Good morning, Sweet Sisters!
Welcome back to our Prayer Group! I'm so glad you have joined me here to pray for our nation and it's healing. I hope this has also been a time of faith strengthening in your personal life as well. For the past week, we have been looking at Scriptures on the power of prayer and we have lifted prayers to God on behalf of our country and our families during this crisis. If you are just now joining us, welcome, I am so glad you are here! And for those who are interested, you can subscribe to the RSS feed on the side bar to receive notification when a new post is available. Okay, let's jump right in! Our prayer focus thus far.... 1. Pray for healing and restoration of our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15) 2. Pray earnestly together as believers. (James 5:16-17) (Matthew 18:20) 3. Pray for all people, kings, and leaders. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) (Proverbs 11:14) ( Proverbs 15:22) 4. Pray to overcome the temptation of fear. (2 Timothy 1:7) (Isaiah 41:10) (Deuteronomy 31:6) (Joshua 1:9) (Psalm 27:1) (Isaiah 43:2) "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." ~ Philippians 4:4-8 There is much to worry about and consume our thoughts during this pandemic: our health, our safety, our provisions, and our future. But God has already given us the antidote for such worries, right here, in this passage of His word. "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice!" The first step is to be joyful. We have much to be joyful about. We woke up this morning, we have families and friends to love, a shelter from the outer elements, food for our bodies, this technology to communicate with others, God's word to feed our souls, and Jesus- our only hope, salvation, and refuge from ALL storms. BE JOYFUL TODAY! Smile. Praise God first, before uttering a complaint or worry. After praising Him, you may not feel the need to speak the worry out loud. "Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon." I have been homeschooling now for over 14 years. Being home full time is the norm for our family (except for my husband who usually works outside the home). When asked how and why we homeschool, I've always tried to answer with our motto: "We are blessed to be ALL together, ALL the time!" Now is that time for all of us. Most of our country is now in a state of lock-down: a time to stay home. I know first hand, that this can be challenging. When everyone is under the same roof all the time - differences clash, frustrations can rise, and feelings can get hurt. It happens. But, remember, you have been given this opportunity to be at home with your family: the very ones who love you the most. Don't waste this time. Enjoy it! Even when things are hard, remember as the woman of the house, you have the power to build your home or tear it down with your own hands (Proverbs 14:1). Be considerate in all you do, have a gentle spirit, be patient, encourage your husband and children during this time. And when all else fails; smile, laugh and praise the Lord! Remember, He is coming soon, no matter what is going on around us. "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything." Well, here it is: the kicker. The hardest thing to do right now, in these uncertain times. How can we possibly not worry? Because we're not supposed to. If we believe God is who He says He is, we know He is in total control. And if we know He is in total control, then we have no need to worry. God is not surprised by the coronavirus. In fact, He already knows the outcome. So, what do we do instead of worry? Pray about everything. I mean EVERYTHING. When worry comes to mind: STOP and immediately pray. Don't waste your time worrying, spend your time talking to God. It will strengthen your faith, fill you with joy and give you peace. "Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done." This verse needs no explanation. If you have a need, no matter how big or small it may be, tell God. And while you are waiting for God to provide for you, thank Him for all He has already done. Thank Him for everything, the big and the small. "Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Are you hungry for peace today? Follow these commands. The promise is peace, when we live this way in Christ Jesus. "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." And when those times of fret and worry do hit us, immediately turn your thoughts to things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. My husband often says, "I'm not sure about anything, but Jesus!" That thought alone, is enough to bring us peace. Jesus is our rock, our redeemer, our strength, our hope and our peace. Think about Him, today! Let's join together and pray that we will not be consumed by worry today, but instead, we will trust God during these trials and be full of joy in Him! Heavenly Father, I know that today is the day that you have made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it! Help me Lord, not to be consumed by worry of the consequences of this virus, but instead, help me to pray about all my thoughts and my needs. Thank You, Lord, for ALL You have done for me. Fill my thoughts with things that are excellent and worthy to be praised. And overwhelm me with Your peace today. I love you. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen. Share your prayer requests and praises in the comments. I love to hear from my sisters in Christ! I'm praying for each of you. Joyfully His, Andrea
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Good morning!
Welcome back to our Prayer Group! I hope you all are getting a glimpse of this beautiful sunshine that is pouring through my window this morning! It has been so rainy and dreary here lately, that this sun is such a blessing to see today! I pray that God has showered each of you with peace, health, and joy during these crazy days. I'm so thankful to be able to pray together with each of you. Our prayer focus thus far.... 1. Pray for healing and restoration or our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15) 2. Pray earnestly together as believers. (James 5:16-17) (Matthew 18:20) 3. Pray for all people, kings, and leaders. (1 Timothy 2:1-2) (Proverbs 11:14) (Proverbs 15:22) Fear. How often are we led by our fears? How many of us are consumed by fear, right now, during this pandemic? Fear of the unknown, fear of the uncertainty, fear of the what ifs, fear of the virus itself, fear of the consequences of this outbreak. There is an unexhausted list of things to fear at this time. Believe me, I've made a list myself! But, I know I can't live by that fear. The TRUTH is: fear is not of God. And as believers, we are to live trusting Him, not fearing the world around us. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." ~ 2 Timothy 1:7 Fear does not come from God.....at all. It comes from our lack of faith and trust in Him. We must overcome the temptation of fear if we want to live fully in the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline that God has given us. Today, I want to encourage you, to NOT fall into the depths of fear. May these Scriptures about fear encourage you to step out in faith and seek strength from God alone. "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." ~ Isaiah 41:10 "So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you." ~ Deuteronomy 31:6 "This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. " ~ Joshua 1:9 "The Lord is my light and my salvation - so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?" ~ Psalm 27:1 "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you." ~Isaiah 43:2 Heavenly Father, Thank you for Your love, mercy, protection, and provision. Lord, most of us are consumed with fear right now. It has overwhelmed us. Help us, O Lord, to trust You completely. To stand in faith knowing You are in complete control of what goes on in this world. Help us to move forward with Your spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. Give us strength, courage, and the power to overcome the temptations of fear. May we stand strong and not be discouraged during these trying times, but know that You are with us, holding us, protecting us, and guiding us through these deep waters. We love you, Lord. In Jesus' precious name, amen. Stand strong, Ladies! God is in control! I am praying for each of you and your families. Joyfully His, Andrea Good morning, Sweet Sisters!
Welcome back to our Prayer Group, where we are focusing our Scripture reading and devotion time to the power of prayer, during the global pandemic that we are facing. Each week, I plan to post here, 2-3 times, with a heart for prayer for our country and a desire to learn more of God's truth through Scripture. I am honored to have you gather here with me. Our prayer focus thus far.... 1. Pray for healing and restoration of our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14-15) 2. Pray earnestly together as believers. (James 5:16-17) (Matthew 18:20) "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity." 1 Timothy 2:1-2 "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them." Want to know how to pray for others? Here is the answer and it's simple: Pray for ALL people, ask God to help them, intercede on their behalf, and be thankful for them. That's it. We don't have to know them personally, or know all the details of their situation, or know exactly what prayer needs they may have. God knows all those things. He just asks us to pray for them, pray for their needs, and be thankful for them. "Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority." As simple as it is to pray for others, be sure to pray this way specifically for our leaders and those who are in authority. Pray that our nation's leaders are given the gift of wisdom and that they are quick to listen to wise council. "Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers." ~ Proverbs 11:14 "Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success." Proverbs 15: 22 "So that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity." Praying for others, putting someone else above ourselves, brings forth blessing. It brings us peace, marked with godliness and dignity. Today, as we are kneeling together in prayer, let's lift up ALL the people of our country, especially our president and national leaders who are trying to make the right decisions for our nation. Let's ask God to give them His wisdom. Heavenly Father, Thank you for ALLthe people in our country. You created each one, for Your purpose, help me not to forget that. You know ALL hearts and ALL needs in each person's life. I pray that You would protect them, provide for them, save them, guide them, and strengthen each of them in this time of crisis. Lord, thank you for our president and all of the leaders of this nation. The weight they have on their shoulders right now, is incomprehensible, as they have the responsibility of every citizen upon their hands. Father, if these leaders do not know Jesus as their Savior, I first ask You to open their hearts to You, and second, I ask that You give them wisdom. May they come together as a team and make wise, informed, and selfless choices that will bring healing, unity, and blessing to this nation. I pray for ALLthe people of our land, O God, that You will heal each of us and bring us out of this trial and that You will use this crisis to bring revival across the country and turn the hearts of this country back to You. In Jesus' precious name, amen. Please share your prayer requests in the comment section, and check back later this week for more in this series. I'll be praying for each of you. Joyfully His, Andrea Good morning, Sweet Sisters! Happy spring!
Thank you for joining me here, to lift our nation, communities and families in prayer. Today is our first post in this Prayer Group series. I plan to post a couple times each week, focusing each post on the power of prayer. Please feel free to share your own prayers in the comments and if you have any specific requests please share them as well so our community can pray together with you! "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops." ~ James 5:16-18 "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." Repentance, honesty and openness with our fellow believers and sincere prayer for each other, brings forth healing. That healing may be physical, spiritual, emotional, mental, or even relational. When we stand together in prayer, for and with each other, we are not alone and our prayers become powerful. God is among us and He hears our prayers. "For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them." ~ Matthew 18:20 "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." Earnest means to show sincere and intense conviction. Our prayers should be passionate and sincere and come from a clean, repentant heart. "Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops." What an amazing example of an earnest prayer! I want that kind of eagerness, faith, and earnestness in my prayer life. Today, let's kneel together in earnest prayer, seeking God, and asking Him to heal and restore our nation. Heavenly Father, I come before you seeking your forgiveness. Forgive me for my sins, my lack of faith, my poor attitude and my lack of sincerity. Thank you, God, for your provision. You have never left us nor forsaken us. You alone, hold the future, please forgive us for fearing what could come. We come together today as a community of believers asking you to heal our land. Bring physical healing for those who are sick and impacted with this new virus. Bring financial healing to our land as our economy is falling. But most of all, bring spiritual healing to those who don't know you as their Lord. Use this crisis to soften hearts towards you. Use this time of difficulty to allow your people to be your hands and feet and show your love to everyone. Use this uncertainty to strengthen the faith of your people so we can stand earnestly before you seeking Your help, Your wisdom, Your guidance, and salvation. Have mercy on us, Lord, protect us, provide for us, and give us wisdom to face this crisis. We love you, Lord, thank you for loving us. In Jesus' precious name, amen. Share your prayer needs in the comments and come back Monday for more encouragement, God's Word and time in prayer. I'll be praying for each of you, every day. Joyfully His, Andrea Dear Sisters in Christ,
I hope this post finds you each healthy, safe and at peace during the extreme circumstances our nation is now facing. With the first day of spring approaching this Friday, I had intended to post the schedule for a new spring Bible Study to begin next week. After much prayer and study, I feel the need to do something a bit different. We have entered a time of great uncertainty. Not only has this coronavirus pandemic brought great risk to the health of our nation, but it is also causing an economical fall. These are scary times. And this situation is bringing forth fear and worry in epic proportions. I understand. As strong as I want my faith to be, I would be lying to myself if I didn't admit to my on fears at this time. Every time my mind wants to wander to the what ifs, and the uncertainty, and the fear that surrounds it all, I keep thinking: we can do our best to be wise and make smart decisions right now, but the best thing I can do is trust God and pray. He is in control. This pandemic is NO surprise to Him. He saw it coming, and He knows the end results. I trust Him with everything I have, so I have to trust Him with this. In light of this, I want to challenge myself to pray earnestly, continually, and faithfully for our nation and this crisis we are facing. So, instead of beginning our Spring Bible Study.....for the next several weeks (or however long God leads), I will be posting a series on prayer for our country, our communities and our families. I want to invite you to join me in this prayer journey and please feel free to share it with your sisters in Christ. The Lord loves to hear from His children, and "For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."(Matthew 18:20) "Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place." ~ 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 My plan is to start this "Prayer Group" this Friday, March 20th. Let's bring in the spring- on our knees, humbling ourselves before God, seeking Him, and asking Him to heal and restore our land. We may not be able to gather face to face, but together we can share our prayers and thoughts here, and encourage one another during this difficult time. Hope to "see" you all here on Friday! I'm praying for each of you and your families; for your health, safety and peace that passes all understanding. Joyfully His, Andrea |
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. " AuthorHi! I'm Andrea, wife to my handsome hubby, homeschooling mama to my 7 amazing blessings, and daughter of the King of kings. I am so glad you have stopped by my little piece of the web. My prayer is that the Lord will use this blog to encourage you in your personal, daily walk with Christ. Archives
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