praying Archives – Sonshine's Journal

February 24, 2023February 24, 2023

Kingdom Workers

Numbers 3-4 God directed Moses to guide Aaron in selecting those workers to erect and dismantle the Tabernacle for “moving day” and established duties that brought order by choosing the clan of the Levites with one leader, Aaron. He was to have many followers/workers for the erecting and dismantling of the Tabernacle in an orderly fashion.

Just as the tribe of Levi was responsible for serving Aaron, so likewise, today, we have many servant duties and responsibilities for our churches’ leaders, elders, and deacons. Designation of duties brings order where there might be chaos. [1Cor 14:40] God wanted the children of Israel to remember that all work in the kingdom of God is royal service, whether upfront or behind the scenes. The psalmist noted: “I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of the wickedness.” [Ps 84:10]

God has a role for you to serve in His kingdom work; where has God placed you to serve? Are you praying for the servant leaders in your church?

September 3, 2021September 3, 2021

Standing, Praying, Repairing

Ezekiel 22 –Jeremiah 5 – Nehemiah 2

How important is prayer today as we see our nation and the people stumbling? Nehemiah returned to the city of Jerusalem and found the walls breached and the people without hope. He gathered the residents to repair the wall, and when the enemies sought to undermine, they gathered together armed to resist. He established a routine to rebuild the wall and completed it in 52 days! Today God is searching for that Nehemiah to repair what is broken spiritually, and it begins by praying for our nation, which is full of the hurt, the needy, and the lost.

God challenged Ezekiel and Jeremiah to go and search for one faithful man to stand in the gap. Paul told the Corinthians that they were the stewards of the mysteries of God. The message has not changed, the method has not changed, but the people’s hearts need to be changed.

Will you and I be found faithful to be that agent of change? Are we standing in the gap of the wall? Are we busy about the business of prayer in our churches? Nehemiah challenged the people to rebuild and they responded

“Let’s begin rebuilding right away” [ Nehemiah 2:18 ]

January 6, 2014

Lord I am Awake!

Are you a persistent prayer warrior? These three psalms give us a clue as to what that entails. Persistent prayer begins in the wee hours of the morning. King David began each morning this way and ended it as well. ““In the morning.” This is the fittest time for intercourse with God. An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening. While the dew is on the grass, let grace drop upon the soul. Let us give to God the mornings of our days and the morning of our lives. Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night. Devotion should be both the morning star and the evening star.” [Spurgeon]

Persistent prayer closes our day and offers a time to reflect, a time to meditate, a time to contemplate as we close our eyelids. This child’s prayer is as simple as it gets:

“Now I lay me down to sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep,

If I shall die before I wake,

I pray the Lord my soul to take. Amen.”

There is comfort in that prayer and perhaps that is why children like King David can say: 3:5 “I rested and slept; I awoke, for the Lord protects me.” 4:8 “I will lie down and sleep peacefully, for you, Lord, make me safe and secure.”

We could change some of this to a simple prayer to begin our day taking ideas from these psalms and psalm 1:

Now Lord I am awake!

I pray that my righteousness I will not forsake,

Guide me step by step to glorify You,

In all I say and in all I do. Amen

Are you awake and refreshed? Have you spent time with God this morning? If not, consider that as a beginning to your new year’s goals.