SATURDAY PRAYER (29FEB20)

SATURDAY PRAYER (29FEB20) – Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you this day to say Thank You for all that you have done for us. We thank you for being our Provider. We thank you for being our Healer. We thank you for being our Comforter. We thank you for being our Creator. We thank you for being the I AM who is everything that we need. Lord, we ask that if there is anything that we have done against you and/or against others to please forgive us and heal our sinful hearts. We desire to be more like you, so we pray that you will have us to have the mind of Christ and to follow in your ways. Please help us to hear the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit and to be receptive to his leading in our lives. We ask that you reroute us if we should go in the wrong direction and protect us from the enemy who tries to deceive us and lead us off the straight and narrow path.

Lord, we pray for those who are having family issues this day. There are a lot of families going through all sorts of problems, but we know that these things were prophesied in your Word. Nevertheless, we know that you are still doing miracles even in the most seemingly impossible situations. We pray against the forces of evil, and we pray for your protection over them so that the enemy cannot take full control of their lives.

We pray for those who are traveling to various places throughout the world. We ask for you to protect them against all plagues and diseases. We ask that your promise in Psalm 91 will be made applicable to your children and that it will be a barrier that cannot be penetrated by the enemy’s darts. 

We pray for those who are having financial issues right now. We pray for the need of our brother who had a vehicle stolen. He needs transportation to get around. Lord, please either let his vehicle be found or provide him with another one paid off in full. We also ask that you will allow the ones who did this evil deed to be exposed because you know who the guilty parties are. We thank you for your ability to provide all of our needs in accordance to your riches in glory. 

Lord, we pray a special prayer for the children who are coming up missing. Demons are taking these children and their families do not know where they are, but you do. Nothing that is done in secret is hidden from you. We ask that you will protect them and expose anyone who may have done them harm or acted as a party to it.

We pray for all who are homeless, hungry, in hospitals, nursing homes, detention centers, prisons, jails, and those who are unable to care for themselves – especially the children. We pray that you will provide, heal, visit, and care for their needs.

Many people are suffering due to being in abusive situations. We ask that you will free them from their abusers and show them that love does not have to hurt. We pray that they will experience your love and that you will give them people to support, care, and love them in a way that only you can.

We pray for those who are suffering from the Coronavirus and/or effects of 5G. Lord, we ask that you will be merciful and heal our lands. We also ask that this will be a time where people will wake up to their need for you and not do business as usual in their spiritual lives. We pray for those who are in denial as to the times that we are in and that you will open their eyes to see that it is not fear, but warnings that you are giving.

We pray for this nation and those who serve in any capacity. Please give us peace of mind and allow us to know your joy. We ask for all of these things in your Son’s name, Jesus, Yeshua Hamashiach. Amen.

Who is God? Jehovah Jireh: Lord our Provider (Part 5)

Jehovah Jireh: The Provider of Self-Actualization

 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called the heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14).

               When God created the world, He devised a plan to have a universe where man could live in total harmony with each other, and most importantly, have a relationship with Him as his Creator. Being made in the image of God meant that man was not God nor equal to Him but was created in God’s likeness. Therefore, when Lucifer thought that he could be equal to God, he was out of divine order. When we come to understand that we are made in God’s image, we can also believe that we were created for a purpose. The Bible says, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord endures forever – do not abandon the works of your hand” (Psalm 138:8). God’s purpose for our lives outweighs any selfish goals and achievements because His will is to be done. We must allow Him to guide our lives and in so doing, we will achieve self-actualization through the Spirit and not as the world perceives it to be.

               The world says that we must have these many cars, the fanciest home, this much money in the bank, the latest technical gadget, and/or designer clothes. Countless people have achieved many material things, and yet, they have not achieved self-actualization because they feel the need to always obtain more. They are in a continuous rat race to keep up with what they consider as the latest commodity but are empty shells of themselves. However, we should not align our thoughts about ourselves as the world does -- based on material possessions but we should view ourselves as Jehovah Jireh sees us. He is the one who created and provides for us. The Bible says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).

               When we are in the will of God, that is when we can have self-fulfillment. Nothing can give you a sense of self-actualization as knowing that you are doing what is pleasing to God. It is not about being perfect or never doing anything wrong. It is about knowing that we have a God who provides us with mercy, grace, and unlimited amounts of forgiveness. Understanding that we are not failures in Christ, despite our mistakes, is to have the ultimate sense of self-actualization because we lay everything at Jehovah Jireh's feet. God uses our mistakes to turn us into masterpieces, and through Jehovah Jireh’s provisions, we have all we need to be fulfilled in Him. The Bible says, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed” (2 Corinthians 13:5-7).

Who is God? Jehovah Jireh: Lord our Provider (Part4)

The Provider of Self-Esteem and Emotional Stability

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37).

               There are many people who suffer from low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. It could have begun as a child being unpopular in school, feeling unloved by family, never appreciated at work, or a result of an abusive relationship. Whatever the source, those who suffer from this have one thing in common…they need an understanding of what Jehovah Jireh says and thinks about them instead of negative people. Jehovah Jireh created us and has told us in His word what He thinks and feels for us. The Bible says, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:4-5). The text lets us know that we were on God’s mind before we were ever created. Therefore, Jehovah Jireh is the source from which we can gather good self-esteem. He builds His children up and does not wish for them to feel worthless and inadequate. The Bible says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). When we think ill of ourselves, we are actually saying that God made a mistake, at which, He never does.

               In a society that places a lot of emphasis on outward beauty, we can be easily caught up in trying to appease the world and meet up to their standards. Nevertheless, our focus, as children of the Most High, should be on what is on the inside of us, for this is what God judges us on. The Bible says, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’” (1 Samuel 16:7). The outward beauty of man will fade, but the Lord is looking for those who have their hearts beautified in Him. Now let’s go over some of the emotional needs that Jehovah Jireh provides for His children to help us obtain optimal self-worth in Him, ourselves, and the ability to have a positive overflow to others by controlling of our emotions.  

Anger

               The world is suffering from people who do not know how to control their anger. Every day on the news, you can see the evidence of this by all the shootings, stabbings, rapes, and even beheadings that are done daily. The source of this emotion is the devil himself when displayed in the wrong manner. The Bible says, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you which can save you” (James 1:19-21). Anger can be an ugly demonic tool if allowed to fester in the heart. We see this take place in the story of Cain and Abel.  “In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door, it desires to have you, but you must master it. Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him” (Genesis 4:3-8).

               Cain allowed his anger to get the best of him even after being warned by God concerning it. It is natural to get angry about things, but we must not allow it to cause us to sin and do harm to others rather physically or by our tongue. Many people have suffered emotionally due to someone spitting out venom from their tongues. The Bible says, “But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). We cannot tame our tongue on our own. However, Jehovah Jireh has given us the Holy Spirit who can help us to be able to build people up rather than break them down.

Guilt and Condemnation

            The world can be a place that is harsh and cold. The world will hold the mistakes of a person’s past over them regardless of how much a person has changed. The world says, “I remember when…” and the stain of a dark past forever remains current in the minds of many. Unfortunately, it is not limited to the world, but those in the body of Christ are guilty of this as well. Nevertheless, Jehovah Jireh shows His children compassion instead of condemnation. He’s declared us innocent instead of guilty through the blood of the Lamb. The only thing we have to do is accept His free gift of Salvation. The Bible says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus and the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2). We are to never allow our pasts to dictate our future. Also, we are never to hold the past of others over their heads as well. Jehovah Jireh gives us a fresh start when we accept Him into our hearts. It doesn’t matter what people say and think, but what our Lord says about us because there is NO ONE worthy of the grace of God, for we ALL have sinned. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Forgiveness

               Forgiveness may be one of the hardest things that a person can do, and it plays a huge part in emotional balance. You may have experienced hurt by the words of someone close to you and have feelings of bitterness built up inside. You may have been the recipient of an unfaithful spouse and the indiscretion keeps replaying over and over in your mind. You may have harmed someone physically and there is no way to undo the damage that has been done. You may have done a lot of hurtful things to others that you may have a hard time just forgiving yourself. Whichever side of the fence you’re on, Jehovah Jireh is the Provider of forgiveness.

               Peter asked Jesus the question of how many times we should forgive. The Bible says, “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me Up to seven times? Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:21-22). Jesus gave Peter this response because Jehovah Jireh gives us forgiveness constantly. None of us are worthy of His forgiveness, for sin disqualified us, but the blood of Jesus qualified us and therefore, we are to show the same mercy to others. The Bible says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Not only is forgiveness necessary to receive it from God, but it also has good health benefits as well, which lets us know that Jehovah Jireh knew what He was doing when He required that we reciprocate the forgiveness He gives us to others.

               According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, forgiveness is beneficial to healthy living because it leads to:

·         Better relationships

·         Increased Spiritual and psychological well-being

·         Higher sense of self-worth

·         Healthy heart

·         Decrease in anxiety and stress

·         A strong immune system

·         Low blood pressure

·         Proliferation in happiness

·         Less symptoms of aggression

Because our temples belong to God, we are to take good care of them. Part of taking care of our temples is letting go of past hurts and allowing Jehovah Jireh to provide us with a heart of forgiveness. The Bible says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you are bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19).