PM#0381 Letting Others Know You Are Praying For Them

PM#0381

Letting Others Know You are Praying for Them

When someone let’s you know they are doing something for you, doesn’t that encourage you? Usually it does.

Unfortunately, when it comes to prayer, I know a lot of people do not tell anyone they are praying for a person.  That is their choice.  However I believe a better choice would be to let that person whom you are praying for know that you are praying for them.  Letting them know that you are praying for them is also letting them know you care about them, and that alone can make a major difference in their lives.

For those of you who have children, your prayers for your children does a lot for them and gives much value to them. So why not when you pray for your children, tell them that you are praying for them.  It will impact their lives positively in countless positive ways.

Father, help us let our children know we are praying for them.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection Questions:

Why does letting someone know that you are praying for them show that you care for them?

Why would praying for someone make a difference in their lives?

PM#0484 Honor and Respecting Others

PM#0484

Honor and Respecting Others

Matthew 15:18

We hear people say they want us to ‘communicate to them’.  What does that really mean?  Two heart words may describe what they are saying.  Those are—honor and respect.

When we use colloquial expressions like you ‘guys’ ‘bud’, or ‘hey you’, in addressing others—in person, e-mails, notes or other ways – our words are not received by them as honor or respect.  Using colloquial expressions from where you grew up, or from you home, may be received in your home area, but when used with people from other regions, frankly—they can be very offensive not show honor or respect to the one you are addressing. 

We may need help in learning to honor and respect others, and Christ can change our heart to do so.  Consider this prayer:  Father, I need your help to change my heart so I can honor and respect others, and show your love to them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflections:

Why is it important to show respect to others?

Have you ever thought about how your words or expressions might be received?

Is it really an issue of the heart that is seen in how we address others?

Why is showing honor to another person important?

Also-consider sharing what helps you respect others when they greet you.

PM#0267 Prayers Can Help Others

PM#0267

Prayers Can Help Others

Have you ever realized that your prayers for missionaries and others can help them be more effective.

Listen to this account.  Sometime ago a missionary agency had a number of stations in a country with a missionary assigned to each of those stations.  Over time it was noted that one station had more conversions.  The reason for this was not understood until sometime later in a meeting.  A representative of the missionary learned that an attendee had been praying for that station.  The attendee stated that he had been the missionary’s roommate when he was in college.  The missionary wrote him and gave the names of people that he ministered and that he prayed for them by name for that station.

Those prayers helped that missionary have a greater impact for the kingdom of God.  Our prayers for others in God’s work too can help them too reach others for Christ.

Father, help us to pray for missionaries and others in your work in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection Questions:

Why is it important to pray specifically?

Many of us pray general prayers—and often we are given only general specifics to pray for.  What would happen if we were given more specifics to help us pray?

This missionary in our story above had contact with his college room-mate.  How would contact like that encourage both missionary and his college room-mate?

When you ask someone to pray, do you keep in touch and provide follow-up?

PM#0380 The Power of Blessing

PM#0380

The Power of Blessing

Have you ever thought about the power of blessing?

Frankly, many of us haven’t and perhaps a reason is that we have never fully experienced what a blessing can do for someone.

A blessing values a person, and that value comes through a meaningful touch or a spoken message.  As you impart a blessing to someone else, from your heart, you give them value, hope and encouragement, which can help them in the days ahead.

If you are not in the habit of blessing others, consider this prayer:

Father, help us to bless others from our heart in a way that gives them value, hope, and encouragement.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Reflection questions:

Why does blessing show value?

Is a reason we don’t give a blessing is that we don’t believe our words actually work?

What does the Bible say?—Consider Romans 12:14—what might happen if we genuinely started blessing others?

PM#0484 Honor and Respecting Others

PM#0484

Honor and Respecting Others

Matthew 15:18

We hear people say they want us to ‘communicate to them’.  What does that really mean?  Two heart words may describe what they are saying.  Those are—honor and respect.

When we use colloquial expressions like you ‘guys’ ‘bud’, or ‘hey you’, in addressing others—in person, e-mails, notes or other ways – our words are not received by them as honor or respect.  Using colloquial expressions from where you grew up, or from you home, may be received in your home area, but when used with people from other regions, frankly—they can be very offensive not show honor or respect to the one you are addressing. 

We may need help in learning to honor and respect others, and Christ can change our heart to do so.  Consider this prayer:  Father, I need your help to change my heart so I can honor and respect others, and show your love to them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflections:

Why is it important to show respect to others?

Have you ever thought about how your words or expressions might be received?

Is it really an issue of the heart that is seen in how we address others?

Why is showing honor to another person important?

Also-consider sharing what helps you respect others when they greet you-

PM#0494 Encouraing Others Matthew 18 vs 19

PM#0494

Encouraging Others

Matthew 18:19

How often when we are involved with others, do we fail to encourage God’s calling for that individual?

Here is a way that may help.   Christ said in Matthew 18:19, that where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am in the midst.  Coming together with others in prayer, invites Christ to be with us and help us. He can help our hearts to open to each other as we pray.  When hearts start to join together in prayer, relationships develop that are started by Christ, bringing connection with each other.

As we grow together, Christ can help us encourage one another, and to appreciate each other’s calling from the Lord.  Then we can encourage one another to move forward. 

Consider this thought and prayer.  ‘Father, help me to join with others in prayer, and may You help me to encourage others’.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Reflection Questions:

As Christians—why would we be hesitant to encourage another brother or sister in the Lord?

How important is connection with each other in encouraging others?  Does connection include involvement with them?

Does the Lord use our encouragement of others to move help them move forward?

Hedge of Protection

PM#0017

Hedge of Protection

Job 1:10

In the Bible, we fine that Satan complained to God about a hedge of protection around the Biblical Character of Job.  In  Job 1 vs 10, satan said to God, hast thou not made a hedge about him? 

There is another tier for husbands and the protection they are to provide for their wives.  We should protect our wives and we can do this in prayer by asking God for a hedge of protection around them.

What type of protection should we ask for?  A few items might be:

•That they will be protected wherever they go.

•That they will be safe from any accidents,

•and also evil influences.

There is indeed more that could be used in prayer, but these suggestions are a start.

Father, I ask that each of us who are husbands that we will be moved by the Holy Spirit to ask for protection for wife you have given us.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Reflection:

Have you ever thought about protection as a hedge?

Why is it important to ask God for protection for our wives?