The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Every week I meet with a small group of friends from my church. We study a passage or chapter of the Bible, play games, cook food, or just hang out. But we always pray together, and this is a wonderful time of fellowship and encouragement for which I am truly grateful.

But I have to admit praying sometimes makes me uncomfortable. I’ve never been totally comfortable praying. Recently as I sat praying with my small group, my mind started to wander, and I started to think about what prayer means. I know it means “talking to God” but I was hoping for some deeper understanding.

Suddenly a verse suddenly popped into my mind: “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20)

I had an out-of-the-blue understanding of a simple yet profound truth: When we pray, we must pray as though God is right here with us … because God IS right here with us!

We need to speak to God as though Jesus were standing in front of us, hanging on every word … because HE IS!

When we pray our words are not dispersing into the air; they are being heard by God, whose Spirit lives within us (1 Corinthians 3:16) and who hears us because He is with us, not as a vague spirit but as a living person.

Jesus promises that when you pray he is right here with you. Not only that, He promised that He is “with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) When we pray, let’s speak to the One who “will never leave you nor forsake you”, as though He is right there with you … because HE IS!

Question: Are your prayers sometimes abstract and generic? How could keeping in mind God’s presence with you help keep them personal and specific?

Almighty God has given us the privilege of helping our loved ones by our prayers.

For a purpose known by God alone, through a spiritual process beyond our understanding, God has ordained that our prayers have power to assist those in trouble.

It is a mystery that we do not understand, yet through the Bible, the very words of God, we know it to be true.

“Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:19-20, NIV).

In these words Paul has penned, there is direction for our prayers for our friends.

Deliverance:
Our earnest and most fervent prayers should be for their deliverance. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he gave them these words, “Deliver us from evil.” We pray that God would deliver our loved ones who suffer from cancer or other illnesses if that is His will. But also we pray He would deliver them from pain, deliver them from fear, and most of all that He would deliver them from the power of the evil one who wishes to conquer them by this trouble.

In no way be ashamed:
Some we know are facing death. Though the hope of heaven is real for every believer, still they walk a difficult road where there is no one to explain how to do it.  The process is as mysterious as it is painful. We can pray that they will in no way be ashamed. Regardless of what a day brings, we can call on our Heavenly Father to show them how to think and speak and act with the grace they desire to show.

Sufficient courage:
None of us knows how we will respond in a terrifying and excruciating experience. Will we remain faithful to God? Will we trust in His goodness regardless of circumstance? Will anger or fear or guilt overwhelm us?  We must diligently pray that our friends will have sufficient courage so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in their lives.

God, we pray for our loved ones who are suffering. Deliver them.  Let them in no way be ashamed.  Give them sufficient courage to walk the path You have put before them. Amen.

Questions: How have you been helped by someone else’s prayers? How can you be more diligent in praying for those who are suffering?

Is there life after abortion? Talk to us

“Another thing you do: You flood the LORD’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because He no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands” (Malachi 2:13).

The term “crocodile tears” has been around for centuries to describe an insincere display of emotion.

Though the tears the Israelites wept in Malachi’s day may have been real, they didn’t come from a heart of repentance. They were sorry that God no longer listened to their prayers, but they weren’t sorry for their sins – which were the reason God no longer listened.

God’s people had forgotten Him. Instead of being fully devoted to Him, they followed other gods, mere idols, and broke faith with the only true God who had redeemed them. A question comes to mind as I read those words: Do we do that?

Do we weep and mourn over the consequence of our sin rather than over our sin itself? Do we cry out to God to save us and bless us while we continue in our evil ways? Are we sorry for our sin or just sorry that now we’re in so much trouble?

When we accept Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross as having paid the penalty for our sin we enter a covenant relationship with God, a sacred union. Like a marriage, it is an exclusive relationship. We have given God control of our lives and serve Him only.

Sin separates us from God and affects our relationship. As the Psalmist wrote, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18).

Thankfully God always hears the cry of a repentant heart. Therefore, let us humble ourselves before Him, not with a show of tears, but with a contrite heart.

Father God, forgive me when I cry out for help but am unwilling to repent. Don’t let me break faith with You, my Redeemer and Lord. Amen.

Questions: Why do we sometimes ask God to fix our situation without repenting of our sin? How can we guard against breaking faith with God?

Feeling lonely and unloved? Talk to someone who cares.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love… But the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13).

A little boy stared at Jesus with big eyes. The child took only a few steps forward before a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him back.“The teacher has no time for you today,” a gruff voice said. Jesus turned from His conversation and looked to see the child’s quivering lip. “Let the little  children come to me, and do not hinder them.” The boy freed himself from the   disciple’s grasp and ran to Jesus. (Mark 10:13–16)

Love is patient.

A woman stared into the eyes of her accusers, ignoring the rocks in their hands. Who were they to judge her  She braced herself and waited for the first blow. The crowd turned to Jesus saying, “Teacher, the Law of  Moses commanded us to stone such women. What do you say?”

Jesus replied, “If  any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” The woman watched her accusers leave one by one until Jesus alone remained. ‘Has no one condemned you?’ he asked her, “Then neither do I’” (John 8:1–11).

Love is kind.

Jesus lay prostrate on the ground offering up anguished  prayers. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:39–46).

Love is not self-seeking.

The crowds mocked and jeered at Jesus as He hung on a cross. “Save yourself, if you’re the Son of God. Come down so that we may see and  believe.” But when Jesus looked at them He saw only sheep without a Shepherd and prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Love keeps no record of wrongs.

The two Marys ran breathless from the tomb. Their minds raced as fast as their feet. Hadn’t Jesus said that He would come back to life?  Hadn’t He known He would suffer, and hadn’t He gone to Jerusalem anyway? They  had not understood Him then. But the empty tomb explained everything (Mark?16:1–8). A risen Christ means victory—victory over death, over sin, over Satan.

Love never fails.

Heavenly Father, God who is love, thank you for showing me your perfect love through Jesus. Teach me to love like He loves. Pour your love into my heart and out through me to the world who does not know you. Amen.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP: We love because God loved first

Questions: How has Jesus shown His patient love towards you? Is there someone that you can show God’s love to this week? How?

About the Author Rebecca Sample

Thinking of Divorce? Talk to someone who will listen.

Imagine you are camping with your family by a big lake. You’ve cooked dinner over the fire and now you are relaxing around the campfire roasting marshmallows and eating s’mores. There is no wind and the lake is perfectly still looking like a mirror reflecting a beautiful sunset. After eating the s’mores, the kids decide to throw rocks into the lake. They are captivated with the ripples they are making in the water, having a great time seeing who can make the biggest ripples.

Dad comments to Mom that the ripples the kids are making when throwing the rocks in the water remind him of the affect our prayers can have on others. Our intercessory prayers for our family members, friends, co-workers and others to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will have a ripple affect. They will affect their lives and the lives of those with whom they come in contact, even future generations.

In my family archives I found a letter written by my great-grandfather in Poland to my grandfather who had immigrated to America. In the letter, he wrote that he was praying for my grandfather, his children, and grandchildren. It has been a blessing for me to see, in writing, that my great-grandfather living in Poland had prayed for me when I was a small child. My great-grandfather’s prayers had a ripple effect on my grandfather, my father and on me.

We might be surprised how our prayers for our friends, neighbors, co-workers have a ripple effect on their lives and the lives they touch. When we introduce someone to Jesus Christ and he or she invites Him into their life, that person will have an influence on their families and others. We will never know many people they will influence for Jesus Christ in their families, neighborhoods, workplace and beyond.

Another way we can have a ripple effect is how we live our lives. As we seek the Lord ourselves and invest time, energy, and effort in our own walk with the Lord, we will have a ripple affect on our families and relationships.

In Psalms 128:1 and 2 it says, “When we walk with the Lord and follow his ways, we will enjoy the fruit of our labors and our lives will be rich”. Let’s deliberately pray for our loved ones, walk with the Lord and follow his ways then we will see the ripple effect, just as our kids enjoy the ripple effect from the rocks they throw into the water. We will enjoy the fruit of our labors and be richly blessed when we see God at work in the lives of others. We may not see the answers to our prayers during our lifetime but they will be in God’s storehouse and have a ripple effect.

Dear Lord I want to follow your ways so my prayers and the way I live my life will glorify you and have a ripple effect to my loved ones and those with whom I come in contact. Help me to be sensitive to the needs of others so I can pray for them and encourage them in their walk with you. Amen.

Questions: Do you pray intentionally for your families, neighbors, co-workers, friends, pastor, Missionaries etc?  Think back on how your ancestors have had a ripple effect on you.

About the Author Lillian Penner

Christians claim that God is love.  Is it true? Here is an online Bible study that will talk about that.

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask” (Matthew 6:8).

E-mail, messaging, cell phones, chat rooms, teleconferencing, skype! Technology has enabled us to meet and talk to people all over the world…instantly.

Just 15 years ago, when one of our daughters was in Kenya for a one-year mission’s project, it took letters three weeks to arrive in her mailbox. How times have changed!

Stop and think about it. You have got to be amazed at the speed our communications travel.

But even more amazing is the fact that God knows and hears our prayers even before we think about them or open our mouths. He even knows what we could have said and didn’t, how our prayers will be answered, how we will respond to the answer.

Technology is God’s idea. He wants us to use it to help reach and teach people to worship Him. A friend told me about an 80 year old man who is leading people to Christ in the Chat rooms.

God is so amazing and great! Let’s worship Him today! He is worthy of our awe and praise.

“O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit or stand. When far away you know my every thought. You chart my path ahead of me, and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment, you know where I am. You know what I am going to say before I even say it” (Psalm 139:1-4).

Questions: What is it that amazes you today about our great God? How can our modern technology help you to serve God better today?

About the author Katherine Kehler

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EST.

“The poor and needy seek water, but there is none, their tongues fail for thirst. I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers in desolate heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water”  (Isaiah 41:17-18).

September 23, 1857, Jeremiah Lanphier, a middle aged single business man, responded to a call from the Lord to start a noon hour prayer meeting in the heart of New York City. He took posters around to the businesses in the area announcing the time and the place of the meeting. That first day Jeremiah was the only one there for the first thirty minutes, but by the end of the hour a total of six people attended. The next week there were twenty people and by the third week forty. Within short order, the idea had spread to seeing every church and public meeting hall filled with tens of thousands of New Yorkers for noon hour prayer, daily crying out to God for their city. The result was that over one hundred and fifty thousand new believers came to acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Interestingly, the cultural and economic climate of New York at that time was very similar to what it is today. It was extremely busy, culturally diverse, and its focus was on making money. Church buildings were empty and there was very little interest in Jesus in comparison to the American population at large. As is true now, America was facing a major financial crises caused by wide spread corruption and embezzlement. As a result businesses all over the country were struggling.

What an awesome historical precedent we have of the power of God to move over and change a city when the people rise up to pray. It amazes me how it took only one man to make a decision to be obedient, and to see many follow. Revival is already God’s plan and desire for our country. Our prayers are the trigger!

“For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring” (Isaiah 44:3).

Questions: How can you make a difference in your “world”?  Tell us about some things that God has been speaking to you about.

About the Author Emmie Stanley

Do you regret having had an abortion? Need someone to talk to?

Here are some questions we might ask ourselves:
How real has the Lord Jesus Christ been to me?
Did I seek His will when making decisions?
Was my life a good example for others?
Did I help anyone else come to Christ?
How many prayers did I have answered?
If I could do it over, would I live the same way?

We may not have last year to live over, but we do have the coming year in which to live better.

God has caused all those who receive His Son as Savior to be born into His family. He has forgiven their sins and given them everlasting life. Jesus Christ gives His supernatural peace and joy to all those who follow Him (John 14:17; John 15:11). He gives to them the indwelling Comforter to guide and teach them. But those who are not right with God do not enjoy these great and protective blessings (Ephesians 4:30-31).

Would you like to get back on track with God and have a better year that will give you the satisfaction, peace, and joy that living for Christ can? Would you like your life from now on to count for something good and worthwhile in this life and for eternity and God’s approval? Here are Scriptures that can help you do that.

“If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NIV).

“Therefore, I urge you…in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer 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 12:1-2, NIV).

“Put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness….Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:22-32).

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and his mighty power. Put on the whole armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:10-18).

I often recommend to those who want or need to get right with the Lord this web site.

I recommend this site to those who need God’s salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.

Questions: What would be one lesson that you have learned from this past year that will help you with decision making for this coming year?

About the Author Muriel Larson

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EDT.

In the book of Exodus (Chapter 17:8 – 16) we read the story of the Israelites fighting the Amalekites. There we see that the physical battle was merely the framework for the spiritual conflict. When Moses said, “Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands” (Exodus 17:9, NIV) he was signifying that he was trusting in God for victory.

There was a direct correlation between Moses’ uplifted arms and the battle being waged in the valley below him. “As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.” (Exodus 17:11, NIV)

We all grow weary at times.  We cannot continue on our own. The struggles we face are beyond flesh and blood. Though our faith may not falter our physical strength does. The same was true for Moses.

“When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up – one on one side, one on the other – so that his hands remained steady till sunset” (Exodus 17:12, NIV).

Alone, Moses would have failed in his task of holding up the staff of God, but two men, a friend and a brother, stood with him enabling him to remain steady.  We also can be like these men, Aaron and Hur. By our constant prayers, we hold up the hands of our loved ones whose strength is failing.

A spiritual battle can only be fought with spiritual weapons. Paul exhorts us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for the saints” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV).  As we pray, we help other to hold up their hands.

God, we lift up our hands and our prayers to hold up the arms of those who are too weary to do it on their own any longer. Sustain them with Your powerful right arm. Amen.

Questions: Are you aware of the spiritual battle around you? How have you experienced God’s power in your life through the prayers of others?

About the Author Suzanne Benner

Imagine you are camping with your family by a big lake. You’ve cooked dinner over the fire and now you are relaxing around the campfire roasting marshmallows and eating s’mores. There is no wind and the lake is perfectly still looking like a mirror reflecting a beautiful sunset. After eating the s’mores, the kids decide to throw rocks into the lake. They are captivated with the ripples they are making in the water, having a great time seeing who can make the biggest ripples.

Dad comments to Mom that the ripples the kids are making when throwing the rocks in the water remind him of the affect our prayers can have on others. Our intercessory prayers for our family members, friends, co-workers and others to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will have a ripple affect. They will affect their lives and the lives of those with whom they come in contact, even future generations.

In my family archives I found a letter written by my great-grandfather in Poland to my grandfather who had immigrated to America. In the letter, he wrote that he was praying for my grandfather, his children, and grandchildren. It has been a blessing for me to see, in writing, that my great-grandfather living in Poland had prayed for me when I was a small child. My great-grandfather’s prayers had a ripple effect on my grandfather, my father and on me.

We might be surprised how our prayers for our friends, neighbors, co-workers have a ripple effect on their lives and the lives they touch. When we introduce someone to Jesus Christ and he or she invites Him into their life, that person will have an influence on their families and others. We will never know many people they will influence for Jesus Christ in their families, neighborhoods, workplace and beyond.

Another way we can have a ripple effect is how we live our lives. As we seek the Lord ourselves and invest time, energy, and effort in our own walk with the Lord, we will have a ripple affect on our families and relationships.

In Psalms 128:1 and 2 it says, “When we walk with the Lord and follow his ways, we will enjoy the fruit of our labors and our lives will be rich”. Let’s deliberately pray for our loved ones, walk with the Lord and follow his ways then we will see the ripple effect, just as our kids enjoy the ripple effect from the rocks they throw into the water. We will enjoy the fruit of our labors and be richly blessed when we see God at work in the lives of others. We may not see the answers to our prayers during our lifetime but they will be in God’s storehouse and have a ripple effect.

Dear Lord I want to follow your ways so my prayers and the way I live my life will glorify you and have a ripple effect to my loved ones and those with whom I come in contact. Help me to be sensitive to the needs of others so I can pray for them and encourage them in their walk with you. Amen.

Questions: Do you pray intentionally for your families, neighbors, co-workers, friends, pastor, Missionaries etc?  Do your prayers or the way you live your life have a ripple effect on others?

About the Author Lillian Penner