. Maybe you’ve never known this. If not, I am excited to be the one to tell you today.

I wish I was with you right now to place a crown on your head, proclaim your royal status, and impart a rich bless over you.

Or, could it be that you have been a Christian for quite some time and you’ve lost sight of the riches that you possess as a Daughter of the King?

Maybe you feel like your crown is slipping.

This is my day to help you reset your crown and have you take account of the wealth you have in Him.

I’d like to share with you one of my first discoveries of recognizing my own royal status.

At the time, my girls were six months and two-and-half years of age. I stood peering out the peek hole of my front door—praying—because I saw the water meter man getting ready to turn off the water to our home. We couldn’t pay the bill.

Suddenly, he stopped and walked up to the door. I opened it and he said to me, “I came to turn the water off. But, I need to ask—Do you have any children under the age of two?"

I replied, “Yes, she is six months old.”

He then stated, “Well then, we are not allowed to turn the water off! Have a good day.”

That afternoon, I laid down the girls for a nap and took a few minutes to read my Bible. The reading for that day was Psalm 66. The last two verses read,

“But God has indeed heard me; he has listened to my prayer. I praise God, because he did not reject my prayer or hold back his constant love from me” (GNT).

I was in awe.

The King of Kings—my Heavenly Father—had shown His attentive ear to my prayer.

He answered me. And in such a tangible way showed His loving care for me.

I felt like a little princess that day, picturing myself while in prayer, running into my daddy’s throne room, jumping up on his lap and thanking Him for giving me the desire of my heart.

And, that day was just the beginning of what has now been a life-time journey, continually discovering and embracing the royalty I possess as a Daughter of the King. I'm seeing my Daddy demonstrate His power, impart His wisdom and even, at times, give me a desire of my heart.

I could go on and on about the riches that you and I possess in Him. But I’d like to ask:

Have you embraced the royalty you possess?

I encourage you today to start or re-start an exciting journey by:

Reading God's Word.
Being willing to pray and aks God to speak to you personally and answer your prayers.
Being open to how He might speak to you in other ways--like through a song, through a friend, or even a billboard!

Keep your eyes, ears and heart open!

Doreen Hanna is the Founder & President of Modern Day Princess Headquarters. She is the co-author of Raising a Modern Day Princess and soon-to-be-released Raising a Young Modern Day Princess. Her passion is to Empower Women to Equip Our Girls today! Discover more about Doreen and her ministry.

Graphic adapted, Image, "Golden Crown," courtesy of digitalart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

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Thursday, March 17, 2016 at 8:30AM

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Tuesday

Sep292015

Praying for Others: A Call to Commit

Dawn Wilson

If you want to know someone with a tender heart, meet Julie Watson. In this unique Prayer UPRADE, she reminds us to be careful when we say, "I'll pray for you."

“Where, oh where, have all those gone who committed to pray for me?” Julie says.

OK. I (Dawn) just felt a pang of guilt. Did you? Instead of running from the conviction, I want to face it head-on. And Julie's here to help.

She continues . . .

Praying for others is a vital and daily part of our Christian walk. Nowadays, with the popularity of social media, I now find myself praying for online unknown acquaintances several times a day. But, lately I have wondered, “Where, oh where, have all those gone who committed to pray for me?”

Lately, I have felt forgotten.

I rarely ask for prayer for myself. I have always felt my needs were so small in comparison to the serious nature of others, I didn’t feel right to ask. I’m often the one asking, “May I pray for you?” At least, that was the case until recently.

As my husband and I embarked on the most difficult journey of our lives two years ago, we knew we would need to be surrounded in prayer for every stage of this new adventure: adopting children out of the foster care system. We had many people from all walks of life wrap their arms (literally and figuratively) around us in love, support and prayer. It has been an amazing experience to feel so cared for and to know that someone is always praying for us and our new children.

Now, let me preface the rest of this blog by saying:

Without a doubt, I know people continue to pray for us daily.

Without a doubt, I know we are on the minds and hearts of some wonderfully committed friends, family and church members.

However, the numbers feel as though they’ve significantly dwindled. I have literally gone weeks, and even months, only hearing from a few dear friends.

Many, with the best intentions, have said, “I will call you next week” or “Let’s get together for coffee and to talk/pray,” etc.—only to never call or check in again.

While I know life is busy and throws us off track at times, there is significant importance to keeping our word in things we’ve committed to doing—especially in praying for others.

I’ve failed at this myself many times. I used to tell people, “I’ll pray for you.” However, I often didn’t remember to do so. I found life got busy and it wasn’t until I saw that person the next time that I remembered to pray for them.

So, in order to stay true to my word, I changed to say, “Can I pray for you right now?” Or, “I am praying for you now.” This helped me connect with that person and address their immediate needs, hopefully showing them God’s love and concern for them in the process.

So, if you are struggling to stay committed to praying for others, here are a few suggestions to help you keep your word, build your own faith as you see others’ prayers answered and stand in the gap for those in need.

1. Don’t commit unless you are SURE you will do it.

Face it, your word is your vow. Show that it is not empty and spoken in vain.

“You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth” (Deuteronomy 23:23).

“But whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected…” (I John 2:5).

2. Once you commit, make a plan to STAY committed.

Whether you need to plug it into your calendar, create a reminder on your phone or write Post-it Notes all over your bathroom mirror, make sure you do something that works for YOU to keep your word.

3. Check in REGULARLY with the person you’ve committed to praying for.

How will you continue to know how to pray—or rejoice in an answered prayer—if you don’t check in with those you are praying for? Just put it on that calendar or phone or Post-it Note to check in within a reasonable amount of time.

4. Create a HABIT of praying for others as a daily routine.

Whether you have committed to pray for anyone or not, remember: God calls us to pray for others, period. (1 Timothy 2:1, James 5:13,16, Ephesians 6:18, Romans 8:26-27)

Whether I hear from others or not, I can rest assured knowing my Heavenly Father loves and cares about me. I know that praying for others is an important part of my walk and it’s essential to keep my word.

When I pray for others I will be personally blessed and grow in faith as I watch God answer prayer.

Where are you struggling? Are you struggling with keeping your commitment to pray for others? Or, do you need someone to wrap their arms and prayers around you today?

Right now, go to the Father in prayer. He will provide the right prayer partner for you—trust Him!

Julie Watson worked in children’s ministries for 10 years and as an Executive Director and Grant writer before becoming a stay-at-home mom to three beautiful children. She and her husband Shawn know these children were hand-picked by God to be their own, and plan to adopt them as soon as they are legally allowed.

Graphic adapted, photo by Jordan Sanchez, Unsplash.com.

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Tuesday, September 29, 2015 at 9:00AM

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Tuesday

May192015

When Women Wonder If They Can

Dawn Wilson

In this Attitude UPGRADE, Liz Cowen Furman, an author and artist who also runs a motel in Wyoming, tells how she overcame her fear and blew the doors off their new business.

“I didn’t know the first thing about running a motel,” Liz said, “But I knew we had to make it work or lose it. I was determined to NOT QUIT.”

Do you identify with her words, like I (Dawn) do? Have you ever had something God placed in your life and you wondered if you were up for the challenge?

Liz continues . . .

After several bad managers, our family decided that if we were going to keep the seasonal motel in the family, like my Father-in-love instructed before he passed, we were going to have to run it ourselves.

Actually, my husband has a career in Denver and the motel is in Dubois, Wyoming, near Yellowstone, so that meant I was going to run it—initially with the help of my three teenage sons.

In the four years since we started, we have grown 87 percent. Several things helped us to succeed.

1. Pray!

I prayed without ceasing that God would open doors for us to use the motel to glorify Him. I prayed our guests would feel as if they were visiting our home. And I asked others to pray.

One night, alone at the motel—other than our guests—I was particularly discouraged. Dave and the boys had gone home for school to start. Missing my family, I prayed for God to show me if we were really supposed to be running this motel in the summers.

Next morning, a guest hung around until everyone left and then asked, “Liz, do you have a minute? I seem to have come to a lonely, desperate place in my life. I took this trip to see if I could figure it out. If not, well then … I am thinking of ending it."

“I noticed last night that you have found hope through your faith in God," he said. "Can you share with me how you did it?”

Holy Smokes, I was so excited! It was as if the answer to my plea was answered by this man’s question. Purpose!

We make s’mores nightly with the guests. The water bubbles by and the fire crackles low—the perfect place for meaningful conversations.

It is a bit like being a bartender. Folks will share their life story.

2. Seek wisdom.

I am on a mission to learn how to do everything better.

With my degree in plumbing from YouTube (ha ha), the classes we have taken from Wyoming Small Business Administration, and the books I have read—you must read Andy Andrews’ The Traveler’s Gift and The Noticer—I am growing my knowledge of how to run a business, how to share my faith and how to trust God more.

3. Always be in motion.

It is amazing how much a person can get done when she doesn’t stop doing.

One day a fisherman asked, “Liz, I have been appointed by the regular guests to ask you a question, can I ask you now?”

“Shoot” I replied from the ladder where I was working on the gutters.

“Do you ever sleep?”

“What?” I said.

“Well, you are out here when we come out in the morning and when we go in to sleep. We just don’t think you ever stop.”

I laughed.

The days are long in the summer. I leave my home in Denver a size 12 and come home a size 8—another perk of running your own business.

Every spring I make a list and all summer I just do the next thing.

Whenever I feel overwhelmed (sometimes daily), I go back to the list and tell myself, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

What has God put on your heart to do for Him? Will you persist without exception to get it done? Will you seek wisdom? Will you pray?

Liz Cowen Furman is an author, artist, encourager, mentor, teacher and speaker. Writing is like the balm of Gilead for Liz. When she is not working on a book, she is writing articles and blogging. She has published three books, is a member of AWSA (Advanced Writer Speaker Association) and a graduate of Christian Communicator’s Conference. She has written humor for The Christian Pulse magazine and for AWSA’s Suicide Blog. Liz’s new Bible Study, Trusting God in Everything: A Bible Study for Women Who Wonder If They Can, releases May 20, 2015. Find it on Amazon.

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Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 8:41AM

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Tuesday

Mar032015

Friendship Praying

Dawn Wilson

Rhonda Rhea is known for her humor, but I also appreciate her practical leadership and encouragement. In this Relationship UPGRADE, she touches on one important way to strengthen our friendships.

“Ever feel lonely? You’re ‘not alone,’ as it were, in feeling alone,” Rhonda said. “It’s amazing how so many can know a gazillion people—yet still experience a devastating loneliness. Prayer can change that.”

I (Dawn) know the Word of God encourages us to make “supplication” for “all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18) and “for all people” (1 Timothy 2:1), and this certainly applies to praying for our friends. So many scriptures about prayer can be applied to our friendships, and especially to our brothers and sisters in Christ. Try it!

Rhonda continues . . .

The truth is, we need each other.

We need to pray for each other. We need to pray for our friends!

Here are some “ifs” for friendship praying:

1. If you’re experience smothering loneliness:

Ask the Lord to send you a “breath of fresh air” kind of friend.
Ask Him to help you become someone else’s breath of fresh air as well.

2. If you’ve been wounded in a friendship:

Ask the Lord to give you the ability to forgive and to help you move forward and trust again.

3. If you’re not already:

Ask the Lord to give you courage to become proactive in making and maintaining friendships.

4. If you have at least one close friend:

Thank the Lord for the amazing blessing she is.
Ask Him to make you a blessing to her.
Ask Him to give each of you wisdom in honoring Him through the friendship.

Which of these “if” prayers could make the biggest difference in your friendships today?

Rhonda Rhea is a humor columnist, radio personality, speaker and author of 10 books, including How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take to Change a Person?, Espresso Your Faith - 30 Shots of God's Word to Wake You Up, and a book designed to encourage Pastor's Wives (P-Dubs): Join the Insanity. Rhonda, a sunny pastor's wife, lives near St. Louis and is "Mom" to five grown children. Find out more at www.RhondaRhea.com.