Quiet Confidence

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 1: 18-25

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her fiancé, was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.


PRAYER

Lord, Joseph heard you, believed you, and followed you regardless of the whispers of well-meaning people in the shadows. I pray that you would give ______ the same ear to hear your direction, the same faith to walk your path, and the same quiet confidence to disarm the impact of other’s opinions. Amen.

ENCOURAGEMENT

Don’t live your life based on the popular opinion of others. Is your heart right before God, and your conscience clear? Then walk the path he has put before you. It does not matter how right they think they are. It only matters what God tells your heart.

Compassion

SCRIPTURE

 

Psalm 40:11,17

11        You, O LORD, will not withhold your compassion from me; your lovingkindness and your truth will continually preserve me.

 

17        Since I am afflicted and needy, let the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God.

(NASB)

 

 

PRAYER

 

Lord, ______ is afflicted and needy. I ask that you would help her to know that’s ok. Some of her pain is due to things beyond her control, and some is because of her own sin. But regardless Lord, she needs compassion, both from your people and you. I ask that you would move in the hearts of those around her to show compassion. I pray that you would give them a deep awareness and understanding of her pain. Help them to look beyond the veneer of “togetherness” and see the true hurt. Help them to crawl out of their own world long enough to see the reality of her world, Lord. Bring them alongside ______ so that they feel the depth of her pain with her. Move them to show compassion for her, actively, purposefully, and often. And Lord, even in those seasons when your people fail her, hold her close to yourself, and make her know that you truly do understand everything, and that you feel her pain with her. May she know the sweetness of your compassion. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

His compassion is real, powerful, and sweet. Own it. And remember, you are worthy of the compassion of his people. Their abandonment speaks more of their character than your worthiness. Forgive them, and lean on our Lord.

 

 

Weeping... then Joy

SCRIPTURE

 

Psalm 30:5

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

 

 

PRAYER

 

Lord, there are days when I weep, if not with outward tears, then with inward sorrow of soul. I feel the heaviness of heart that comes from my mistakes, from the pain I have caused, or from the effect of other’s sin. There is no escape from this pain. There is no road around it, only a hard path through it. The dark clouds of painful emotions hover above, and the pelting rain of circumstance is relentless. The stinging winds of consequence buffet me about without mercy, and for a moment I know your anger Lord, but only for a moment. For though the darkening storm lasts through what seems to be a long night, yet the sunshine of joy is on the horizon. Pain is but for a season, and then you bring joy. And the sunshine of joy is sweeter for having endured the storm of pain. The flower of your favor is more beautiful because of the rain you allow. So Lord, please take me through this night as weeping overwhelms me. Hold me. Help me. Comfort me. And in faith, I long for the morning you will wipe my tears away, and give me joy. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

Hold on through the night. The morning will be better. Trust him for that.

Our Prayers, God's Miracles

SCRIPTURE

 

1 Kings 16:41- 45 (selected)

 

Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!”

So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees.

Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.”

The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.”

Seven times Elijah told him to go and look.

Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.”…And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm…

 

James 5: 16-18

 

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 17 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! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

 

 

PRAYER

 

Lord, ______ has many things in her heart for which she prays, actions she would like you to take, situations she would like you to influence, hopes and dreams for her tomorrow, longings for today, desires on other’s behalf. She asks for strength, faith, hope, love, peace, and joy. She would have you effect growth in her and others. Lord, I ask that you would make ______’s prayers earnest. May she pray with a depth of passion that moves the angels to take wing and deliver her requests to you in haste. I ask that you would clothe her with the righteousness of Jesus so that her prayers come to you in power and produce results. I pray that she would fall down before you in humility and dependence, pleading her heart day and night. And Lord, I ask that you would hear her prayers, and answer them in your grace. As she delights herself in you, may you grant her the desires of her heart for which she pleads. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

Elijah was no different that you. Allow your prayers to flow from a deep earnestness and powerful righteousness. Then stand back and watch God work miracles indeed.

 

 

God's Protection from Enemies

SCRIPTURE

Psalm 138:7-8
7 Though I am surrounded by troubles,
      you will protect me from the anger of my enemies.
   You reach out your hand,
      and the power of your right hand saves me.
 8 The LORD will work out his plans for my life-
      for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever.
      Don't abandon me, for you made me.

PRAYER
[Pray this for yourself]

I am surrounded by troubles some days Lord. My enemies seem to sense when I am low, and under the pretense of seeking to understand, their anger lashes out with accusation. I feel unheard, misunderstood, and judged. They know well what to say, and how to strike. I sometimes feel in need of a Samaritan who will render emotional care and healing. Yet there is none, Lord, but you. Thank you that the power of your right hand reaches out and saves me. Thank you that you will work out your plans for my life with a faithful love. And most of all, thank you that you will never abandon me. I rest in your strong arms. Amen.

ENCOURAGEMENT

Hear well the promptings of our Lord, yet deafen your ear to the anger of your enemies. If they spoke the words of God, they would also emulate their Lord's faithful love. Though many may abandon you, our Lord will ever be with you.

Unfair Criticism

SCRIPTURE

 

1 Peter 3:13-17

13        Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?

14        But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED,

15        but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

16        and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

17        For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

(NASB)

 

PRAYER

 

Lord, there are times when ______ suffers the harshness and accusation of a critical crowd. Sometimes hidden in the refuse of their words are small nuggets of truth, but mostly they are the judgments of small people who prefer the delicacies of slander to truth. Assumptions prevail over honest inquiry. They squint from a distance, choosing the facts they prefer, but never seeking a clear view of the whole. They purport to know the intentions of ______’s heart, but their ears are clogged with their preconceptions. And worst of all, they sometimes cloak their judgments with religiosity. Lord, thank you for ______’s openness to your promptings, for her quickness of confess, repent and obey. And in that, I ask that you would help her to feel the cleanness of a good conscience before you. I pray that you would remove from her any fear of their intimidation. Calm her heart so that she may rest in your smile upon her. And Lord, as she continues to walk closely to you, I pray that you would reveal the shame of her accusers. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

Your Lord knows you. He sees right down to your very soul, and understands your heart. Don’t allow these small people to steal your peace or direct your paths. Walk with our Lord, and follow your deep heart.

 

Rebuilding

SCRIPTURE

 

Psalm 147:1-6

 

Praise the Lord!

How good to sing praises to our God!
How delightful and how fitting!
2 The Lord is rebuilding Jerusalem
and bringing the exiles back to Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.
4 He counts the stars
and calls them all by name.
5 How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!
6 The Lord supports the humble,
but he brings the wicked down into the dust.

 

 

PRAYER

Lord, it brings such hope to know that you are the re-builder. You rebuild broken hearts, broken worlds, broken spirits and broken dreams. I pray for ______ this week Lord that she would feel the power of your attentive care. I ask that you would bandage her wounds, and begin the healing. I pray that your power would be displayed in the reconstruction of her life. May your understanding so penetrate her life that she feels known, understood, accepted and loved by you. And as she feels her back begin to bend under the load of life, may your support be powerful and sweet. May her hope rest completely in you, Lord. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

He calls the stars by name, and yet you are more brilliant and more important still. He knows and understands you. He heals. He has both the power and the understanding to do whatever it takes to re-build you. Trust him today, and walk closely with him into tomorrow.