I’m praying for my Christian brothers and sisters who are persecuted in other countries this month.

This morning, I read Deuteronomy 28. In America, these verses can be used to ask God to richly bless us because we are obedient to Him. I know that the way God does one thing is the way He does everything. Sometimes churches preach what is known as the American Prosperity Gospel and use these verses.

When the Israelites went from Egypt to the Promised Land, they went through three long complicated phases. But God was there always helping them do things His way.

Promised Land phases

1)Oppression phase ~ The Israelites cried out for God to deliver the from the oppressive slavery of generations in Egypt. Pharoah was a stubborn arrogant leader. He finally let them leave Egypt after ten plagues (major hardships) fell upon the land.

2)Learning phase ~ While traveling to the flourishing land God had promised to their ancestor Abraham, the Israelites had to take the long, long route instead of the short one because they had to learn how to serve and worship God. They were stubborn and it took them forty years.

3)Abundance phase ~ God told them He would win every battle in when they had to go to war to gain ownership of their blessed land. Once again God kept warning them to not yield to worshiping the false gods and do the ungodly deeds of the inhabitants of the land.

So, needless to say, getting to the Promised Land was not something the Israelites promptly received. They had to earn their way and learn to trust God fully throughout many years.

But, this morning I pray the fourteen verses from Deuteronomy 28 for the persecuted church across the world. They are much more dedicated to God than me. And they have needs that God must supply. I pray they would conquer their Promised Land. Most importantly, they would be able to openly and freely worship God.

I pray God would help us all, to work through the phases of our lives as Christians that lead to our own Promised Land. Continue reading →

I’m praying for my brothers and sisters in Christ who are in places hostile to God, today and all month long. Psalm 76 was written by Asaph. I don’t know much about him like I do David but he understood God overcomes those who are His enemies and those who oppose His loved ones. He is near to the oppressed.

I pray sweeping revival would break out in these hostile countries. I pray God would help us as Americans do our part, that we would work hard to prosper and be leaders so that God could use us to benefit our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ as they bring revival to where they live! I pray the words of Psalm 76 for them.

Psalm 76:

1  In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel. 2  In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. 3 There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah. 4  Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. 5  The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found their hands. 6  At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.

7  Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry? 8  Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still, 9  When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah. 10  Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. 11 Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. 12  He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth.

I’m like Mary, Martha’s sister. When Jesus was at their house Martha was running around busy fixing the food. Mary was captivated, listening to Jesus.

Jesus told His disciples how to pray. Then He told them to not give up and be shamelessly persistent. Our Heavenly Father who is eternally greater than any earthly father provides for us in every way. He hears every prayer. He knows our hearts. He remembers all our tears. Cry out to Him for all your wants and needs. He will provide. He also gives us the Holy Spirit who is very helpful in our Christian life.

Luke 11:

1 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

² Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:^[a]

⁵ Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ⁶ ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’⁷ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ ⁸ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.^[d]

⁹ “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

¹¹ “You fathers—if your children ask^[e]for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? ¹² Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! ¹³ So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

A challenge was brought before me at church last Sunday. Basically, use the month of April to better discipline yourself in four different ways. So, I chose these four activities~

1)Do a prayer walk 3 or 4 times during the week

2)Eat an apple a day

3)Wake up at 5 am everyday

4)And lastly, but most importantly, pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ who live in countries hostile to the Gospel

God gave me two Bible passages related to when the wicked rule a country this morning. I prayed them over persecuted Christians around the world.

My dear Father in Heaven bring them down, that is, all the rulers in countries hostile to the Gospel. With Jesus I pray, Amen!

Psalm 75:

God has purpose in how He heals people.

He can use healing to get a person’s attention and draw them nearer to Him. I’m not going to put God in a box thinking that He will heal like I imagine healing should happen. God’s love for every human soul He has made is unfailing and lasts forever.

I trust God. My faith rests in His peace which engulfs my life. I submit my life to Him.  God can heal in an instant. Or later. He heals us, most importantly, when He forgives our sin. He heals through Christians when we pray and place hands on those in need of healing. He can heal through nature. He can heal through invented drugs. He can heal through medical techniques. He can heal by death. He can heal in a thousand more ways than I could ever think of. I’m going to leave it up to Him. But I personally, I like to see God heal in an instant with an unforgettable life-changing action in someone.

God is powerful. There is no limit to His power. I pray revival would come and people would realize and never forget how much power God, the creator of all, has. God can instantaneously heal if that is the best way to convince the ungodly that He loves and wants a lifelong and forever relationship with them.

So, have a healed day! I thank God, already, for how we have been healed today. As Christians, we are hidden in Christ and seated with Him in Heavenly places as He sits at the right hand of God, praying for us continuously throughout our day and throughout the rest of our lives. That’s what the Bible says.

Psalm 103:

Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
² Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
³ He forgives all my sins
    and heals all my diseases.
⁴ He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
⁵ He fills my life with good things.
    My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

The Israelites had patiently made it through the trials of a stubborn Egyptian Pharoah not wanting them to leave his land where he oppressed them. Then God mightily delivered them and destroyed Pharoah in the Red Sea.

Then the Israelites had to deal with the own struggles of sin while traveling to land of God’s fulfilled promise to their ancestor Abraham.

When they were about to enter the Promised Land God gave them many instructions to obey and closely follow Him. God said even though the people in the Promised Land looked intimidating He would fight for and give the Israelites their land.

As Christians, we can apply these three scenarios to the situations we go through.

Deuteronomy 20:

20 “When you go out to fight your enemies and you face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, is with you! ² When you prepare for battle, the priest must come forward to speak to the troops. ³ He will say to them, ‘Listen to me, all you men of Israel! Do not be afraid as you go out to fight your enemies today! Do not lose heart or panic or tremble before them. ⁴ For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’

Jesus’ disciples were arguing about who was the greatest among them. Jesus stopped them in their tracks by saying humble children are the greatest, even greater than His disciples.

I’m going to work today to do my humble job of caring for a class of two year olds at a daycare. They’ve taught me a lot in the past few years. They are the most eager to learn. They have no learning boundaries. They push themselves to their limits. They help me learn human psychology in its simplest form. I study their wide range of personalities to know how to care for them. Some are quiet and shy and need to be held close several times. Some are bold and go for every thing they want to do. In general, two year olds think the world revolves around them. They are showing their humanness and need to learn unselfishness. It’s a ‘me’ world. If they run to me and give me a knee hug I don’t refuse them because it’s one of the main gifts they know how to give. I have to work hard to train them to share, take turns and be a helper.

Jesus said to welcome little ones. I have the privilege of obeying Jesus’ words everyday I go to work.

Luke 9:

⁴⁶ Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest.⁴⁷ But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. ⁴⁸ Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf^[a] welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”

I find this interesting and NOT a coincidence. In my One Year Bible, I have an Old Testament passage in which instructions are given of how the Israelites should have a king rule them in the Promised Land. God warned them of specific actions the king should not do.

Then, I read the Psalm for today. It was written by Solomon. In it he expresses his heart of how the king should care for his people. In the Deuteronomy passage God gave specific details of how a king should and should not rule. In the end of his life, King Solomon broke these rules. It’s as if the words were prophetic for his life.

But this is the most important truth to gain from these words from the Bible. God told the king to read His thee instructions daily to remind him of his godly duties and to keep him from destructive pride.

God’s Word is so amazingly powerful and true! We can apply this God’s warning to our lives today and toward the leaders in our country.

No, not a coincidence that these two passages were together in my Bible. They are a great reminder that God loves me and those linked to me to take heed and live a life filled with godly wisdom.

Deuteronomy 17:

¹⁴ “You are about to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you take it over and settle there, you may think, ‘We should select a king to rule over us like the other nations around us.’ ¹⁵ If this happens, be sure to select as king the man the Lord your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.

¹⁶ “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ ¹⁷ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.

¹⁸ “When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. ²⁰ This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.

Psalm 72:

A psalm of Solomon.

The woman knew if she could just even barely touch Jesus she would be healed of the continuous bleeding issue she had. So she managed to push through the crowd and did it.

Luke 8:

⁴³ A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding,^[a] and she could find no cure.⁴⁴ Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.

⁴⁵ “Who touched me?” Jesus asked.

Everyone denied it, and Peter said, “Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you.”

⁴⁶ But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.”⁴⁷ When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed.⁴⁸ “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

I’ve discovered a few things lately about serving God. I became a Christian over thirty years ago and have attended church about that long. Lately I’ve discovered some truth about serving God~

1)You need to grow daily by learning from the Bible. Read the Bible first thing in the morning and eastablish yourself in a strong Bible believing church. Attend your church often and make many friends there.

2)Truly believe God is powerful. That power is from the Holy Spirit of God. As a Christian, that power is within us. Recognize this truth at the start of everyday and ask God to work through you.

3)Go to a DOING church and help out in as many different ministries as possible that they have.

4)Unite with the other Christians at church and open you heart to unite with other Bible believing churches. If the other churches believe that the only way to God is through Jesus and believe that He arose from the dead then they believe the most important details of being a Christian.

A powerful end-times revival can come if Christians live with these standards.