Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Growing up in church was a wonderful privilege for me. One of the benefits was the encouragement I received to memorize scripture. I’m pretty sure that the first full chapter I ever memorized was Psalm 23. The beautiful imagery and spiritual depth of the Good Shepherd’s Psalm has been a blessing for me throughout my life. Though I rarely use the King James Version anymore, I still revert to that when praying thr

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries We have all been told to pray for guidance when we are unsure of what to do. But, how many of us actually know how to do this in a powerful and effective way? God’s word offers us the key to approach the Father with the confidence we are looking for when we face times of uncertainty. God clearly tells us that He desires the best for us. His best! “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries We all know that in good times, it seems easier to pray. Our prayers flow from a place of gratitude and peace, thankfulness and joy. Yet, in difficult or painful times, it may seem much harder to press into the Lord in prayer. We know in our heads that God is the place we should go whether our circumstances are good or bad; however, sometimes we can feel paralyzed with fear, doubt, anger, disbelief, sadness, unc

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Father, the day of celebration is upon Your people! As we anticipate Your Son’s birth, we ask that you would stop our rushing around, and our frantic preparation to help us consider that Jesus the Christ, our Lord and Savior…is already here among us! He is God with Us – Jesus, our Emmanuel. E – Expectation Emmanuel, show me how each one of my days, not just Christmas, should and can be filled with the expectatio

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries I am amazed at the clear insight God granted King David in so many areas, including giving and possessions. In his later years, David gathered everything needed for his son Solomon to build the Temple of God, a place of worship. As you read his heartfelt prayer (and, I suggest, you read all of 1 Chronicles 29 to get the full picture of this extraordinary generosity that was displayed by the people of Israel), we

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries A few years ago, my husband went through his second of three battles with cancer. Following treatment that put him in remission, he had an appointment with an integrative oncologist to discuss some alternative ways to keep him healthy. Along with a green smoothie recipe and some other recommendations, Dr. Park talked a lot about stress. This was not a huge surprise as most of us now know how damaging stress can

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Saturday, October 7, 2017, is marked in my mind and heart as one of the most extraordinary days I’ve ever experienced. My wife and I were in Washington, D.C. for the Awaken the Dawn days of worship and prayer. Though there was a main stage and some really great worship leaders and speakers, that’s not what I will carry with me the rest of my life. What impacted me most were 58 tents, one for each state, along wi

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Christy’s dilemma: “How do I maintain a disciplined devotional time with God when I work full time and care for an infant?” She was exhausted after several days of travel to a conference for her work and her struggle was palpable, even over the phone. Uttering the most simple of prayers was difficult for her weary spirit. I remembered when I, as a young parent, felt this same struggle. I wished that I had known

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Every morning I try to pray, “Father, show me how to be more like Jesus Christ today so that You will be glorified!” Knowing that every day I will fall short of this goal, I take joy in the smallest victories to this end! My flesh loves to be in control and clings to anxiety with stubborn pride. However, God’s Word faithfully restores my confidence in His ability to transform my heart and life! Andrew Murray sta

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries “Nothing but the knowledge of God, as the Holy One, will make us holy. And how are we to obtain that knowledge of God, except in the inner chamber, our private place of prayer? It is a thing utterly impossible unless we take time and allow the holiness of God to shine on us.” ~ Andrew Murray Whenever Moses entered the presence of the Lord, his face shone: “It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Si

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god” (Psalm 24:3-4). When my husband and I were preparing for a three month sabbatical in 2015, it was our sense that our most effective years of ministry lay ahead, and we felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to spend some time in rest and play…but a

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries 2 Thessalonians has become one of my favorite books of the Bible. It is filled with blessings to pray for and over others! What I love about these verses is how simple it is to adapt each prayer for believers wherever they may be and whatever circumstance in which they find themselves. It is easy to change pronouns or put in the names of the person/persons you wish to pray for as you bring them to the throne of

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries I had just finished preaching on prayer and was approached by a Sunday school teacher from the congregation. She had a great story for me. Knowing that it was a weekend focused on prayer for their church, she had taught her group of 6-year-olds about prayer that morning. When she finished, she invited them to come pray at a little altar she had set up. She was listening to them pray when she was surprised to hea

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries I am committed to getting to know the Father more intimately through obeying the command of Jesus in Matthew 6:16-18 (NAS): “Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fas

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” (James 2:26 NASB). Years ago, I met a young woman in a Bible study whose family was struggling financially. Her husband was in prison and she had four young sons at home. They were crammed into a very small little house, but were content and happy. Every day she prayed a simple prayer for God to provide for their needs. She ne

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Andrew Murray stated, “When God gives the Holy Spirit, His great object is the formation of a holy character. It is a gift of a holy mind and spiritual disposition, and what we need above everything else is to say: ‘I must have the Holy Spirit sanctifying my whole inner life if I am really to live for God’s glory.’” Every morning my prayer is, “Father, show me how to be more like Jesus Christ today so that You w

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Prayer is the deepest love connection with the Father, made possible by the sacrifice of His Son. It is an awesome privilege, and our deepest connectivity with the heart of God. His Word says that if we seek Him, He will be found by us. If Jesus is to be the central focus of our lives, how do we enthrone Him there? By prayer! Worship Him, delight in Him, give Him thanks, petition Him, share your concerns and nee

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries Perhaps you struggle, as I often do, with what to give your spouse, children, or other loved ones on their birthdays or holidays! Have you considered the incredible gift of Blessing Prayer? Over the years, I have found much joy in being on the giving and the receiving end of prayers that bless. My younger sister gives me the incredible gift of one minute of prayer for each year of my life every birthday. She pra

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy” (Luke 1:44). Several years ago, through the miracle of FaceTime and iPhones, I was able to see the 3-D photograph of a very special baby…my grandchild. At that moment, she weighed only about 12 ounces and was only 6 ½ inches long, but her senses were developing to the point where she could already hear noises outside the

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries It was my father who first opened the door for me to look at world events as connected with God’s Word and His purposes unfolding on planet Earth. It has been a joy and an exciting adventure to watch the news on television or read a newspaper and see happenings as something more than a depiction of events that are out of my control. Instead, the very things taking place around us are an indication that God is in