July 30, 2010

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7

What would the world give for a workable peace plan? If someone had a way to convince nations to lay down arms and begin working together to solve poverty and disease, how would that be celebrated?

James gives such a strategy. It involves three simple steps. Anyone could wage peace with this plan. And since world peace must happen from the inside out, this plan is the only one that has a chance to succeed.

Step One: "submit"

What does it mean to submit? How does this accomplish peace?

To submit means to bring yourself into alignment with God's will. Lining up with God's will requires that you surrender your will. Give up on your dreams and your ambitions. Stop trying sell God on your agenda and surrender to His. Sign up to serve Him and live to accomplish His purposes. Receive His Kingdom into your heart and crown Him King. When you get God you also get His peace and His power and His purity.

Step Two: "stand"

When you surrender to God you stand against the devil. Because God is resident in your life with all His power, purity and peace the enemy has no authority over you and no weapon that can harm you. He can threaten and intimidate but cannot touch you. The only reason he can do any damage to you is because he has infiltrated your nature with a sinful desires and a selfish will. But submitting to God transforms that nature and changes that will. Therein is the peace!

Step Thre: "see what God will do"

John declares in one of his epsitles, "greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world"! Once you have won the war within, you can trust that God will work through you to win the wars waged against you! When you recall the great victories of God in the Old Testament, most of the were won without His people having to fight! Once they got right with God, He made things right around them. The key to transforming your world is allowing God to transform you!

Are you ready for peace?

Stop warring against God!

Line up with His will, stand against evil and see what He will do!

July 29, 2010

"You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?" James 4:4-5

There are not too many positive aspects about a war. Rush Limbaugh correctly states that the purpose of war is to "kill people and break things". And unfortunately, human history is marred by billions of people who have been killed by war and trillions of dollars of destruction done by people primarily motivated by greed, hatred, or lust for power.

What could possibly be positive about that?

War forces people to choose a side. People who are naturally reluctant to commit to anything are forced by war to choose a side. Especially if you join the battle. A soldier is clear about which side he is on. He wears a uniform and serves under a flag and fights side-by-side with others who have committed to that cause.

In these verses, James reminds you that God has chosen sides and when you become a follower of Christ you commit to God's Kingdom. God rightly expects you to be true to that cause.

Can you imagine a soldier who would try to serve on both sides of a battle? Think of what would happen to someone who would run to the middle of the two lines in the heat of a battle. What would happen? He would get shot from both sides! No one would do that!

You would call that soldier a traitor or a fool but God has another name for them - adulterer. Unfortunately, adultery does have as negative of a connotation as it once had, but I don't know too many people who want that label attached to them. Adultery is still destructive and no one wants to be on the wrong side of an adulterous relationship.

But when you flirt around with worldliness and chase after fleshly desires, you are committing adultery on God. You are putting Him on the painful side of the illicit affair. Is that something you really want to do?

Life is a war! Everyone is involved in a spiritual conflict due to the fact that we are spiritual people and everyone is born with an evil spiritual nature. You were born as an enemy of God. Only by a decisive spiritual commitment and through the grace of Jesus Christ can you break free from the Enemy and join forces with God. That decision alone is the means to inner peace, even in the midst of the battle!

Once that decision is made, God expects you to be true to that commitment. You march under His banner. You stand shoulder to shoulder with His people. You execute His plan and act on His orders.

Everyone serves someone! No one can serve two masters. You must be clear in your decision and true to your choice.

Have you made your choice? Are you serving with honor? Or are you hung up between enemy lines?

July 28, 2010

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4:1-6

Ever feel anxious and you're not sure why? Ever been fearful for no apparent reason? Have you exploded with anger and wondered where that came from? Does your life seem out of control no matter how hard you try to control it?

What is going on? Where does all this angst and turmoil come from?

James says there is a war waging within you. That is the problem and it is a major one!

In these several verses James diagnoses the problem and it is not good news!

First, he says you have a "lust" problem.

Lust is caused by misdirected desires. Your sinful nature, if unchecked, will pervert good God-given desires into selfish and sinful desires. Though you were created for God's pleasure you are driven to seek your own, deceived by the lie that happiness comes from "out there somewhere".

When you are on a quest for pleasure and self-fulfillment, nasty things happen. For instance, lust can never been satisfied. Living for selfish pleasure is makes you a slave to the next indulgence moment. Also, when you are out for selfish pleasure other people become either objects to be used or competitors to be defeated.

The result of this pursuit of selfish desires is turmoil within and trouble without. Being controlled by lust will wreck relationships rob you of joy.

Not only do you have a "lust" problem you also have a "trust" problem.

When you live under the delusion that you can find satisfaction from the outside in then you trust yourself to make it happen. In essence, when you trust yourself to fulfill your lust, you put yourself in the place of God. That is an impossible role for an unreachable goal.

The wisest man who ever lived once said, "Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."

To translate that in the terms of our discussion he is saying, "Trust - don't lust."

Why would you seek to fill your life with created things when you could have the Creator?

Let me ask you, how's your heart? Are you lusting or are you trusting?

July 27, 2010

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." James 4:1-3

A rather cranky old grandfather was taking a nap one afternoon when his mischievous grandsons carefully smeared some Limburger cheese in his moustache. It wasn't long until stench woke him up. Sitting up with a start he exclaimed, "My gosh! It stinks in here!"

Retreating to the next room he said again, "It stinks in here, too!"

The same happened in the next room and the next causing him to blurt out, "The whole house stinks!"

Running outside to catch fresh air he found no relief to which he complained, "The whole world stinks!"

Have you ever felt like the whole world stinks?

Does discontent and trouble you seem to follow wherever you go?

Maybe it is just a lousy world you live in. Maybe not.

James informs us that the main problem with your world is the rotten smelly stuff going on in you! And trouble follows you because you ARE the trouble and wherever you go - well - there you are! The one person you can never escape is you!

He said that, not me! I'm just the messenger!

The problem seems to be desires that are at conflict within you. You want what you don't have or can't have and you despise what you do have. Pretty miserable.

Remember that James is written to Christians. So, the desires that were at war within them were their sinful desires versus the will of God. That serves to remind you that you cannot be at war with God and have inner peace.

Earlier in his book, James comments on this same problem using another metaphor. "That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does." James 1:7-8

Does that describe you? Is that the turmoil raging in you?

If you have two natures warring within you, one of them has to win and one of them has to lose. God doesn't send His Spirit into your life to be a room mate. When you receive Christ as your Savior He comes in with the plan of becoming your Lord! He won't settle for less.

Christians can be the most miserable of all because they possess the two natures. Non-Christians just sin and don't worry about it because their conscience is dead and they are just doing what comes naturally. But once Christ becomes your Savior and the Spirit is activated in your life, the fight is on! His Spirit wars against your flesh. Someone has to surrender!

Think about it. If you are at war with God, who will ultimately win? Who should win?

If God will win and if He should win why are you fighting a losing battle? When will you surrender? When will you declare Him Lord?

July 26, 2010

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?" James 4:1

Far be it for me to try to understand all the complexities of war. But I would think there are two basic things you would need to know before you go to war - who the enemy is and what you at fighting for.

James, as he does so often in his intensely practical book, cuts right to the heart of the issue. He states that wars are the result of inner conflicts raging within the heart of man. How can you get along with others if you can't stand yourself? And how do you fight the enemy when it is you?

That is the 800 pound gorilla that has haunted every generation of human beings since Adam's big mistake. There have been hundreds, maybe thousands of wars that have devastated hundreds of millions of people and everyone of those wars were justified by some high sounding justification. But the actual reason is identified by James. People go to war as a result of the war raging within themselves. If you can't or won't identify yourself as the source of the problem, then you have to make someone else the bad guy and try to defeat them.

If it were true that the enemy was someone else, then it would stand to reason once that enemy was destroyed and defeated then there would be peace. Right? How has that worked out?

World War I was fought to end war. A generation later another 60 million died and $1 trillion spent in a world-wide conflict known as WWII. Why did neither major conflgration bring a lasting peace? Don't even mention Korea, Viet Nam, or current wars in the Middle East.

How do I defeat the enemy if it is me? How do I find peace within without destroying myself? The three ways that wars end are through surrender or victory or a treaty. But can I surrender to myself? How do I defeat myself? Can I broker a treaty with myself?

Sounds like a desparate situation! The enemy is you!

Paul expressed it this way:

"So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" Romans 7:22-24

Sounds quite hopeless doesn't it? You hate war but you are one!

When you get ready to declare peace, James is ready to show you how.

Stay with me this week! Keep your white flag handy!

July 25, 2010

“Faith Exercises Wisdom” James 3:13-18

Every work out routine has built in measuring points where you can measure your progress and development, whether it is a faster time for a mile or more reps or more weight that you lift – it is motivational to see growth!

James, accordingly, offers some progress points to measure how you are doing as you work out your faith. Let’s review them:

· Joy in suffering
· Obeying truth under pressure
· Treating everyone with dignity and respect
· Doing good deeds to validate your faith
· Controlling your tongue

How are you doing? How is your faith working out? Have you taken time to check your progress? If not, why not? What are you waiting for? Is spiritual growth not that important to you? If that’s the case, what’s the point? Why are you bothering with the hassle of faith if spiritual growth is not that important?

This morning as we close out the third chapter of James we have another measurement to deal with – the IQ test. It’s not the IQ test you are thinking about – the Intelligence Quotient. This one is far more important and much easier to measure.

Really? What is it?

This IQ test does not have anything to do with intelligence but it does involve wisdom. James defines wisdom as our knowledge of God displayed through godly living. By James’ definition your IQ stands for INTEGRITY QUOTIENT. God measures your wisdom by your integrity. That is what we will discover this morning!

Are you ready to check your IQ?

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” James 3:13-18

I. Human Wisdom, Vv. 13-16

Our world has plenty of knowledge and education, but that fact doesn’t always translated into wisdom. In fact, some times wisdom can be learned from relatively uneducated people – including children. Consider some examples of childish wisdom:

Patrick, age 10, wisely suggests, “Never trust a dog to watch your food.”

Randy, age 9, offers, “Stay away from prunes.” (How did Randy know that?)

Lauren, age 9, says, “Felt markers are not good to use as lipstick.” Her friend Naomi adds, “Fingernail polish does not make good lipstick either.”

Joel, age 10, contributes with, “Don’t pick on your sister when she’s holding a baseball bat.”

Eileen, 8, says, “Never try to baptize a cat.”

(Ethel The Cow Give Auto Advice)

WISDOM BEGINS WITH KNOWING WHO TO LISTEN TO….

Marks of human wisdom:

1) bitter envy – an edginess, defensiveness, territorial, ready to attack anyone who challenges them or gets to close to exposing their folly.

2) selfish ambition – determined to impose their opinions and agenda no matter who they have to hurt.

3) disorder and evil practice - willing to divide and create chaos in order to gain power or promote their agenda. These attitudes delight in deceit and fancy themselves clever by their ability to confuse and control others. It originates in the heart of Satan and reflects his arrogance and evil.

Dwight L. Moody once told the fable of an eagle who was envious of another that could fly better than he could. One day the bird saw a hunter with a bow and arrow and said to him, "I wish you would bring down that eagle up there." The man said he would if he had some feathers for his arrow. So the envious eagle pulled out some feathers. The arrow was shot, but it didn’t quite reach the rival bird because he was flying too high. The first eagle pulled out another feather, then another — until he had lost so many that he couldn’t fly. The archer then turned around and killed the helpless bird. - Moody’s point was ‘if you are envious of others, the one you will hurt the most by your actions will be yourself.

Such is the danger and destruction of Human Wisdom……

II. Heavenly Wisdom, Vv. 17-18

In his book, “Tender Loving Heart”, James K. Krames writes, “There was a
young Christian man in a southern university. He made the football team as the starting split end. And he continually was before God saying, ‘Help me in the climax of moments to be absolutely honest. I pray for honesty--that one mark of integrity. I want to be that, Lord, and I’ll work on it through the season.’The rival team came that night, homecoming. He ran his route and went into the end zone. The quarterback shot him the pass and he got it low. He landed on it, and the referee shouted, ‘Touchdown!’ But that boy knew he had trapped the ball. (for you who aren’t into that, it means that he didn’t really catch it.) The stands were just cheering, you know, sending him on his way, the hero of the game. He said, ‘Wait a minute.’ Can you imagine this? Walked up to the referee and shook his head. He said, ‘I trapped it.’ The referee canceled the touchdown and they lost the game.Now you may not understand much about football, but you know what it is to be a fan. And that boy stood all alone, not only against a team that said, ‘What does it matter, man?’ but against the stands full of people. He said, ‘I can’t take the credit. I did not catch it.’

Marks of this wisdom:

1) pure – morally uncontaminated, perfect, pleasing to God, derived from truth
Do you operate from pure motives?

2) peace-loving - committed to promoting peace - Are you a peacemaker?

3) considerate – equitable, fair-minded, polite, gentle – Do you consider others?

4) submissive – compliant, anxious to obey – How is your obedience?

5) merciful – kindness, compassionate, especially to needy – Do you show mercy?

6) good fruit – works produced from the virtues of the heart – How’s your fruit?

7) impartial – not biased, kindly disposed toward all

8) sincere – genuine, authentic, no hidden agenda

THE DEGREE TO WHICH YOU LIVE THESE VIRTUES MEASURES YOUR I Q!

Heavenly wisdom is meant to be an Integrity Quotient.

In his book I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes that the church’s integrity problem is in the misconception "that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior." He goes on to say, "It is revival without reformation, without repentance."

All too often there is a disconnect between what Christians say they believe and how they actually behave. That disconnect is damaging to the faith and destructive to the church.

A pastor friend in Texas was in a hurry after work. He had to get to the mall for some items, go to his daughter’s school to pick her up, take her home, get to a Deacons meeting, and then to spend the evening in counseling sessions. Once in the mall, he saw an advertisement on a music store window that said, “2 CD’s for $9.99”. He loved music so much he decided he just had to take advantage of it. He went in and picked up 2 CD’s he really had been wanting, and went to the register to pay for them. He threw down with his money while talking to everyone around him- as pastors do. Then he picked up his bag and his change and went out of the mall. When he threw the bag in the front seat of his car, he noticed for the first time that the clerk had charged him $1.99 instead of $9.99 for those CD’s. His first thought was that he didn’t have time to go back in to get it fixed. But a small voice kept saying, “You don’t have time not to.”

So, he went back in, stood in the same line until it came his time to talk to the clerk once again. He said, “Look I’m in a hurry. You made a mistake. The sign says $9.99 and you charged me $1.99. Please make this correct so I can get on with what I have to do.”

She said, “Sir, I didn’t make a mistake.”
He said, “Sure you did. There is the sign, here is the receipt. Please make the correction.”

She said, “No, sir, I didn’t make a mistake.”

He said, “What do you mean?!!”

She said, “Can I tell you the rest of the story. Will you let me finish, please?”

He said, “Yes I will.”

She said, “For 17 years I’ve been out of church. Recently, my life has been falling apart and I needed to get back into church. I looked around at what was closest to me. I found the name of the church and I went there Sunday and slipped in and sat on the back row. The pastor that day was speaking on integrity. Sir, it happened to be your church. And when I saw you in my line, I wondered if this was something you preached on Sunday or lived on Monday. And I determined to find out.” Then she said, “Sir, I don’t even know the right questions to ask, but I know that whatever you’ve got I need. “ And then she began to cry. The manager, who happened to be a Christian, stepped in and took over the register, dismissed the pastor and then he led her to the Lord. Do you think she would have ever darkened the doors of a church again if this pastor had not gone back in?

WHAT IS YOUR IQ? I AM NOT ASKING HOW WELL YOU KNOW THE BIBLE?

I AM NOT ASKING HOW MANY VERSES YOU KNOW. HOW DO YOU LIVE?

July 24, 2010

I received this today from a missionary friend of mine given to him by the group who regularly interceeds for them. It is a guide on how intercessors pray for missionaries. I thought it might be helpful to you and it might work for pastors, too!

Prayers for the FaithfulJuly 25, 2010
A Time of Consecration

"But your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by His decrees and obey His commands, as at this time." 1 Kings 8:61

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2a NLT

Praise & Thanksgiving

Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Nehemiah 9:5-6

Repentance

O Lord, we do not ask for our sakes, but for the sake of Your Holy Name,
which we have profaned among the nations where we have gone. Show the holiness of Your great name, O Lord.

Show Yourself Holy through us, before their eyes. Cleanse us from all our impurities and all our idols.

Give us new hearts and put a new spirit in us and give us hearts of flesh through Your Spirit,
that we may follow Your decrees and keep Your laws. You are our God.

Teach us to loath our evil ways and wicked deeds, to loath ourselves for our sins and detestable practices.

Cleanse us from all our sin.

The Sovereign Lord speaks, and what He speaks, He will do.
Taken from Ezekiel 36, verses 22-33, 36.

Asking

Requests On Behalf of Missionaries

(Insert the name of the missionary in the blanks provided. Change pronouns where appropriate.)

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

I pray _________ will not be tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, I pray he will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:14-15

I pray _________ will not throw away his confident trust in You, Lord. Help him remember the great reward it brings him! Patient endurance is what he needs now, so that he will continue to do Your will. Then he will receive all that You have promised. You said, "For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And My righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away." I praise You that _________ is not like those who turn away from You to their own destruction, but is among the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved. Hebrews 10:35-39 NLT

I pray _________ is encouraged by this promise to stay in Your word: Your thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our ways Your ways, You have declared. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are Your ways higher than our ways and Your thoughts than our thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is Your word that goes out from Your mouth: It will not return to You empty, but will accomplish what You desire and achieve the purpose for which You send it. Isaiah 55:8-11

WISDOM

Teach _________ that skillful and godly Wisdom is more precious than rubies; and nothing he can wish for is to be compared to her. Proverbs 3:15 AMP

I pray he will prize Wisdom highly and exalt her, and she will exalt and promote him; she will bring him to honor when he embraces her. Proverbs 4:8

I pray he is attentive to Your Wisdom [godly Wisdom learned by actual and costly experience], and inclines his ear to Your understanding [of what is becoming and prudent for him], that he may exercise proper discrimination and discretion and his lips may guard and keep knowledge and the wise answer [to temptation]. Proverbs 5:1-2 AMP

We praise You that as _________ finds [Wisdom], he finds life and draws forth and obtains favor from You, Lord. Proverbs 8:35 AMP

I pray _________ knows that the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding. For by [Wisdom from God] his days shall be multiplied, and the years of his life shall be increased. Proverbs 9:10-11 AMP

I pray he also knows that the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord brings instruction in Wisdom, and humility comes before honor. Proverbs 15:33 AMP

I pray _________ knows skillful and godly Wisdom to be thus to his life; there shall be a future and a reward, and his hope and expectation shall not be cut off. Proverbs 24:14 AMP 2 ©Copyright, 2010 Pray the Word Ministries, Houston, Texas

MINISTRY

I pray _________will be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that his labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose]. 1 Corinthians 15:58 AMP

I pray that You, who supply seed to the sower, and bread for food, will continue to supply and multiply the seed _________ has sown and increase the fruits of his righteousness, 2 Corinthians 9:10

FAITHFUL WITNESSING

Watching for Divine Appointments -
For it is You, Lord, who works in _________ to will and to act according to Your good purpose. Philippians 2:13

Doing Their Part, God Doing His -

I pray _________ will remain in You, and You will remain in _________. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can we bear fruit unless we remain in You. …apart from You we can do nothing. John 15:4-5

Called as Faithful Witnesses -

You, Lord of the harvest, are the one who sends out workers into Your harvest field. Matthew 9:38

Choosing to Share -

I pray You will enable _________ to speak Your word with great boldness. Acts 4:29

Getting Started –

I pray _________ remembers he can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees You doing. John 5:19-20

Getting to the Heart of the Matter -

I pray _________ remembers that the word is near those who are seeking; it is in their mouth and in their heart, that is, the word of faith being proclaimed. And if seekers confess with their mouths, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in their hearts that God raised them from the dead, they will be saved. Romans 10:8-9

Making No Assumptions -

I pray _________ remembers that all have sinned and fallen short of Your glory, O God. Romans 3:22-23

Discerning Spiritual Needs -

I pray he is led by Your Spirit, O God. Romans 8:14

Avoiding Pitfalls -

You, Lord, have given _________ the ministry of reconciliation: that You were reconciling the world to Yourself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And You have committed to _________ the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Presenting the Choice/A Time to Choose -

I pray the lost are brought to acknowledge Jesus before men, and Jesus will also acknowledge them before You, Our Father in heaven. Matthew 10:32

Seizing the Moment -

I pray _________ is wise in the way he acts toward outsiders; making the most of every opportunity. I pray his conversation is always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that he may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:5-6

Partnering -

I pray he meets together with others, …and they encourage one another-and all the more as they see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25

Following Up -

I pray he wrestles in prayer for new believers, that they may stand firm in all Your will, O God, mature and fully assured. Colossians 4:12b

Portions of this section were taken from The Faithful Witness, by Jerry Wiles

STRENGTH

For this reason I kneel before You, Father, from whom Your whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of Your glorious riches You may strengthen _________ with power through Your Spirit in his inner being, so that Christ may dwell in his heart through faith. And I pray that he being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that he may be filled to the measure of all Your fullness. Now to You who are able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to Your power that is at work within _________, to You be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:14-22

PROVISION

Thank You, Lord, that You supply all _________'s needs according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 NKJV

Help _________ to remember that You are able to make all grace abound to him, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, he may have an abundance for every good deed. 2 Corinthians 9:8 NASB

PROTECTION

I pray _________ hearkens to [Wisdom], dwelling securely and in confident trust, and being quiet, without fear or dread of evil. Proverbs 1:33 AMP

I pray _________ does not forsake [Wisdom], and she will keep, defend, and protect you; love her, and she will guard you. Proverbs 4:6 AMP

HEALTH

I pray _________ attends to Your words; consents and submits to Your sayings. I pray he does not let them depart from his sight; keeps them in the center of his heart. For they are life to him, healing and health to his flesh. Proverbs 4:20-22 AMP

Thank You, Lord! _________'s strong spirit sustains him in bodily pain and trouble. His happy heart is good medicine and his cheerful mind works healing. Proverbs 18:14a AMP, 17:22a AMP3

©Copyright, 2010 Pray the Word Ministries, Houston, Texas