Relationships and Family

And pray in my behalf, that speech may be given to me in the opening of mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel..— Ephesians 6:19 NASB

August’s mother was a prayer warrior. She had prayed for her son faithfully since the moment she discovered she was pregnant. Though he was born two months premature and doctors gave him no hope, August’s mother continued to pray for him.

He went home three months after he was born and this only deepened her belief that prayer mattered. But when August started attending a public high school, she worried about him.

Her son’s science teacher was about to start a unit on evolution. She wondered how she could pray for her son during this time. That’s when she stumbled across Ephesians 6:19.

While Paul was imprisoned, he asked the Christians in Ephesus to pray for him, particularly that he would boldly speak about the Gospel. Regardless of the year, location, or country you live in, it’s hard to stand up for what you believe in!

But don’t let the fear of what someone else might say or do prevent you from sharing the truth. You can offer Biblical viewpoints from a place of love and grace. 

God, give me the courage to speak up when I should. Guide my words so that love, grace, and mercy flow from them. Let me be kind and respectful towards everyone…even if they don’t share my views. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?” – Exodus 32:11, NIV

The Israelites had been freed from four hundred years of slavery in a foreign nation. God had rescued His people, leading them into the desert with the understanding that He would take them to the Promised Land.

But then Moses, who was the leader of the nation, was called up into the mountain to talk with God. He stayed there for a considerable amount of time, no doubt in worship and fellowship.

While Moses is gone, an interesting thing happens. The people begin to grumble. They doubt that God is with them anymore. 

Aaron, the brother of Moses, commands the people to give him their jewelry. He melts down the gold and creates an image in the shape of a calf. Impressed with his work, he proclaims this idol is the one that rescued Israel from Egypt.

It’s tempting to shake your head at the Israelites at this moment. To ask, “How could you do such a thing after God displayed His power so clearly?”

And yet, we’re often quick to do the same thing. After years of prayer, God sends you the spouse you’ve longed for or allows that adoption to go through so you can hold a beautiful baby. He arranges for you to own that house that you wanted for so many years.

In these moments when our deepest desires have been fulfilled, it’s easy to look to them as the source of all our joy. We, in essence, do the same thing Israel did—we trade the Almighty for an idol.

But just like Moses stood in the breach for the people, Jesus stands in the breach for us. He asks God to be merciful and faithful, despite our failings.

Jesus, thank You for interceding on my behalf! When I am given something I’ve longed for, help me not to turn it into an idol. Instead, let me look upon God as the source of all my joy. In Your Name, Amen.

First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all people, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 1Timothy:1-2 NASB.

Jim was having an animated discussion with his wife in the living room. They were playfully arguing over the rules for their nightly chess game. 

When Jim looked over, he realized his teenage son was scowling at the TV. The headlines were proclaiming yet another politician who had been accused of a crime. “There’s so much evil in the world.” His son exclaimed. “How can I make any difference at all?”

Jim thought for a moment, then 1 Timothy 2:1-2 came to mind. “You can pray for your leaders…for your mayor, our governor, the Congressmen, and women. Even our president.”

“But how do I pray for them?” His son asked. “I don’t know where to start.”

“You could pray for their physical safety,” Jim’s wife offered. “That any evil planned against them would be thwarted.”

“That they would stand firm in the face of temptation,” Jim added.

“And that God would provide them with wisdom so they would lead gently, not oppressing the people they serve.” His wife said.

Praying for those in authority can be a wonderful way to show more grace, love, and mercy. When you regularly intercede for leaders, you become less concerned with which side is right and more focused on living a godly life.

God, I confess—sometimes the corruption and lies and viewpoints discourage me. But help me to remember that I can do something—I can pray for my country and its leaders. Teach me how to intercede for those in authority. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” – Matthew 4:2, NIV

Kayla’s plane had just touched down at the airport when she got the call. Her oldest daughter was in the hospital and the doctors didn’t know why she was sick or how to help her.

Without stopping at home to change, she went to be with her daughter. She’d just returned from a mission trip, building homes in an area that had been devasted by a tsunami. She’d felt God’s presence so strongly during her time on the island but when her daughter was sick, she didn’t have that comfort.

When a friend stopped by, she shared her fear that God had left her. “I felt such peace while I was there and now I’m just numb.”

Her friend reassured her that her feelings were normal. “Satan waited to go after Jesus until after He’d spent forty days praying and fasting. He waited until he knew Jesus was exhausted. Any time you experience a spiritual breakthrough, expect to be tested.”

Kayla’s daughter went on to make a full recovery and the experience caused Kayla to see Jesus in a different way. “I’ve always relied on feeling close to God. With my daughter’s illness, I had to lean into faith and trust that God was there, even when it felt my prayers for her went unanswered.”

God, give me strength when I’m being tested. Help me to remember that Jesus was tempted, too. Provide a way out for me so I wouldn’t stumble into sin. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Then he fell on his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!.” Having said this, he fell asleep. – Acts 7:60, NASB

Stephen was an enthusiastic preacher, sharing the Word of God with others boldly. Others tried to trip him up but he was able to refute dissension and false truths because God gave him amazing wisdom (Acts 6:10). 

But he had angered some of the religious leaders of the day. So they captured him and put him on trial, making up lies and false witnesses against him. When Stephen began to refute their words, he was dragged outside and brutally killed. As Stephen was being pelted with large stones, he began praying for those who were harming him.

We find it difficult to forgive someone for a crossed word or a negative performance review. Stephen could have been angry. He could have lashed out. He could have called down God to deliver him. 

But he didn’t…he leaned into God’s will. What if you interceded for those who wronged you? The driver who cut you off in traffic, the spouse that doesn’t support your dream, or the cop who wrote you a ticket you didn’t deserve? 

God, I don’t like what (name) has done to me. In the flesh, I’m tempted to lash out. I want to call down vengeance and take up a righteous cause. But by the power of Your Spirit, I choose forgiveness. I lay down my life just as Stephen did. Please forgive (name) for hurting me. Show them great mercy and kindness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“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

When Luke’s wife left him for another man, he was devasted. He had two little girls to raise and he felt unprepared for the task. He didn’t know what to do so he reached out to a well-known men’s leader in his community.

The men’s leader connected Luke to a weekly men’s meeting. The men prayed for each other every week, often sharing concerns about their work, their families, and their spiritual lives.

Luke’s wife eventually came back to him, asking for a chance to repair their marriage. Although Luke wasn’t sure if the relationship could be saved, he was willing to try for the sake of his daughters. 

He shared the situation with his men’s group and everyone prayed over him. The next two years were some of the most intense of Luke’s life but with God’s help, he rebuilt his marriage. He credits God and the faithful men in his prayer group as being the reason his family is still together.

The Israelites were in the middle of a fierce battle. Every time Moses held up his hands, they prevailed. But if Moses lowered his arms—even for a moment—they began to lose ground. Eventually, Moses became exhausted. That’s when Aaron and Hur stepped in. Sensing Moses’ need, they sat by him and held up his arms so the battle could be won.

Walking through a crisis or trial on our own can be wearying. We all need Aarons who can grieve and weep with us, who know how to intercede and pour grace over our aching hearts. 

God, please send me an Aaron. I feel alone in this battle and I’m a mile past exhaustion. Show me kindness by sending friends who can help me bear these burdens. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.” – Acts 12:5, NIV

Peter was imprisoned by King Herod. The evil king had already killed James and now he planned to execute Peter. But while the king was plotting, the followers of Jesus were praying.

The night before Peter was to go to trial, an angel appeared in the cell with him. Peter followed the angel out, supposing that this was a vision or dream. But what happened was real. Peter must have laughed as he hurried down the dark streets, looking for his friend’s house.

When he arrived, he told the servant that he was Peter. The servant reported this to those in the house and they laughed at her. But she was insistent and eventually others went to investigate and found Peter waiting on the porch.

Sometimes, we feel powerless to help hurting friends or family members. We think we can’t do anything but that’s not true. We can pray for our loved ones that God would intervene in their situations.

As you wait for God’s answers, continue to seek Him and strive to honor Him with your choices. The Christians in Peter’s story continued to meet together and pray, despite how grim the circumstances must have looked.

God, when I’m tempted to focus on how powerless I feel, remind me again that prayer is powerful. Help me to stand strong in moments of temptation and continue to worship You no matter what’s going on around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Then he said to me, Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. Daniel 10:12 NASB.

Daniel was a prayer warrior. He prayed daily, seeking God constantly. That fact alone is remarkable. But when you consider the time he lived in, it’s downright amazing. He was a captive from Israel who had been taken to Babylon.

He was known to the king, who seeing Daniel’s wisdom, promoted the young man. As a result, Daniel developed powerful enemies who tried to destroy him.

Once after Daniel had been praying over a coming war, an angel appeared. The angel told Daniel that from the first moment of prayer, God had heard his requests. These prayers were immediately answered.

But Daniel did not see those answers for many days. Then one day, an angel arrives to explain that he had been traveling to give a reply from the Lord but was unable to come due to events happening in the spiritual realm.

Daniel’s story illustrates that we may not always see immediate answers to our prayers. But that doesn’t mean that God’s not listening. Not only does God hear your prayers, He will also be faithful to answer them!

God, when I’m praying for others and I get discouraged, help me to remember the story of Daniel. I want to stand strong in my faith, even when it feels like nothing’s happening. In Jesus name. Amen

Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” – 1 Kings 18:38-39, NIV

The nation of Israel was at a crossroads. Some of the people worshipped Baal and other false gods. But a few like Elijah still followed the Lord’s commands.

Elijah knew it was time for the people to choose who they would serve. So he called the king and all of the prophets of Baal together. He proposed a plan: the wicked prophets would build an altar and offer a sacrifice, calling out for their god to send down fire.

They did this early in the morning and they continued all day without results. That’s when Elijah built an altar and doused everything in water. Then he called out and fire fell from Heaven, proving that the Lord is God.

Sometimes the people around us need to see God’s hand moving and know that He’s real and He intervenes in real life situations. When you come across these people, remember Elijah and pray that God would send them a sign.

God, thank You for being the God who listens! I pray for (name) who needs a reminder of Your Presence and Majesty. Send them a sign that they would understand how powerful and merciful You are! In Jesus’ name, Amen.