Illness

My husband and I are often pray for protection over our children from physical illness or from getting into physical injuries... but we were recently reminded to pray for protection over their mental illness as well. Whether it's the food we eat, genetics, or experiences that cause people to get depressed, anxious, or diagnosed with bipolar, schizophrenia or autism... we just pray against these things and ask that God would poor out His grace and protect our little ones with His angels.

Withholding Good

God does not withhold good from us. He is gracious and merciful regardless of how sinful, unresponsive, irresponsible, disrespectful, disobedient and unthoughtful we are. We should have the same kind of grace and mercy for those around us and not withhold anything good from them. God's love and grace will bring people closer to Him (including ourselves!).

"Therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin."
James 4:17

Expectations

God wants us to live expecting something good. We need to look to God for what we need and not people. If we want to see the blessing of God in our lives, we need to stop rehearsing what the Devil tells us and start rehearsing out loud what the Word of God tells us. -Joyce Meyer

Proverbs15:15

¹⁵ All the days of the oppressed are wretched,

but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

Psalm 103

Every time I read Psalm 103 it renews my spirit and reminds me of how great our God is...

"Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's"
(v.2-5)

Press On

Proverbs 10:24

²⁴The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.

So your promise for the day is to hold on to your desires, for God will honor your faith and will grant your desires.

His Grace is Sufficient

"Therefore He says:
'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble'
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you."
James 4:6-8

In this world and culture, we are encouraged and pressured to be proud, confident, knowledgeable, experienced.. etc.. But the Lord says to be humble.. and to only have confidence in Him. It is comforting to know that God gives grace to the humble and not the proud... and that His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Thank you Lord for your grace and mercy that covers my sins. Thank you that your "compassions fail not, and they are new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23).

Praying for the Future of Our Children

This segment from Joyce Meyer's teaching tapes spoke to me about praying over our children throughout the day:

A woman was saying to Joyce, "I'm so afraid that my child is going to get into trouble!"
Joyce responded, "Well, you should have started confessing the day your child came out of your womb . . .
MY CHILD IS GOING TO SERVE GOD
BE BORN AGAIN
FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST
MARRY A BORN-AGAIN SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVER
BE USED BY GOD
THEY’RE GOING TO BE BLESSED
THEY’RE GOING TO PROSPER IN EVERYTHING THEY LEND THEIR HAND TO
AND THE DEVIL IS NOT GOING TO GET ‘EM
AND THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET ON DRUGS
AND THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET ON ALCOHOL
AND THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET IN WRONG RELATIONSHIPS
We don’t have any problem talking about all the wrong stuff. Why do we have so much trouble talking about the right things?

Passage Jeremiah 29:11:
¹¹For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Trust Him

Psalm 34 is a comforting chapter. I feel so loved and taken care of when I read this. God loves us. He gives us the key to long life. He draws near to us in times of heart break. He protects us and wants us to depend on Him because He will never leave us.

Psalm 34

¹I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
²My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
³O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
⁴I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
⁵They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
⁶This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
⁸O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
⁹O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
¹⁰The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
¹¹Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
¹²What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
¹³Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
¹⁴Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
¹⁵The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
¹⁶The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
¹⁷The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
¹⁹Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.²⁰He keepeth all his bones:
not one of them is broken.
²¹Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. ²²The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.