Relationships and Family

“Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.” – John 20:24, NIV

Henry had been a pastor for over twenty years. He loved the little church he ministered over and delighted in serving them. He watched children grow up to become adults who brought their littles on to the Sunday services.

But when his own daughter returned from college questioning her faith, Henry felt like a failure. He searched and searched, trying to understand what he’d done wrong. He was terrified to share his daughter’s questions with the congregation. 

He finally reached out to a mentor. The older man listened to him as Henry poured out his heart, uncertain of how he should respond to his daughter. Finally, his mentor said, “Do you know what Jesus did with Doubting Thomas? He let him touch his scars. Jesus doesn’t shoo away doubters, rather he invites them closer.”

When loved ones doubt their faith or question God, it can be upsetting. We worry that we’ve failed and we wonder how to show them love in the middle of their doubts. Follow Jesus as your example—invite them to bring out their doubts. Let them wrestle through this season. You never know what Jesus will reveal to them.

Jesus, I pray for (name). I think they’re doubting their faith and that scares me. Oh, show up in my loved one’s life! Reveal Your gentle touch…show them Your scars and let them know they can trust you. In Your name, Amen.

3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the Lord forever, For in YAH, the Lord is everlasting strength. -Isa. 26:3-4 NKJV

Katie had a normal pregnancy. When she went into labor, she called her husband who met her at the hospital. They had prayed over and anticipated the arrival of their first son for months. 

But as soon as he was born, doctors ushered the newborn away from his parents. That’s when Katie knew something was wrong. The doctor returned a few minutes later to explain that their child was born with deformities and would need a series of surgeries as he grew.

It was months before Katie was able to take her son home. Even then, he had many medical needs and was a sickly child. On the evening before one of his surgeries, she was terrified something would go wrong.

She managed to sleep for a few hours and when she woke the morning of the surgery, she felt a deep peace in her soul. She knew whatever happened that her son was safe in God’s hands. 

It wasn’t until after she checked her voicemail messages later that day she understood why. Her friends had organized a prayer vigil and spent the entire night in prayer over her son.

If someone you know is going through a difficult time, you can pray that they would be held in perfect peace. Peace is not the absence of pain but the assurance of God’s presence in the middle of it all.

God, I pray for (name) that they would feel Your presence today. Grant them peace. Send worry, doubt, and pain far from them. Guard their heart so they would know that You are watching over them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven-Nehemiah 1:4, NASB

Nehemiah was an Israelite living in Persia. When his brothers came to visit him, they reported that the remaining Israelites were in deep distress. Not only were they weary and discouraged, but the wall surrounding Jerusalem had also been broken down. The once magnificent wall had protected the city for years and stood as a testament to the faithfulness of God.

So when Nehemiah learned it had fallen into disrepair, he was deeply troubled. He wept over the destruction, confessing the sin of his nation.

Shortly after that, Nehemiah was serving the king of Persia. When the king noticed Nehemiah’s distress, he asked what was bothering him.

Nehemiah prayed in the moment and explained the situation. The king granted him permission to leave and repair the city’s walls. 

God caused the heart of the king to be responsive and kind to Nehemiah’s request. He was not only given permission to go but he was also granted protection and provision, too.

“And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.” (Nehemiah 1:8)

Is there a situation where you or a friend needs God’s protection and provision? Take heart in the story of Nehemiah. God can and does provide for His children when they’re walking in His will.

God, thank You for dealing so graciously with me! I have need of (request) and I’m coming to You because I know You are the good Father. You always provide for Your children and bless us. So thank You for what You’re about to do! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Now, in the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words .” – Romans 8:26, NASB

Cheryl was about to head into her next college class when she got a text message from her mom asking her to call. Stepping outside the door, Cheryl quickly dialed her mom’s number and waited.

Her mom answered and she told Cheryl that her little sister had just been diagnosed with leukemia. Her sister had been a surprise baby, born late to Cheryl’s parents. Cheryl was sixteen and often cared for her little sister like she was her own.

The two had formed a strong bond that hadn’t faded when she’d gone away to college. She still regularly Skyped with her little sister and sent her notes home. 

When Cheryl heard the news, her stomach did a funny flip and she felt like she couldn’t think. She was overwhelmed with pain and didn’t know how to process her mom’s words.

Sometimes, there are moments in our life when the pain we feel is so deep that there are no words. Maybe your family member was seriously injured in a car collision or a dear friend lost her husband in a work accident. 

In these moments, know the Spirit is praying for you and your loved ones. The Holy Spirit intercedes on your behalf constantly, so you’re always in God’s presence. 

God, help! The pain is so big and so deep, it’s threatening to consume me. I can’t see anything and I’m scared. Please be with me. Let me feel Your presence today! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Now take seven bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. Then my servant Job will pray for you. I will surely accept his prayer and not deal with you as your folly deserves. — Job 42:8, CSB

Job’s whole world was shattered. He lost all of his children. He lost his flocks and his herds, which in today’s society would be the equivalent of losing your job along with any additional source of income.

If that was not enough, Job was afflicted with a horrible disease. He lived in constant pain and even his nagging wife would not comfort him. Three of his friends came to sit with him but after a time of silence, they began to reflect on what happened to Job.

They leveled some ugly accusations, insulting both Job and God. They insisted Job had committed some great sin and that the hardships he faced were proof of this.

When God restores Job, He sends his friends to apologize and beg his forgiveness. He says that Job should offer a sacrifice on behalf of his friends so that their offering would be accepted.

Interestingly, Job’s response is never noted. He does offer the sacrifice but there’s no record of the conversation with his friends. How easy it would be to proclaim his righteousness at that moment. It would be hard not to gloat about how right he was.

When someone else has sinned, it can be tempting to rejoice in their fall. But Job is an example of how we should treat friends who have failed to honor God. We’re not to delight in their sin but humbly ask God to forgive them.

God, I confess my own pride when I see someone else do wrong. I’m tempted to believe that I’m better than them but I’m not. So I humbly pray for (name). Please forgive their sins. Show them how to walk in Your ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” – 2 Kings 6:16, NIV

Elisha was a prophet living in Israel. When another king tried to attack Israel, Elisha knew it. He warned the king of Israel and the nation was spared many ambushes and attacks.

Finally, the king of Aram grew frustrated. He called his officers in, insisting that someone must be telling the king of Israel about his plans. He demanded to know who the spy in the room was.

One man pointed him toward Elisha, saying that he “tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom” (2 Kings 6:12).

Then the king of Aram decided to capture Elisha and end the problem. He rode into the city under the cover of night and surrounded it so Elisha would have no hope of escape.

When Elisha’s servant glanced out over the city the next morning, his knees started quaking. He quickly told the prophet what he could see. While his servant was focused on the physical army, Elisha focused on the unseen army around them. The battle wasn’t physical at all…it was a Spiritual battle between good and evil.

Like Elisha’s servant, we don’t always see what’s happening in the spiritual realm. Maybe you pray for a friend to get a job but they keep getting rejections. Perhaps you pray for an aging parent to be cured but they still suffer.

It’s easy to become discouraged in these moments and think our prayers aren’t working. But just as there was a Holy army around Elisha, there is a Holy army surrounding you, too. God is fighting your battle for you!

God, open my eyes to the Spiritual realm. Help me to remember that I am backed by the most powerful Warrior. I’d rather have You on my side than ten thousand soldiers. Please fight this battle for my friend or loved one. Let them experience peace and comfort during this time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints.” – Ephesians 6:18, NASB

Sasha had never been in trouble with the law. She hadn’t gotten so much as a parking ticket in her life but when she heard the metal door of the local women’s prison slam shut behind her, she still gulped.

She followed her friend to the visitor’s area. She was overwhelmed to see the incarcerated women with their families. She couldn’t imagine being separated for months or years from her children the way these women were.

When the visit was over, Sasha left with her friend. On the way home, she cried for the inmates of the prison. She’d sensed the hopelessness and despair many of them carried and she felt called to do something.

She got permission from the prison warden and she started a Wednesday Bible study. After each meeting, she stayed behind to offer prayer to any of them the women who asked for it. Over time, she became friends with many of the prisoners. She prayed for them, their spouses, and their children.

When praying for others, don’t forget those who are imprisoned. Although they may rightly be there, God still has deep compassion and mercy for inmates. You can consider praying for their healing, for their families, and for new opportunities to appear once they’re released.

God, I pray for the men and women in prison. I ask that You would show up in their lives. Heal those who need healing. Redeem those who think they’ve gone too far. Let them see that You are a God of mercy and compassion. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” – Romans 8:34, NIV

Dwayne was in a motorcycle accident. Because he wasn’t wearing a helmet, he suffered head trauma and had swelling of the brain. His doctors opted to put him in a medically induced coma to save his life.

After his injuries stabilized, they stopped giving him the medications and waited for him to wake up. But he remained in the coma for several days afterward. Initially, the doctors had been optimistic he would wake up.

Now, they doubted it would ever happen. He advised his friends and family to give up hope. But one of Dwayne’s close friends, Lucas, came back day after day. He read the sports page to him, recited Psalms, and prayed over his friend.

Then after four weeks, Dwayne woke up. Despite the head injuries, he was fully alert and able to communicate with the staff. The first thing Dwayne remembers about coming back is hearing his friend’s prayers.

It can be hard when it feels like everyone else has given up on you. But just like Lucas continued to pray for and help Dwayne, Jesus prays for and comforts you. He is the friend who never gives up on you.

God, thank You for the gift of Jesus and His friendship! I would be lost without it. Help me when I’m feeling alone and need comfort to remember that Jesus is with me. In His name, Amen.

We have to be honest with people and explain what it truly means to become a bondservant of Christ. When we said yes to Him and allowed Him to be Lord of our life, we gave up certain rights. There are many, but I want to focus on 1 in particular, the body or temple. Paul explains in the following passage how important your body is to the members of Christ, members of the kingdom.

I Corinthians 6:15-20
15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which is God’s.

The church, some but not all, focus on the sin of homosexuality and does not stress the dangers of heterosexual sin, I am referring to sex outside of the marriage bond.

When we said yes to Christ, our body no longer belongs to us. We died with Him and rose with Him. Our body was transformed into His likeness and He gained ownership. Therefore, we are to honor Christ by taking care of the temple that houses the Holy Spirit. The same spirit that rose on the 3rd day lives inside the temple now.

Sin is sin. I am not comparing one sexual sin to another. I am saying that when you take part in sexual sin, you are doing more than you may realize. You become 1 with the other during the sexual act. You also are bringing damage to God’s temple. You have breaches in the wall, open doors, or gates depending on how you see it. You are open to attacks from the enemy by agreeing to participate in that sinful act. The enemy seizes every opportunity available to him and tries to cause as much damage as possible during the breach. If we think fornication or adultery with a heterosexual partner is a little sin, we are gravely mistaken. Perversion comes in many forms and causes lots of damage. Too much to explain right here right now.

God is not going to allow the spirit of Christ to intermingle with the enemy’s spirit. You have to repent and allow Him to restore you. Continuing to take part in that act pushes you farther from the Father and allows the onslaught of the enemy to continue. The longer you allow the breach to be open, the more restoration will be needed to make you healthy again. If you do participate in such an act, do not give up or throw in the towel, but instead, quickly return to the Father so He can restore and heal you. He still loves you and wants you to walk in wholeness. Too many are walking around with breaches in their temple’s walls and do not realize the significance because it’s a heterosexual sin and not a homosexual sin. God does not love a heterosexual sinner more than a homosexual sinner. He abhors sin in general. Both sins can be purged from the temple, only if you allow the Holy Spirit to purge you and submit your temple unto Jesus. Then and only then can the restoration begin. Remaining in that place leaves yourself open to more attack and further away from God.