Prayer Requests

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Permalink Reply by Kenny Russell on January 13, 2009 at 11:44pm

Hope For Your Future - Maintain Your Spiritual Position With God

Today is a great day to be serving the Lord in a time of transition and change. But we must realize that in transition it can be painful. Been praying through an article for the past 2 days about the coming storms and we have to realize that one of today's battles is to bring God's people out of isolation to hold the arms of those in need and help each other maintain our spiritual position. As we post prayer request here on this prayer forum i want you to know that we are committed to standing in agreement with you.

Below is a segment from a letter from a brother in Christ who is facing the hardest days of his life but he say many powerful things in this letter of hope i wanted to share a few paragraphs with you. before you post your prayer request because there is hope in Jesus and "though you may face tribulation be of good Cheer I have over come the world" said Jesus (paraphrased mine)

The world is once again facing a flood. However, the target of this flood is not the ungodly, but the godly. It is the separation of the wheat from the chaff and the sheep from the goats. Christians who have taken it easy and have not developed a strong spiritual inner man will be swept away by this flood. They will find the raging torrent too powerful to fight against. They will give into the tide and allow the flood to carry them away from God and the work He has for them.

Whether the adversity comes through the loss of their jobs, broken families, or through painful experiences within their churches, Christians everywhere are experiencing misfortune, trouble, and hardship. They don't understand why God is allowing the enemy such complete and utter access into their lives to pillage and to steal. They pray and call out to God, but it is as if God is not listening, and all the while the raging flood carries them further and further from the Lord.

If you are one of the many Christians who are currently caught up in the flood, then you must understand how important it is to maintain your spiritual position with God. Far too often, we find ourselves battling against that which is causing our problems such as an employer, church, spouse, or friends. Instead of doing this, our battle must be to maintain our (spiritual) position with God so that we keep God in mind and in sight. We must rise above the raging torrent. For example, I could direct my efforts to battle my wife in her ungodliness but that would not help me maintain my position and relationship with God. Instead, I must battle against depression, anger, and retribution to keep my heart from becoming calloused against the Holy Spirit.

Merely fighting the flood is not the answer. The answer is in maintaining our position and relationship with God.

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Permalink Reply by Kenny Russell on January 27, 2009 at 7:58pm

I received this prayer request a week ago and as I have been praying. I want to share it with you all because i know many are losing work and facing life challenges that need the prayers and support of others please stand in prayer for this family.

We have been receiving your daily devotional "Word of God Speak" for years now, and it is always in line with what God is doing in our lives.
Please stand with us, that Father God will reveal His will and the direction He wants for us. Change is never easy, but to be jobless after 28 years of security has put us in a tail spin!

Is this an attach from the enemy or is God moving us to another place?

We are holding on to His promises with both hands, but need additional support!

From a brother and sister in Christ

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Permalink Reply by Gottalife on January 28, 2009 at 12:10am

Thank you so much for your email and we want to encourage you and your husband to stand on the promises the Lord has given you. So often, when we face difficult times, it is easy to panic and to try to sort the outcome of a stormy situation we find ourselves in – be it financial, our job, in our relationships with others or a weather storm. No matter what type of storm; one that everyone has to go through or one the enemy is attacking us with; we have hope to see it through.

My prayer for you is to go to the Lord in prayer and as a couple identify the promises of the Lord concerning you. In this you need to address two areas:
1. What key words has the Lord given you concerning His will for your lives?
2. What does scripture say concerning trials and the storms of life?

As you have listened to our devotionals I know you have received many answers concerning the position of the Word of God concerning how to pray through difficult times and key scriptures to stand on. But I also know how difficult it is to take ownership of a scripture when you are in a difficult place. When Jesus was sleeping in the boat during a storm with His disciples what happened?

They were all stressed out more and more as the storm intensified and could not believe Jesus was still sleeping! Didn’t He care?

They tried to deal with the situation in the flesh for as long as possible before they had no other place to turn as they knew the storm was beating them. Their skills could not save them, their ability to bail the water out the boat could not save them, so it was time to wake Jesus up. Jesus wakes up and rebukes them for their lack of faith and speaks peace to the storm and it stops.

The question is this, in Jesus’ rebuke was He saying they could have made it safely through?
Or was He saying they should have called Him earlier and had faith that Jesus could control the weather elements?

I tend to lean toward the latter.
We need to learn how to call on the name of the Lord earlier and live out our life with living faith rather than making decisions in fear.

A little story of when I have had to trust the Lord in out of control situations.

When I think of this passage of scripture I am reminded of the many international flights I have been on; so many flights I could not count them. I am especially reminded of my flights to South Africa! I have been on planes flying first class wishing I was in economy class because the flights were having to press through major storms! At least in economy you are jammed so close to the person next to you, which in my opinion is better than being on your own in first class! But in first class your seat turns into a bed and lying in what should be comfort, stretched out and enjoying a nice sleep, can quickly change!

When it is calm it is awesome as you arrive in Africa fresh and ready to work but when it is stormy you have to lie there knowing you have no control of the elements outside the plane. It can be very stressful but the Lord showed me how to pray and rest in the midst of the storm time and time again. I had to trust even though you think your world is coming to an end. It is in times like these you really know the pilot is just a man or a woman and that this plane may have looked big sitting on the runway but now it feels so small in comparison to the wind and turbulence!

The storm was affecting everyone on the plane – not just me, but to lie there knowing the plane from time to time is dropping hundreds of feet and is being smashed from side to side is frightening even to the frequent flying passengers and crew. Why say all this? Well you have to take a deep breath, call on the name of the Lord and stand on the promises of God concerning you. This takes perseverance and not just a confession. I am reminded of James 1; one of my favorite verses; probably because we live our lives in such a way that we go from one storm to the next and if we are not in a storm ourselves we seem to be supporting others through their storms.

So be encouraged to seek the Lord! We will pray for you and stand with you with the great news that Jesus Christ is the head of the body and we are made up of many parts to support each other with encouragement and Godly wisdom. We also know the power of prayer and stand with you and speak peace to your storm and call on the name of the Lord Jesus knowing that you will not go through more than what you can bear. Lord we ask for key words of direction into there lives today. Let your kingdom come and override the rule of earth on their behalf! Provide a way out for them to stand up in the midst of this storm and declare your peace in every area of their lives.

Standing with you

Kenny & Hayley and the Gottalife Team

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Permalink Reply by Charlie Smith on February 4, 2009 at 12:15pm

I really need direction from God today.

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Permalink Reply by Kenny Russell on February 4, 2009 at 12:26pm

HI Charlie,

as you reach out i pray the Lord will take your hand and that he will give you clear direction. my prayer is that you will have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit of God is saying to you today. Take a walk with the Lord today, just you and Him and listen to his voice . Will stand with you brother

Charlie Smith said:

I really need direction from God today.

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Permalink Reply by Gottalife on February 6, 2009 at 10:35am

Hi Charlie
we are praying for you this mornig that you will walk in his favor today and receive direction
blessings
Gottalife support team Charlotte

Kenny & Hayley Russell said:

HI Charlie,

as you reach out i pray the Lord will take your hand and that he will give you clear direction. my prayer is that you will have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit of God is saying to you today. Take a walk with the Lord today, just you and Him and listen to his voice . Will stand with you brother

Charlie Smith said:

I really need direction from God today.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan Huling on February 19, 2009 at 11:03am

I have some important decisions to make. Have been feeling more than a bit disoriented lately. Have been seeking the Lord about this for quite some time. I sense that I may have received answers to some pressing issues. One of the issues is this: I am currently a college student majoring in bible and ministry. Now when i signed on for this I was still in the IC and heavily involved. My thinking was that i would go on to become a pastor or some other type of paid minister.Well reading Frank's books has destroyed my belief in the paid clergy system. even before reading the books we made the decision to Leave the IC and pursue a house church type of thing. Reading the books really put things together for me and now I have a passion to be a part of an organic body of believers , why I am here.

The tithe, the building, the paid ministers I don't want any part of it now. So I can't with clear conscience become a paid minister. This has brought on a crisis of; what now? as far as career path. I am contemplating switching majors.my prayer request: Help to trust God in all of this and His guidance and direction for my life. And to be connected with other members of Christ's body in a Christ centered way in my community. thanks.

Ryan

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