A Prayer of Blessing
by Suzanne Benner
**Do you have have a question right now about some obstacles that stand in your way? http://christianwomentoday.com/chat/askus.html
“Now may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones” (1 Thessalonians 3:11-13).
Paul prays this blessing for the believers in Thessalonica.
We can model our prayers for ourselves and for others after this one, asking God to:
* Clear the way.
* Increase our love.
* Strengthen our hearts.
There are many obstacles that stand in the way of us living a Christian life and doing what God wants. Physical barriers of time and energy, poor health and finances exist. Beyond the obvious tangible barriers, there is the reality that we are in a spiritual battle. Satan does not want us to walk in truth or serve each other. Thus, our prayers begin with the essential cry that God would clear the way for us to do His will.
God has demonstrated His unconditional love for us by sacrificing Jesus for our sins. Though His love naturally exists in our hearts, love for a child, a friend or a brother, we fall far short of His unconditional love. Every day we need to pray that He would increase our love.
Finally, Paul prays for believers’ hearts to be strengthened so that they would be blameless and holy in God’s presence. Without God’s power we become weary, fearful and discouraged.
~God, I pray for everyone reading this today. Please clear the way for them. You know what You are calling them to do; remove the obstacles from their path, do not allow Satan to hinder them from accomplishing Your will. Increase their love, so that it would overflow unconditionally to everyone they encounter today. Also, please strengthen their hearts. Help them not to become discouraged, but renew their faith in You, Almighty God. Amen.
Questions: What are you asking God to clear the way for today? How does knowing how Paul prayed help you pray?
About the Author: http://talk.thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/suzanne-benner/
i am asking for my daughter in law to change her life style and com to the Lord i have been praying for years for this to happen
i have been away for a few days and am truing to get cought up on my devotional so my comments are short but i do want to thank you all for the wonderful devotionals you have wrote
Patti;
To be honest everyone has those times when our faith is tested.purified by fire. we are all tested and tried, we grow up through them. from the outside at times everyone looks closer to God then I am, but that’s satan’s way of bringing me down. phillipians 4;8 says think on things that are true, lovely,noble.praiseworthy that’s Gods love for us.
Thank you so much, Jackie….for reminding me. So many things I don’t think about….. the teaching of David and Goliath. I sometimes wonder if I have learned or grown any, there is so much spiritual understanding and wisdom. It seems I fluctuate from one mountain top to the valley.
You have encouraged me, friend…..
Patti;
Our lives, who and what we are aren’t based on how we feel, It is what God says about our live, who and what we are. You will come through your spiritual battles. Remember david slew Goliath in a VALLEY. That’s where our victories are won. Then we enjoy the mountain tops. I’ll be praying for you. You are a woman of great faith no matter how you feel. God has used you to help myself and others I know, so be encouraged and enjoy your Lord , Dear Patti.
Love ya Sister
Hang in there
Jackie
Romel…I have been reading and re-reading all you have written on this devotion….. and today’s devotion. You are so filled with the Word and Holy Spirit.
I don’t know how faithful I am…at least the way I feel tonight…but I know that I am in spiritual battle….I think/believe that. I ask prayer from you ladies…and feel guilty in asking for prayer, but many of you have been my lifeline during times I have felt defeated. I thank Him and praise Him for you and all you have been been.
This blog and those here has been such a blessing to me and how I thank Him for you. I continue to pray for those teens in the accident and pray He finds my prayers…..worthy.
Thank you Suzanne for the great devotional: May I quote part of what you have said that is so true:
“There are many obstacles that stand in the way of us living a Christian life and doing what God wants. Physical barriers of time and energy, poor health and finances exist. Beyond the obvious tangible barriers, there is the reality that we are in a spiritual battle. Satan does not want us to walk in truth or serve each other. Thus, our prayers begin with the essential cry that God would clear the way for us to do His will.”
This is very true and need to be a part of daily prayers for GOD’s servants and people in the ministry.
FATHER, I thank you for YOUR faithful handmaidens here who are so willing and have passion to bring petitions to YOU for all the needs that we have and all the circumstances that we are in. Thank YOU that YOU are the one setting on the throne and that because we agreed to all prayers lifted here by Marilyn, Jerseygirl, Linda and the needs of Barbara, Kt and her husband, Christina and her Mission trip, the complete recovery of mike, Zach and Veronica due to serious accident, FATHER I join all the detailed prayers of my sisters over these needs. I stand on YOUR word in Matthew 18:19 that when two agreed on the same thing praying for them in JESUS name that YOU will grant them all to us. Thank YOU LORD for YOUR promises and YOUR word are truth. We know we can count on YOU and YOUR sovereignty LORD GOD and so our eyes are on YOU. IN CHRIST name, we pray, Amen
GOD bless sisters.
Romel H
Oh Dear Jesus I just come before you right now on behalf of these families who have children that have been involved in this horrible car accident. Please Dear Jesus be with each one of them, be especially with this girl Veronica who is very seriously injured, Lord just minister to her right now, touch her and cause her wounds to heal and there not be any side effects left from any of them, just let her be whole and completely healed I pray in Your name. Jesus also be with the Parents as they will be going through such anguish right now and oh how my heart aches for each and everyone of them as I myself have stood in their exact spot. Hold them close to you, help them to feel Your Loving Arms wrapped ever so tightly around them. I just ask all these things In Faith Believing Amen & Amen!
Hugs, Linda!!!
Could you please pray for my husbands nephews Darren and Isaac. they were in a serious car wreck this afternoon, their were 5 teens in the car total. the girl was hurt very seriouly her name is veronica.The other 2 boys are zach and mike.the boys are in shock as well.
Thank you ladie, Love you all
Jackie
Christina,
I also pray all good for your missions trip to Uganda. May God reach many through you and your missions team there. I pray in Jesus’ precious name, Amen
Dear Christina, I have an especially tender spot in my heart for the Ugandans, as my daughter went with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship to Uganda in 2005, through her college, for a month-long mission trip. They served on a small Christian compound, teaching, building, and ministering to young men, women and children, many of whom had been orphaned by AIDS and conflict. Their team consisted of about 12 college students and 1 team leader, who had gone on previous mission trips there. My daughter was incredibly blessed by the experience, and came home a changed person! May your experince there be such, and may our Lord use you mightily to tend and nourish souls for Him! God bless! :)
Gracious heavenly Father, thank You for calling Christina to serve You in Uganda, and thank You for prompting her to respond in loving obedience! Your people all over the world are hungry for Your Truth, as so many nations are in spiritual famine, and corrupt leaders work to suppress the spread of Christianity. Thank You for missionaries, whose passion is to share the ‘Good News’ with the lost in these countries, giving them hope in such unsettled times. We lift up our dear sister, Christina, and her mission teammates to You, Lord, for Your blessing and protection to be upon them as they follow Your calling to serve Your people in Africa! Fill them with Your Spirit, we pray, that their ministry would meet all the goals that You have laid on their hearts, and that souls would be added to the body of Christ! May Your love shine brightly through these dear missionaries, and may they be equally blessed by the opportunity to share Your Truth with these precious people! In the blessed Name of Jesus, Amen!
Dear Heavenly Father I just come along side of Christina in agreement with her prayer as a team from her church leave on a missions trip to Uganda on Saturday. Lord I also ask that You be with the children of Africa watch over them, protect them and kept them from all the terrible acts of violence that are going on there. Dear Jesus I just pray that You would place Your angels around about them to keep them from harm and those that come in contact with this mission team I pray that they will give their hearts to You. I just pray all these things In Your Name In Faith Believing Amen! Hugs, Linda!!!
I am so thankful for this devotional today. I leave this Saturday with a team from my church on a missions trip to Uganda. The Words are so timely as we are preparing. I Thank the Lord that every detail is under His care and attention and I pray that He will go before us and clear the path for us as we work along side of the people of Uganda. I pray that His purpose is fulfilled for all of us sent by HIm who loves us all. Please agree with me in prayer and if I could ask if it is on your heart to pray for the children of Africa. May God bless you and keep you!
jerseygirl, great insight and ideas for Barbara T! :)
Precious Lord, we thank You for the privilege of prayer! That You would want to hear from us, that You care about the tiniest details of our lives is beyond our understanding! As You govern the universe from Your throne, and order all of creation, You seek us passionately, and invite us to commune with You! Thank You for condescending to us, that we might share intimacy with our Creator! Lord, we lift up our hurting sisters to You today, asking that You would intercede in their lives, their marriages, their homes, and exchange harmony and peace for any discord and turmoil that has taken root there. Give wisdom and courage to those who need to make changes, understanding and grace to those who are in conflict, and ignite a burning passion for You in those whose hearts have been quickened by Your Holy Spirit! Sensitize hearts, Lord, that loved ones who have caused grief will be convicted, and turn from their selfish ways and reconcile differences. You are the designer of families, and we know it grieves You when our families are struggling. Help us to be more patient, more loving, more forgiving, more understanding, more self-controlled in our homes, that those around us will see the reflection of Jesus in us! We pray this in the powerful Name of Jesus, Amen!
Praise The Lord, my devotional is fixed.Thank you.
Ladies I am praying for all of you. I know God is hearing our prayers.He promised he would never leave us or forsake us. You dear women of faith ,God is working for our good. love you all
Jackie
Dear Barbara T My heart aches for you as I have a 2 1/2yr & 1 yrs old grandsons and I know the burden it can be in babysitting them sometimes and they don’t live with me. I truly think you need to just stand up to your daughter and if it means unfortunately that you have to go out even for a walk to the park, for coffee with a friend but somehow she has to learn that her daughter is her responsibility. Have you ever considered having your other daughter talk to her and explain what a burden it is putting on you and how you are not as young as you used to be?
Dear Heavenly Father I just bring Barbara T to you right now Lord just speak to her daughters heart, please show her how she is taking advantage of her mother with making her look after her daughter all the time. Lord just lay it upon her heart to step up to the plate and be responsible as a mother for her own child and to stop using her mother continually as the babysitter for her daughter. Lord I just pray that this will all will work out with no hard feeling whatsoever in Your Holy Name I Pray. Amen! Hugs Linda!!
thank you Jerseygirl, for your reply I am open to all suggestions, and I am very grateful for them.
Thank you for the prayers also.
Barbara T.
” offering my children friendly advice, but they take it as nagging and criticism” That is what I meant to say in paragraph one.
I echo Linda’s prayers for KT and Nikki.
Barbara T. It doesn’t sound selfish to stand up for yourself and wanting your daughter to take more responsiblity for her daughter. Perhaps a family meeting is in order to discuss boundaries within such a busy household. It must be a tough situation. You have lots of experience as a mother and perhaps your daughter may be feeling inadequate as a mother. Maybe she wants to take more responsiblity, but feeling because you are doing all the work, you are not trusting her abilities to take care of her own daughter. Maybe you can ask her to help and as much you might want to, don’t critize or say anything negative about how she is taking care of her daugher. I am not saying you are doing this, but I know I think I am offering my own children friendly you can say to your daughter, “so and so needs a bath tonight, can you do it? Then let her do it, don’t offer any suggestions and offer lots of praise for doing it.
Another suggestion is that you go out more. I remember, as one of the younger children, my older syblings would sometimes take advantage of my mother by always bringing the children over. My mother was smart, she got herself a part-time job and made sure she was involved in lots of church and outside activities. If she wasn’t around, the mothers had no choice but to take responsibility.
I will offer your situation up to the Lord that you both find a workable, loving solution. Just one more kind note, no one can take advantage of you unless you let them. Lots of peace and reconciliation.
Thank you Linda…
Nikki your request came in as I was praying for KT do you mind if I pray for you too?
Dear Heavenly Father I come before You once again with Nikki’s request of so desiring a deeper relationship with You. Jesus she has know You for many years but so desires to know You at such a deeper and more personal level. Jesus she has obstacles in her life that need to be removed and I just pray now Lord that she will be willing to give them up and with your help they will be removed . Lord I just pray that You will meet this desire of her heart to know You more and more. Draw her to church services, Bible Studies, womens groups or even a close Christian friend that can be a mentor to her. Lord we know that You will do this for her and we just claim it in Your Name and also dear Lord we pray for her husband as he struggles with this problem he has that You would reveal to him the effects it is having on his life and he would give it up and You would draw him too closer to You and Lord as a Couple they would Grow together Closer and Closer to You each day. I just Pray All These Things In Faith Believing Amen! Hugs, Linda!!!
I was just having quiet time with God before I got this devotional this afternoon. It was about this exact topic. I prayed for more of God’s love to come into my heart mind and soul toward my adult children that live here.
My son in law works all night and my daughter is a stay at home mom, they have one child she is a little over 2 yrs old.
Lately my daughter has not been taking the responsibility taking care of the baby. She seems to just go to bed whenever she feels like it and she leaves the baby in my care. Now don’t get me wrong I love being with my granddaughter but lately it has become a full time job. Leaving me very little time for quiet and alone time with God. I feel overworked and over depended on, and I also feel that my daughter is taking advantage of the situation of me living here. We have 4 adults and one child here which we all have been getting along really well with each other.
I have talked to my daughter 2 times now the last time being this morning, about her taking some of the responsible care of her daughter. I told her it was not right that I should have to go to her to ask for help with the babies care. That it should be her asking for help from me.
Just because I live here (this house belongs to another daughter here) does not mean I am a built in babysitter. I have not had a life of my own lately and Satan can use this against me and take my JOY if I do not stand up for my own rights and place some boundaries for my own self care.
I do not want to be fussing or complaining but things have just got out of hand and is not getting any better.
The Baby wants to be with me all the time because she does not get attention from her own Mom.
I do not have money to move out so that is not an option.
I am trusting that God is going to help with this and make some changes that we can all live with together. We are a very loving family but I need some space. I pray that I am not being selfish and selfcentered in feeling this way.
If my daughter was sick and could not take care of her daughter that would be a totally different thing.
I prayed this morning that God would give me some direction.
I told my daughter that I felt as if I didn’t have a life of my own with all the care I had to give to the baby, while she (daughter) slept most of the day, staying up at night to play computer games.
I told my daughter that I should not be having to come to her having the conversation about the care of her daughter.
I am tired and when a Christian is tired, Satan is there to bring on resentment feelings, and I do not want to live that way.
I told my daughter that I could not live with resentments toward her, that I loved her and the baby but I am not going to keep on taking full care of the baby.
God help me if I am wrong to feel this way but I do feel very used and there seems to be no change since the last time I talked with my daughter about this.
If any of you relate please let me know, and feedback on this will be gratefully appreciated.
In His Love,
Barbara T. From Florida
Dear Heavenly Father I just bring KT and her husband to You right now, Jesus You see the problems they are having in their marriage. Lord I just pray that You will work in both of their lives, minister to them both, show them that it is what you put into a marriage Not what you get out of it. Help them both to put 100% of themselves into this marriage, help them both to pray together for Your guidance and direction. Lord we just pray that they both will have forgiving spirits towards one another and healing and restoration will take place in Your Wonderful Holy Name I Pray In Faith Believing! Amen!
Hugs, Linda!!!
I have not posted on this blog before but have felt a longing to do so, to know that there are fellow Christians praying for each other. I have recently felt a need to grow closer to Christ. I was raised in a Christian home and have lived a “good” life but have not had the relationship with Christ that I should. I pray that the “obstacles” in my life will be removed that I might be filled with Christ’s love and that it would shine through me.
KT, I will pray for your relationship with your husband. Although my husband and I have a good relationship we struggle with a particular problem that he has. I pray that he will fully realize the effects of what he is doing and draw closer to God.
Hi everyone, it seems as though the web server that sends out the devotional emails is currently down, thank you for alerting us to the problem.
We’re working to get it working again, and appreciate your patience while we get it fixed! :)
Jackie and Vanessa, I did not recieve the devotional today and a couple of other times this past week. What I have done is dragged teh icon from The URL address of the devotional page, (open to the page) I have dragged the icon and placed it on my toolbar. When I don’t get a devotional, I than can just click on the icon and have ready access to the website. Hope this is helpfu.
The obstacle for me is that my mind sometimes keeps worrying about the future, as if I could do anything about that or sometimes wanders to past events and relive those events. To do God’s work, I need to stay in the present moment, in the stillness, that is where God is. When I stay in the light, God’s power and love can come through me.
Dear Almighty Father, please help me to stay focused on you. Let me not worry about my children and the decisions they make. So far they have made good decisions for them. Lord what happened to me in the past, is just that, the past. What happened to me in the past made me who I am today. The past has no power over me today!. It is okay to have feelings about the past, but so what? They are just feelings. Lord, my desire is to walk with you today, and that whoever I encounter today can see you through me and feel your love and peace and welcoming arms. I pray this prayer for me, my family, and for all those who visit here today. In Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN
I am not receiving the devotionals either. I received one on Monday but have not received one for Tuesday or today? Please advise if this can be fixed
I am not recieving my devotionals. Not today or yesterday.not sure how to fix it, can you help?
thank you
I read this everyday but have never commented until now. My husband and I are having marital problems and every morning I spend time praying for us. This morning I was at a total loss for words about what to pray for and where to go. I just spent time in silence and then got on here to read this and THANK YOU! Thank you God for putting these things in my path to remind me that you are still in control and how to pray.