Send Me!

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VERSE:
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send?
And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah 6:8


THOUGHT:
Church worship on Sunday is not the goal of our life here on
earth. As important as church worship and personal praise are, they
are only part of our goal. We are here to glorify God with both our
lips and our lives, with our hearts and our hands. With the world
around us caught up in Satan's traps, God wants us to hear his call
to us in our church and private worship and respond by saying,
"Here am I. Use me!" Then he wants us to enter the world
redemptively, making a difference in our "public worship" of
ministry.

PRAYER:
Loving God, Rock and Refuge of my soul, thank you for giving me
the experiences I've had in my life. Thank you for the abilities
you placed in me while you fashioned me in my mother's womb. Thank
you for the gifts your Spirit molded in me when I became your
child. Now, dear Father, please help me to know how and where I am
to use these gifts in your Kingdom and to bless those in the world,
so that I can help bring others to you, help build up the Body of
Christ, and bless your people. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Worship Our Father

VERSE:
Above him were seraphs, each with six wings ... and they were
calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the
whole earth is full of his glory."
-- Isaiah 6:2-3


THOUGHT:
Jesus taught us that worship is not about a place, but about our
Father (John 4:21-24). Knowing that our Father is worshipped by the
heavenly hosts should inspire us, humble us, and motivate us to do
the same, no matter where we may find ourselves. Above all other
qualities, God is holy. Three times the heavenly beings acknowledge
his holiness -- he is special, undefiled, pure, perfect, and
something much more than everyday and mundane. His glory fills the
earth and sky. He is bigger than all we can imagine. He is worthy
of our worship, reverence, and awe.

Competing For Christ

http://www.fcaendurance.org/

"May the God who gives ENDURANCE and encouragement give you a spirit of
unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one
heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 15: 5-6

Strengthen My Heart

www.heartlight.org

VERSE:
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a
throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the
temple. Isaiah 6:1


THOUGHT:
We often view difficult times, crisis times, as bad because the
circumstances we face are very hard. But difficult times can also
be an opportunity for our hearts to re-awaken to the steadfastness
and the gloriousness of God, as well as our great need for him in
our lives. The crisis of Uzziah's death for Israel and Isaiah
became the great opportunity for Isaiah to see God in a fresh way
and to be called into a special ministry for God. How can God use
your crises, hardships, trials, and difficulties? Why don't you ask
him to show you!

PRAYER:
Holy God, I confess that I get discouraged enduring hardships. I
sometimes wonder where you are and why you have forgotten me. Deep
in my heart, dear Father, I know you are there. But sometimes, O
God, it is difficult to keep my faith burning brightly when I don't
hear your voice or see you face to face. Please strengthen my heart
with your Holy Spirit and help me "see" you in a fresh way so that
I will open myself to you and be tuned more perfectly for your
service. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Freedom

Heartlight.org

VERSE:
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then,
and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery Galatians 5:1


THOUGHT:
We have been set free! We are delivered from law, sin, and
death. We have been set free to serve God and share in his grace
eternally. So how will we use that freedom?

PRAYER:
God of freedom and grace, please give me your Spirit of wisdom
to understand more fully all the ways that you have blessed me.
Please help me use those blessings to share your grace with my
family and friends. May I never take for granted your gifts or
abuse my freedoms won at such great cost. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.

Pray for Harvesters

www.heartlight.org

Pray for Harvesters


Jesus said to them, "There are many, many people to harvest
(save). But there are only a few workers to help harvest
them. God owns the harvest (people). Pray to God that he will
send more workers to help gather his harvest."

-- Luke 10:2 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
So often we wring our hands when messages about how all Christians
should be evangelistic don't seem to make much difference. At times, we
can get frustrated when so few people sign up for evangelism training
classes. However, we often neglect the approach Jesus commanded: we
need to pray for harvesters. Why do we have so few reaching out to the
lost? Could it be that we have not fervently and consistently prayed
for the Lord to send out workers into his harvest fields?


TODAY'S PRAYER:
Holy and gracious God, please stir your people's hearts and open your
people's eyes to the need of reaching the lost. Send out workers for
the harvest. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Crown of Glory

From www.heartlight.org

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown
of glory that will never fade away.
-- 1 Peter 5:4


What a wonderful blessing it is to be led by godly, loving
shepherds. But as much as we love them and show them respect, they
will receive even greater appreciation in heaven!

O glorious God, please bless every faithful and concerned leader
in your Church with a clear sense of your blessing and
appreciation. Please use me to show this love to your faithful
servants as well.

In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

The Great Shepherd

Today's verse from Heartlight. I like this one.

VERSE:
May the God of peace ... that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip
you with everything good for doing his will. Hebrews 13:20-21

THOUGHT:
A good shepherd equips his sheep to face the trials of life. But
as Psalm 23 reminds us, no shepherd equips his sheep quite like the
ultimate Shepherd. Let's unleash his power in the lives of our
brothers and sisters in Christ by specifically praying for God to
equip them with everything they need to do his good work!

PRAYER:
O Great Shepherd of the sheep, please release the power of your
Spirit in your people and equip us to do great things in our day,
like the first Christians did in their day. May it all be done to
your glory, in the name of my hero, Jesus. Amen.

Bless My Brothers & Sisters

VERSE:
Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying
for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will
through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Colossians 1:9


THOUGHT:
When we hear of Christians in other places, especially where
circumstances and times are difficult, or they are new in the
Faith, let's intentionally and purposefully pray this prayer for
them!

PRAYER:
Loving Father please bless my brothers and sisters in Christ all
over the world. Strengthen those under attack and facing
oppression. Mature those new to your family. Enlighten those who
are facing doubt and uncertainty. Please bless your people today
with peace. In Jesus' name I ask it. Amen.

To Be Stronger

When you face the perils of weariness, carelessness, and
confusion, don't pray for an easier life. Pray instead to be a
stronger man or woman of God.

- Luis Palau

Constantly Pray

We constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy ofhis calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. -- 2 Thessalonians 1:11

Paul prays for God to be active in the lives of these new Christians -- to maximize the good they intend to do as well as fully bless every good deed they do out of their commitment offaith. What new Christian do you need to pray this for?

Strong and mighty Father, please bless several new Christians who are on my heart today. Help them recognize your presence in their lives. Please maximize the good in every effort they make and every intention they have to honor you and bless your people. Protect them from the evil one.

In Jesus' name I ask this blessing.

Amen.

Embrace Everything

"This is the day the LORD has made;
[I will] rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

This week, let this be your first thought every morning: This is the day the Lord has appointed for you. He has given you this day. Embrace everything He brings into this day. When it brings difficulty or disappointment, think of your circumstance as a "faith lab." Every little joy or pleasure it brings is a gift from the Father. Start your prayer times this week by settling this in your mind: I will rejoice and be glad in this day.

Jennifer Kennedy Dean
The Praying Life Foundation
www.nationaldayofprayer.org

Against Such Forces

The New Testament openly describes Satan as "the god of this age" and
"the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in
those who are disobedient." Of course bad things happen! On a planet
ruled by the Evil One we should expect to see violence, deception,
disease, and all manner of opposition to the reign of God.

We pray because against such forces we have no more powerful way to
bring together the two worlds, visible and invisible. I present my
world, whatever its circumstances, to God and ask for God's help in
equipping me to counter the forces of evil.

-Philip Yancey in PRAYER Does It Make Any Difference?, p.118.

Day of Prayer & Fasting

http://www.fxcc.org/missions/#day

Changing the world one life, one family and one village at a time.

The Annual Day of Prayer and Fasting was created to support mission efforts in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

We are joining with Churches of Christ around the world in a special Day of Prayer for the helpless and lost.

Jabez

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez is remembered for a prayer request rather than a heroic act. In his prayer, he asked God to bless him, help him his work ( enlarge my territory), be with him in all he did, and keep him from evil and harm. Jabez acknowledged God as the true center of his work. When we pray for God's blessings, we should also pray that he will take his rightful position as Lord over our work, our family time, and our recreation. Obeying him in daily responsibilities is heroic living.

Jabez prayed specifically to be protected from harm and pain. We live in a fallen world filled with sin, and it is important to ask God to keep us safe from the unavoidable evil that comes our way. But we must also avoid evil motives, desires, and actions that begin with us. Therefore, not only must we seek Gods protection from evil, but we must also ask God to guard our thoughts and actions. We can begin to utilize his protection by filling our minds with positive thoughts and attitudes.

Never Weary

Never weary in prayer. When one day you see how unexpectedly your
prayer has been answered, then you will deeply regret that you have
prayed so little. Prayer changes things for you. Practice praying
until your trust in God has become strong, or at least stronger....and
then pray on, because it has become so much a habit that you need it
daily. Then keep praying until prayer seems to become communion with
God. That is the note on which true times of prayer should end." -Jack
Sneed

Believe And Not Pray?

Faith is to the soul what life is to the body. Prayer is to
faith what breath is to the body. How a person can live and not
breathe is past my comprehension, and how a person can believe
and not pray is past my comprehension too.

- J. C. Ryle

The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and
Achaia -- your faith in God has become known everywhere.
-- 1 Thessalonians 1:8

Neglecting Prayer

The early church had no large buildings, well-financed budgets, or
long-range plans. While theses things may all be helpful in the
twenty-first century, none of them are indispensable: prayer is. When
the disciples realized they were neglecting prayer, they reminded the
church of their first priority and called the church to elect deacons
so they could return to praying (see Acts 6).

-Douglas A. Kamstra in
The Praying Church Idea Book,p.13.

Search me, O God

"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" Psalm 139:23-24

This week, open your life to the Father so that He can clean out the clutter. Let Him bring to light anything that is keeping you from experiencing all that He has to offer. Don't resist Him. He wants your life to be filled with His abundance and wants to rid you of anything that dilutes His power in you. Write down what He brings to mind.

Jennifer Kennedy Dean
The Praying Life Foundation
www.nationaldayofprayer.org

Pray & Help Spread the Gospel

VERSE:
Pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and
be honored, just as it was with you. 2 Thessalonians 3:1

THOUGHT:
What can you do to help the spread of the Gospel and help
increase the number of those who are saved each day? Well, there
are many things: put in a good word for Jesus, share your faith
with a friend, go on a mission trip, send financial support to a
missionary, and many others. But one of the most important things
you can do is to pray! Pray for missionaries and preachers and
those who minister and share the Word of God and the grace of Jesus
through the Internet, radio, television, and print. Pray for the
message to spread rapidly and pray for it to grow in power and
influence

www.heartlight.org