My Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Father, thank you for the opportunity to serve you, your kingdom, and to draw others to Christ. Thank you for the opportunity to be a vessel that you can use to not only love others but to draw others to you. Thank you for the opportunity to guide others to have a close and personal relationship with you and to teach others what you have taught me, our identity in Christ. Thank you for the opportunity to encourage others with your Word and promises. Father, I come to you to petition you to convict me and people in authoritative positions and who potentially hold the lives of others in our hands of wrongdoing. Father, chastise us when we wrongfully treat others in your name. Father, powerfully convict each and every one when someone uses deception, power and manipulation to control where your love and power should be shown. I ask you to powerfully convict when misuse of power and access is used to deflect those who oppose us. Father, convict the minds and hearts of people who would rather they receive glory, honor and praise where you should be uplifted, put first and receive all glory, honor and praise. LORD, help us to be benevolent. Help us to be kind and good, to manifest the mature fruit of the Spirit to everyone so that others will be won to Christ through our actions. Help us to respect your authority and your power instead of trying to force people to fit into our man-made molds. Help us LORD to let go of the misconception that we can save people and change people because only you can. Father, help us to serve people with the same love and humbleness that Jesus served us. Help us to be the voice, hands and feet of Jesus. Father, thank you for helping me to see through your eyes. Thank you for revealing the hearts of others to me and giving me the strength to not feel crushed by that knowledge. Thank you for giving me your grace to forgive, to love with the love of Christ and be patient while you work through me to help others. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to serve you and others. In Jesus name I pray these things; your will be done, not my will and to you be all glory, honor and praise. AMEN.

Written by: Lisa Clewis

Be Aware of the Devil's Schemes

There are so many rumors going around about the book of Esther. Esther is about a plot to completely wipe out the Jews and it almost happened because of one man's dislike for them BUT GOD called Esther to stand in the gap and his people were delivered from this slaughter by being given permission to fight to stay alive. 

Fast forward to today's times. All we, who are not Jews and who are Jews, who believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Creator and one true God, and that he died for our sins and was raised from the dead is a member of the one true vine, Jesus Christ. We believers are, all over the world, family in Christ. We have one common enemy, Satan. And he has an army, demons, who are here to engage us in spiritual battle and destroy us in every way possible; our unity as one brotherhood, our identity in Christ, and steal the truth from our minds and hearts. 

How does the enemy steal the truth from our hearts? He takes a little bit of truth, puts his spin on it and influences us to believe lies. Read the creation story. See how Eve was tricked and influenced because she wasn't faithful, grateful nor believed what God told her. Even she added on to what God had said to she and Adam. Keep your hearts in check. Stay your mind on God and his ways. Daily make a mental list of what you're thankful for. Read and study the Bible for yourself. Do not take someone else's word for it. Pray throughout the day. Be sober and alert. This world is temporary but eternity... Well, that's forever. 

Written by: Lisa Clewis