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If your family is like most, you have at least from time to time fallen prey to the frantic pace of busy lifestyles and the demands of work, home and even church activities. We live in unsettled times. Our children are bombarded from all sides with the realities of war, terrorism, school violence, immorality and confusion. Have you wondered if it is possible for your family to settle into a peaceful, joy-filled existence that honors the Lord and serves Him instead of submitting to the pressures of the world? The Father has a prayer plan to help you do just that! In His lovingkindness, He has enabled us to be victorious in the battle with the world. He has given us His powerful Word to ward off the temptations and torment of all that is not of Him:  “Take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests…”  (Eph. 6:17-18) .  This is God’s exhortation that the battle is a spiritual one and can only be fought in His strength, depending upon His Word and prayer. Below you will find scriptural prayers for a peaceful household. Some words of caution are necessary, however, before you determine that your home will never see strife again as the Lord hears and begins to answer. Remember that you  will  face trials, and there will still be times of struggle. God is completely in control, and because He is shaping and molding us increasingly into the image of His Son, there will be times when peace seems far from your household. The key is how you face those trials and deal with your struggles as a family united in Christ Jesus. The worldly ones are watching to see if you will crumble, but what a victory for the Lord when you stand firm and walk through difficulty and discord with the calm assurance of a faith-filled life. Maintaining peace in the midst of turmoil is possible as our faith level rises to meet the powerful possibilities of God, even when we cannot see into our future:  “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see”  (Heb. 11:1) .  Believing that God is able to reach into our circumstances and give victory as we call upon Him in prayer increases our ability to live peaceful, quiet lives in all godliness and holiness in the midst of troubling times. Reflect on the following passage of Scripture:  “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks,  he must believe and not doubt , because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does”  (Jas. 1:2-8). We will not always know how we should pray, and at those times, it is always the best course to ask God for His wisdom and counsel in the situation. If you try to handle the tough times on your own, your strength will not be sufficient for you and your family to maintain peace. Teach your children that whenever they face difficulties or stress, they must go immediately to prayer, asking the Father for His wisdom in the situation. Trying to figure it out on their own will only add to their anxiety and bring tension into your family. Remember always that you can have complete confidence in coming before the throne of the Lord Almighty:  “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him”  (1 John 5:14-15). It is only possible to have full assurance in asking when you go to His Word, because that is where His perfect will is contained. If you can’t find what you want to ask God in the pages of His Word, you need to consider that perhaps you are not asking according to His will. “And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father”  (John 14:13). We should always ask in Jesus’ name. His Name is powerful. We also need to check our motives, and the way we are asking. Always think about whether or not the answer to your request will bring honor to God, and that your request is not just a selfish appeal. Perhaps the Lord will answer in a way you do not expect, because whenever the Father answers a prayer, it is so that He will receive the glory rather than man. It is important that when you ask God to bring peace into your household you do not doubt that He will answer your request. The Lord considers doubting as being double-minded. Don’t let all of this instruction discourage you from prayer. It should, in fact, energize you and excite you about praying for peace in your household! For example: Jesus, in Your Name, we ask for the peace that transcends all understanding to fall upon our household, guarding our hearts and minds, so that You will receive glory when we do not fall in the midst of stressful times. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayer as we stand believing upon the promises of Your holy Word. (See Phil. 4:7). Here are your battle plans for peace in your household: Have faith, believing and not doubting that God is able to defeat Satan and bring peace into your home (Jas. 1:6-8). Determine to stand firm even in the midst of trials – persevere (Jas. 1:2-4). Put on and use the armor that God has given you, especially the sword, which is His holy Word (Eph. 6:10-18). Ask God for wisdom whenever you lack it (Jas. 1:5). Be faithful to obey all that He asks of you as you live by His holy Word. Have confidence to ask according to His will, knowing that you will have what you have asked of Him (1 John 5:14-15). If you pray His Word, you will always be praying in His will! Ask in the name of Jesus so that the Son may bring glory to the Father (John 14:13). Receive with thankfulness all that the Lord has for your family. Pray the Blessings and the Promises of Peace Over Your Family Blessings Mark 10:16 says,  “And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them.”  Parents, if this is the example of Jesus, we should all be gathering our children to us and praying blessings into their lives daily! Here are some blessings of peace to pray over your family: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace”  (Num. 6:24-26). May your ways be pleasing to the Lord, so that even your enemies will live at peace with you  (Prov. 16:7). May you lie down and sleep in peace, for the Lord alone makes you dwell in safety  (Psa. 4:8). May the God of Peace crush the enemy under your feet and the grace of Jesus be with you  (Rom. 16:20). May you stand firm with the belt of God’s truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of the Lord’s righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace – God’s holy Word  (Eph. 6:14-15). “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”  (1 Thess. 5:23). “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen”  (Heb. 13:20-21). “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord”  (2 Pet. 1:2). Prayers of Promise Lord, we receive into our household the strength You give to Your people. Thank You for blessing us with Your peace (Psa. 29:11). Father, help this family to turn from evil and do good. Enable us to seek peace and to pursue it always (Psa. 34:14). Holy One, we love Your Word and claim Your promise that we will have great peace, and that nothing can make us stumble (Psa. 119:165). King of Kings, thank You that You have left Your peace in our hearts, and that this is not the world’s idea of peace. Because of You, our hearts will not be troubled, and we will not be afraid (John 14:27). Lord Almighty, we know that in this world there will be trouble, but we give You thanks that we can take heart in knowing that You have overcome the world so that we may have peace in the midst of it (John 16:33). Holy Spirit, we submit our minds to Your control, so that You will give life and peace (Rom. 8:6). Lord of Lords, give us strength to make every effort to do the things that lead to peace and to the building up of our family (Rom. 14:19). God of Hope, fill us with joy and peace as we trust in You, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:13). Father, help us, as a family, to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3). Lord, please give us strength not to be anxious about anything. Help us to remember in every circumstance to pray with thanksgiving so that Your peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Help us to keep our focus only upon whatever is lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. As a family, we want to do only the things we learn, receive and hear from You so that Your peace will be with us (Phil. 4:6-9). Gracious God, give us the ability to allow only the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts, because we know that as members of Your body we are called to peace. Help us to be a thankful family (Col. 3:15). Father, give us a deep desire to make requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. We know that this is good and pleases You, Lord Jesus, because You want all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:1-4). Lord, purify my children’s hearts as they call upon You. Give them courage to flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace (2 Tim. 2:22). Righteous Father, thank You for the promise that the discipline we must impose upon our children will produce a harvest of righteousness and peace for them if they will receive the training. So we also ask that our children will, with willing hearts, receive discipline without taking offense, recognizing the opportunity to learn and grow from it (Heb. 12:11). Father, Your Word says that peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness and that discord cannot produce conduct that pleases You. Help us to be a peacemaking family (Jas. 3:18). Lord, Your Word promises that we can look forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. Since we are looking forward to this, help us to make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with You (2 Pet. 3:13-14).

All too often we look at prayer as a “quick fix” to a difficult situation. Have you ever said, “I’ve tried everything else–I might as well pray! Often we only have “time” to offer a few quick prayers hoping to bring God into the situation so that everything will be fine. Sometimes this proves to be the case (although probably more because of God’s great love for us than from the power of our prayers). If you are involved in a work of God, and hopefully we are all active in a ministry of some sort. you need to look at prayer not as a quick petition, but rather as part of the long-term strategy for accomplishing the work that God has called you to. It involves a commitment to pray and work until you see completion. An illustration from the sports realm might be helpful. Many would liken prayer to a series of sprints while instead, we would be better served to see prayer as a long-distance runner would view the course before him. Nehemiah saw prayer this way. In Nehemiah 1, we see that he had a difficult task ahead of him. After hearing a report of the poor condition of Jerusalem and its inhabitants he believed that God called him to travel to Jerusalem and take the lead in seeing the walls of the city rebuilt. As you look at this story, please note how prayer is an integral part of this mighty work of God . . . not as a quick fix. but as a continued dependence upon God for help and direction. As an important government official in Babylon, Nehemiah received word of the demoralized Jewish remnant in Jerusalem and the sad condition of Jerusalem’s walls. His response was to weep and pray: “For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven” (Neh. 1:4). Out of this time of mourning comes this powerful prayer, recorded in Neh 1:5-11, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’ They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” Nehemiah’s prayer was not an act of devotion wedged into an already busy schedule. He stopped what he was doing and gave himself fully to God in prayer. The task ahead was too daunting for anyone but God Himself. Nehemiah’s example reflects some important issues in prayer that we should follow when interceding: RESPONDING IN OBEDIENCE (Nehemiah 2:12). Although it is not mentioned in the passage from the first chapter of Nehemiah, we learn later on that God had placed the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls upon Nehemiah’s heart (“I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem”). Nehemiah simply was aware of what God desired to accomplish, and made himself available to be used in a powerful way to fulfill God’s plan. HAVING AN ATTITUDE OF WORSHIP (Nehemiah 1:5). Nehemiah did not enter lightly into God’s presence. He reverently acknowledged the awesomeness of the God of heaven, asking for His divine attention. PERSISTING IN PRAYER (Nehemiah 1:6). Nehemiah refers to the fact that he is praying day and night for this particular issue. PRAYING IN HUMILITY (Nehemiah 1:6-7). He approached God with humility, confessing his sin and the sin of his people. He repentantly accepted God’s judgment upon them as right and just . . . no excuses . . . no whining! He simply humbled himself before God and stated his case. CLAIMING GOD’S PROMISES IN SCRIPTURE (Nehemiah 1:8-9). Nehemiah recalled God’s promises to Israel that if they fell through disobedience and were exiled, but would repent and turn back to Him, He would bring them back from the most distant places: “and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back.” (Deuteronomy 30:2-4) Praying God’s Word back to Him is powerful! PRAYING WITH CONFIDENCE AND BOLDNESS (Nehemiah 1:10-11). Knowing then. that what he was asking for was according to God’s Word, Nehemiah prayed that God would provide the necessary resources to restore the fortunes of Jerusalem. PRAYING SPECIFICALLY (Nehemiah 1:11; 2:4-5). The particular resource that Nehemiah wanted needed to come from King Artaxerxes. Therefore, he asked God for favor in the presence of the king as he went to make his request known. He didn’t expect or ask for a mystical sort of provision. but instead asked specifically that God would give him favor with the man who could help. when the king asked him what he wanted, he prayed once again, and then very specifically said, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.” TAKING A STEP OF ACTION (Nehemiah 2:1-9). Nehemiah knew that he was the man whom God expected to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. His strategy was prayer. He first asked God to prepare the way for him to receive favor from the king. But then, he knew that he must ASK the king for his help. Having confidence in the Lord’s plan and provision, he did just that, even though he was afraid. How many of us pray, but then don’t continue on in faith to be the answer to our own prayers? Do you wonder how many prayers God might have answered differently if we had just been obedient in our actions? Sometimes God desires (and requires) the next step beyond obedience to intercede, the obedience to act on behalf of the person or situation for whom or for which we are interceding. An interesting note; Nehemiah breathed a prayer to God just before responding to the king’s question, “What is it you want?” (Neh. 2:4-5). He utilized the strategy of prayer for preparation and also to gain the wisdom to speak the words God wanted him to say (“Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king . . .”). Jesus tells us not to fear when we stand before kings and authorities on His behalf for He will give us the words to say Luke 21:12-15). Nehemiah experienced this same promise from God. GIVING GOD THE GLORY AND THE CREDIT (Nehemiah 2:8). Not only did the king grant Nehemiah’s request for time off to rebuild Jerusalem he also wrote letters to governors for protection, and to obtain the timber Nehemiah needed. In addition, above and beyond what Nehemiah asked for, the king sent army officers and cavalry with him (Neh. 2:7-9). Nehemiah could have been puffed up with his own success, but instead he said, “And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.” There is one more aspect of strategic prayer to look at in the story of Nehemiah. It came after his request was granted by the king and he traveled to Jerusalem with the king’s protection and blessing to build the walls of Jerusalem The Israelites in the city had responded favorably to Nehemiah’s presence and had set themselves to the task of rebuilding the city walls under his leadership. But as so often happens in any work of God, it was not long before the enemy made his move. Opposition arose against the building of the wall. Nehemiah’s response? WARFARE PRAYING (Nehemiah 4:4-5). This prayer warrior moved to the attack mode of prayer: “Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults hack on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.” The task was not going to be completed until there was some spiritual warfare prayer.Once again, Nehemiah did not pray and then sit back and do nothing. Prayer was primary strategy for rebuilding the walls . . . but not the whole strategy. He also called the people together and posted guards to protect the builders. He phrased it this way in Neh. 4:9, “But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.” What a powerful combination of prayer and physical activity! Nehemiah understood clearly that prayer was as essential to the building of the wall as manual labor. In our plans and ministries, we must begin to see the strategic place that God has for prayer. With Nehemiah we saw that the project emerged out of prayer . . . continued in prayer . . . and was completed through prayer. Because of this biblical prayer warrior, we can see how this type of continuous emphasis on prayer can bring any work of God to completion in such a way that God is honored and His Kingdom advanced.

Like a mighty wave rolling across the Church around the world, comes the cry from millions of believers, “Oh God, send a revival!” Like no time in recent history, the Church is becoming aware of its own desperate condition and the even more critical needs of our cultures. It is reassuring to know that for once, the Church is not looking to another program or strategy to try to change the world. We’re recognizing that it is going to take heaven-sent revival. Taking our cue from past revivals, Christians are praying for God to move in significant new ways in the Church. It is these praying Christians who will experience in their own lives the first fruits of revival. What is it we are praying for when we ask God to send revival? To fully answer that would comprise a book and even then perhaps prove to be inadequate. Christian scholars are continuously debating the nature of revival. But praise God, though we disagree on its nature, there is near unanimity on our desperate need for it. Some of my favorite short definitions of revival are: “. . . a movement of the Holy Spirit bringing about a revival of New Testament Christianity in the church of Christ and its related community.” J. Edwin Orr “Revival is a community saturated with God.” Duncan Campbell “Revival is the Church falling in love with Jesus all over again.” Vance Havner Perhaps the one that best fits my own understanding is from Stephen Olford, who says, “Revival is ultimately Christ Himself, seen, felt, heard, living, active, moving in and through His Body on earth.” True revival is not man-centered but Christ-centered. It is not about a type of music or special experience, but a fresh revelation of Christ in the midst of His people–people often grown sleepy or slow-moving and desperately in need of a fresh awakening touch from their Savior. Much has been written on what happens when revival touches a church, community or nation. Foundational to each of those spheres of revival is a fresh touch from Christ upon an individual. J. Edwin Orr speaks of those different spheres this way: “Such an awakening may change in a significant way an individual; or it may affect a larger group of believers; or it may move a congregation or the churches in the city or district, or the body of believers throughout a country or continent; or indeed, the larger body of believers throughout the world.” What would it mean for an individual to experience revival? It is an important question for us to consider. Though we may long for and pray for revival for the whole Church, we certainly want to make sure that revival could come to an individual apart from the corporate aspect. Dare we begin to ask God for revival in our own lives? I believe there is very clear correlation between what happens when a church experiences revival and when an individual Christian experiences revival. The heart of revival is when Christ shows up for church. It is when we begin to experience what we already know is true biblically and theologically concerning the presence of Christ. One of the major tenets of our faith is that when believers in Jesus gather, He Himself is present in a very special way in their midst. Jesus said, “for where two or three come together in my Name, there am I with them” (Mt.18:20). We believe His words concerning His presence as we gather. Yet Sunday after Sunday in the majority of our churches, we go through the motions without a real awareness of Jesus actually being there with us. In revival, there is an awakening to His presence. Biblical truths that had perhaps grown stale are suddenly infused with new life. The love and life of Jesus are lived out in fresh new ways as the Church gathers. This same experience ought to mark the life of the individual Christian as we begin to experience revival personally. Colossians 1:27 says, “Christ in us, the hope of glory.” Is there a more astonishing verse in Scripture–that the Son of God has actually come to take up residence within the individual Christian? Yet we often view such a verse as dry biblical truth. It somehow fails to excite or thrill the soul. Even more telling–it fails to change the way we live. What a difference it would make in our lives if we truly lived out the truth of Christ in us, the hope of glory; walking daily with Jesus–aware of His presence, His love, His strength, and His direction. Rather than asking the question in abstract, “What would Jesus do?” we would often throughout each day directly ask our indwelling Lord, “Jesus, what are you doing?” What a revival of changed life, character, and witness we would see among believers. The 19th century Quaker author, Hannah Whitall Smith writes, “Dear friend, I make the glad announcement to thee that the Lord is in thy heart. Since the day of thy conversion He has been dwelling there, but thou hast lived on in ignorance of it. Every moment during all that time might have been passed in the sunshine of His sweet presence, and every step have been taken under His advice. But because thou knew it not, and did not look for Him there, thy life has been lonely and full of failure. But now that I make the announcement to thee, how wilt thou receive it? Art thou glad to have Him? Wilt thou throw wide open every door to welcome Him in? Wilt thou joyfully and thankfully give up the government of thy life into His hands? Wilt thou consult Him about everything, and let Him decide each step for thee, and mark out every path? Wilt thou invite Him into thy innermost chambers, and make Him the sharer in thy most hidden life? Wilt thou say “Yes” to all His longing for union with thee, and with a glad and eager abandonment hand thyself and all that concerns thee over into His hands? If thou wilt, then shall thy soul begin to know something of the joy of union with Christ.” On a practical level, how can we begin to walk in this intimate relationship with Jesus? Years ago, I heard Argentine evangelist Juan Carlos Ortiz say, “to walk in the Spirit is to be continually conscious of Christ in you.” Since then, one of the major goals of my life has been to narrow the gaps of unawareness. It is so easy to get caught up in the activities of daily life–even in service to Jesus, and forget the awesome fact of the indwelling Christ. Scriptures are so clear that our lives are hidden with Christ, that we are seated with Christ, and that we are to follow him. Paul would go so far as to say, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ living in me” (Gal. 2:20). True spiritual awakening begins on a personal basis as we begin to live out daily the truth of God’s Word, “Christ in us, the hope of glory!”

Holiness – it is a subject that seems to have been lost in the shuffle at the end of the second millennium. Those of us who are not wholly focused on becoming like Jesus and seeking earnestly to live holy lives have very little to say to others about holiness. Why am I talking about holiness as related to prayer? For too long I have focused on giving people the tools to pray better and more effectively, not realizing that without holiness, prayers can go unanswered. This is not telling God what He can’t do…He can do whatever He wants. Instead, it is recognizing that God normally does not answer the prayers of those who are not making every effort to walk in holiness. God Himself lays it out for us very clearly in His Word:  “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” (Psalm 66:18) “Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)  “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face, O God of Jacob.” (Psalm 24:3-6) God not only commands us to be holy, but He has provided for us a way to holiness which leaves us without excuse. We cannot blame our society or culture for our unholiness. Believers in New Testament times were in a society as immoral as can be imagined…yet were taught and expected to be holy. Listen to the commands of God’s unchanging Word: “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (2 Cor. 7:1) “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14) “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am Holy.’” (I Pet. 1:15-16) “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.” (2 Pet. 3:11) “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.” (I Thess. 4:7) “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Rom. 12:1) “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” (Eph. 1:4) Regardless of our skills or lack of skills in prayer, we will not become a mighty people of prayer until we begin to develop a passion for the holy life – until we will not settle for “good enough” but strive to be like Jesus. I believe the Scriptures we have read give us the key for living a life of holiness. The key to our holiness is nothing less than the holiness of God Himself. We are to be holy…because He is holy! Look at what the Scriptures say of His holiness: “Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you…majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” (Ex. 15:11) “And they were calling to one another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” (Isaiah 6:3) “Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Rev. 15:4) Holy…set apart…different…unique…perfect…that’s the God we worship! How is it possible that we sinful creatures can even aspire to holiness? It’ s because God has CALLED us to! You see, it is God’s nature to be holy. You and I have been born again into God’s family. His genetic structure for holiness has been given to us because of Jesus. When we made Jesus Lord and Savior of our lives, we experienced the new birth. The Holy Spirit came to dwell in us. We still have much of the sin nature within us; however, there is a new nature…a new genetic code if you will…a code of holiness that comes straight from our Heavenly Father. Holiness now becomes a possibility…where it was an impossibility. The problem arises when this is as far as we take the call to be holy. Most of us feel that our holiness consists only of this imputed righteousness that comes from Jesus and we say… “I don’t worry about sin, because I’m forgiven.” I have to admit….I’ve been there…and so have many of you. But God is not satisfied with incomplete holiness. You will find in Scripture the truth that holiness can never be accomplished by any of us just trying hard…. Jesus’ death is absolutely essential for us to experience the new birth and new life in Christ. It is HIS righteousness that is now at work in us. Since God’s holiness has been placed within us, we should now make our best effort to live out that life of holiness as we keep our eyes on our Holy God. And God expects us to strive for personal holiness which is demonstrated by the way we live our lives: “Perfecting holiness out of reverence for God” (2 Cor. 7:1). Perfecting…. working on it…striving for it….and the motive? Reverence for God and wanting to be like Him. There is no greater compliment to a dad, than when a son or daughter wants to be like him. We give God pleasure as long as we strive for holiness – to be like our Heavenly Father. “Make every effort…to be holy” (Heb. 12:14). This is not a passive acceptance of something. This is not to be confused with your salvation. You accepted Christ’s gift of salvation by faith…but there is effort involved if you want to be holy. Paul would say, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Why with fear and trembling? Because we are doing so under the watchful eye of a Holy God. So, how do we live holy lives? We make the Word of God our foundation…we strive to do what it says…and we flee from all that it forbids. God is waiting for His people to pray, but He longs for prayers that come from the lips of a holy people…a people set apart and dedicated to God: “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer…” (I Pet. 2:12) “Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24:3-4) If we will “take time to be holy,” God will be attentive to our prayers. Let ’s not stop short of personal holiness: being holy “as He is holy.”

“Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my Lord, since you have given me strength.” (Daniel 10:19) Have you ever had such an amazing encounter with God that you thought you were going to die? Time and again in the Scriptures, we read of those who had such encounters. Without exception, there was great fear as they came into contact with God, whether it was Moses listening to God from a burning bush, or Mary receiving a message from the angel Gabriel. The prophet Daniel had one of the more spectacular encounters as he was given a vision of an angelic being, who in all probability was the Lord Jesus in his pre-incarnate state. The similarities of the description in Daniel 10 of the angelic being and the clear description of Jesus as seen by the Apostle John in Revelation 1 are striking. Daniel’s response was to lose all strength and fall down before the Lord. God dealt with Daniel’s fear in ways that are encouraging to us all. He spoke his peace to Daniel and everything changed. God’s peace always has that sort of dramatic effect in our lives. The Lord assured Daniel of his love for him and then spoke peace over him. More than words, the speaking of peace into someone’s life becomes a conduit for peace actually to begin to flow into an individual’s life. With the peace of God coming into Daniel’s life, the Lord could speak of strength and courage, and it had real meaning to Daniel. It was in this place of peace where Daniel was strengthened that he could finally summon the courage to ask the Lord to speak to him. Do you suppose that it is often fear and lack of peace that prevents us from hearing what the Lord might be saying to us? We so often play the “what if?” game, which breeds fear and uncertainty to the point that we really don’t want to hear from God for fear of what He might say. His peace though, clears out those fears, brings strength, and puts us in a good place for the Lord to speak into our lives. We often use the phrase, “paralyzed by fear.” That’s what fear does when it takes charge of our lives. We become too frightened to make decisions or to choose which way to go. Whether the fears are based on reality or fantasy is not even the issue. It is fear that prevents us from action. That’s why we so often quote the words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as he attempted to calm the fears of a nation paralyzed by the Great Depression, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” God has a supernatural way for us to deal with fear. It is accepting his peace into who we are. Receiving His assurances of love as Daniel did, we hear his words of peace and our fears begin to melt away. Strength comes as fears melt away, and peace resumes its rightful place over our heart. My Prayer  Lord, I am so thankful that you understand the fears that I face. You don’t ever simply tell me to get over it. Instead, you assure me of your love and give me your peace. I confess my great need for this in our day of confusion and turmoil. I desperately need the peace that only comes from you. Prayer Point  Ask the Lord not to allow you to be paralyzed by fear but always to be strengthened by his peace. From Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God: A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus by David Butts ©PrayerShop Publishing, 2017

It’s very obvious in Scripture that the Lord wants us to pray. There are many commands given to us concerning prayer: “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1); “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18); “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). These are just a few of many such injunctions in God’s Word concerning prayer in our lives. Why is it then, that so many Christians feel so inadequate in their prayer lives? Christians everywhere confess their prayerlessness and long to become people of prayer. Yet, the life of prayer evades so many. How can this be turned around in our lives? I believe that one important key is to understand the reason behind God’s commands to us to pray. It can be difficult to discern the mind of God on a matter, but He has given us much in Scripture to help us understand. My friend Alvin VanderGriend has suggested that there are three reasons given for prayer in God’s Word: intimacy, enrichment and partnership. Another way of stating these is: knowing God, obeying God and partnering with God. There is a passage of Scripture that combines all of these in one place: “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5: 3-5). The first reason for prayer is the simple need we all have to know God. There is no way to draw near to the Lord apart from prayer. It is in prayer that we express to the Lord our love for Him, our faith in Him, our worship of Him, and our surrender to Him. If for no other reason, the desire for intimacy with Christ ought to bring us daily to our knees. The second reason for praying is simple obedience. God says to pray…so we pray. This is especially important during those times in our lives when we don’t feel like praying. These spiritual “dry times” can happen to us all. Often, the only thing that will lead us out of such dryness is sticking with the routine of daily prayer and time in God’s Word. Developing a spiritual discipline out of obedience to the Lord is a bulwark against spiritual dryness, laziness, and busyness. One of the areas that I believe is least understood by Christians is the partnership that God has called us to with Himself in the area of prayer. God, in His wisdom and sovereign power, has chosen to accomplish His will on this planet through the prayers of His people. God has decided not to arbitrarily move in and out of situations on earth, even though He is able to do just that. Instead, He waits on His people to pray and then pours out His power in response to those prayers. Ezekiel 22:30 is a passage of Scripture that illustrates this principle of how the Lord works. “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.” God uses the illustration of a walled city to demonstrate His commitment to prayer. The walls protect a city from enemy attack. But through neglect (sin), the walls can begin to crumble and a gap or opening in the wall can create a dangerous situation where the enemy can come in. God said of Israel in Ezekiel’s day, that they had allowed such a situation to develop. It was going to result in the destruction of the land, unless someone stood before the Lord in the gap on behalf of the land. This is a clear picture of God’s desire for us to engage in intercessory prayer. What is absolutely heartbreaking is that God Himself was looking for an intercessor. He was looking for someone who would stand before Him in prayer on behalf of Israel so that He would not have to destroy her because of sin and rebellion. God’s desire is made clear here. He did not want to destroy Israel. He was waiting for an intercessor so He wouldn’t have to. God had chosen to reserve His power to save the nation of Israel for those who prayed. But no intercessor was to be found. Israel was defeated by the Babylonians and her people were in exile for 70 years. Isaiah 59 reflects a similar situation. The chapter speaks of a nation that was in trouble. There was no justice, violence was in the streets and the righteous were being preyed upon by the wicked. Verses 15 and 16 show us the Lord’s response to the evil that was going on. “The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intercede.” Once again, the Lord made His will very clear. He was displeased by what was happening in Israel and desired for matters to be made right. He was waiting for His people to pray, so that salvation and righteousness might be poured out upon the people. But again, there was no one to intercede. In this case, however, the Lord allowed Israel to suffer in sin for hundreds of years until His people were redeemed by the coming of the Messiah. God always looks first for an intercessor. It is His plan to accomplish His will on this planet through the prayers of the saints. It is for this reason that Jesus taught us to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” God has given us the awesome privilege of partnering with Him in bringing about the advance of His Kingdom on earth. As we ask ourselves, “why pray?” we can move from a lethargic attitude about prayer to a place of tremendous excitement as we join with God in what He is doing on this planet. Understanding the place of prayer in God’s plan can give us greater motivation and commitment to be the people of prayer that God is calling us to become.

“How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young  –  a place near Your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are ever praising You. Blessed are those whose strength is in You, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. “They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on Your anointed one. Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in You”  – Psalm 84. God would like for you to come over to His house. Not just for a visit…but to stay! For years I have been intrigued by how many times the Scriptures speak of God’s house. It would take numerous articles such as this to discuss all the aspects of the Lord’s house. But the main thing to remember about all these references is that the Bible is speaking about where God dwells; not a house made with human hands, but the place of His presence. I get excited by the fact that God wants me to be where He is. He wants me to live in His house; not just someday in heaven…but now! Every day! That’s true for all of those who belong to God through faith in Christ Jesus. The fact that God has opened up His home to us is a great indicator of His love for us and His desire to experience intimacy with His people. On a human level, we have a tendency to protect our homes…our living space. We may invite many people over for a meal, or a time of fellowship. It is much more a rarity that we would invite someone to come and live with us…to share our home…to join with our family. One of the more confusing aspects of spending time with God in His house, is that He also spends time with us in  our  house. How can we be at His house and He be at our house at the same time? Our problem is our fleshly limitation to space…we think in terms of being in only one place at one time. God has no such limitations. So Jesus would say things to us like, “I will be in you and you will be in Me.” Both are true…and both occur simultaneously. So, we pray like David in Psalm 27:4,  “that I may dwell in Your house all the days of my life.”  We also hold on to the words of Jesus that, “ If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him and We will come to him and make Our home with him”  (John 14:23). We must not be confused about this. It is not a  place  we speak of, so much as an awareness of God’s presence. When we are with Him, we are home…His house…our house…home! Look at these passages from the New Testament that speak of the house of God: “But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are His house”  (Hebrews 3:6).  “…you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”  (1 Peter 2:5) . “Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth”  (1 Timothy 3:14-15). Psalm 84, quoted at the beginning of this article, is one of my favorite Old Testament passages describing the house of God. Note that the description is not focused on the physical aspects of a house…but on being in the presence of God. What strikes me most from Psalm 84 is the passionate desire of the Psalmist to be with God.  “My soul yearns…even faints…for the courts of the Lord.”  He so longs to be near where God is, that he would gladly take a place of servanthood, as a doorkeeper, just to be in the vicinity. According to verse four, one of the marks of the person who has learned to dwell in the presence of God is worship and praise. How could it be otherwise? If we, like David in Psalm 27:4, are allowed to gaze upon the Lord’s beauty, a life of praise will be the natural result. There is so much more to discuss as we consider drawing near to the Lord and dwelling in His house all the days of our lives. Could I suggest that you begin this walk toward the Lord’s house today by beginning to pray Psalm 27:4? Here is a sample of the way I’ve begun making that journey: “Lord, there really is just one thing that I want from You today. And You, Yourself are that one thing! I want to be with You today. I want to dwell in Your house all the days of my life, gazing upon Your beauty and seeking You in Your temple. Thank You for wanting that close, intimate relationship far more than I do. That gives me great confidence in prayer right now. I know that this is a request that You are longing to answer. Thank you.”

There is a movement being encouraged across the United States of America to encourage Christians to pray at polling sites in their communities. Here are three ways you can participate along with prayer points and a written prayer to help you: 1. Encourage and organize intercessors in your community to cover every polling site in prayer (physically, if possible).  Secure a complete list of the polling places that are now or that will be open on Election Day. Ask others to “adopt” polling places near where they live to pray over. Give them the prayer points listed below. 2. Drive-by Prayer at Polling Sites:  If you are unable to get enough volunteer intercessors, or lack time to organize, secure the list of polling places and drive by as many as you can, stopping to pray over them. 3. Pray as You Vote!  While you are waiting in line, or even before/after you vote, take some time to pray at the polling site. Use the prayer points below or ask God to show you what He wants you to pray about! What do we pray over the polling sites? Author Karen Hardin suggests a few ways: 1. For God’s presence to be very evident over the entire process – that kindness and civility are the only encounters people have with one another.2. For peace and safety for all who come to vote with no intimidation or threats to voters.3. That the in-person voting process will not be hindered, threatened, or closed down.4. For enough volunteers to man every polling place so that each is able to be open on Election Day.5. For all checks and balances to be in place so that the integrity of voting is maintained.6. That there will be no malfunctioning of voting machines which have in the past changed the intended vote of the voter.7. That any corruption or theft of votes, whether in-person or mail-in, will be exposed quickly and stopped.8. That the process will be carried out with care and excellence so that election results will be clear and not drawn out for days or weeks. Lord, we pray for those who will rise up in this hour to pray at our polling places. Lord, awaken your people to this need and to see that they can make a difference. You said that the effectual fervent prayer of righteous men and women avails much. As we go and pray at these locations, Lord, we release your power and your Presence for your will to be done as people vote in this election. Open the eyes of the blind. Lord, we also pray for all Christians to register to vote and exercise their right to vote.  Lord, stir them to action. We command complacency to go. Awaken your people to the need of this hour and the importance of using this right. Compel them, Lord, to take action and understand the need of this hour. Awaken your Church, Lord. If you have never done anything like this, be encouraged that you can make a difference by stepping out of your comfort zone to pray in your area at these polling places.  Some content adapted from an article by Karen Hardin on Intercessors for America’s website:   https://ifapray.org/blog/polling-places-prayer-the-lords-strategy-for-election-2020/

Originally published as a blog post by Harvest Prayer Ministries A. W. Tozer writes: “Being curious about Christ's second coming is one thing, being ready for it is another. I cannot think of even one passage in the New Testament which speaks of Christ’s revelation, manifestation, appearing or coming that is not directly linked with moral conduct, faith and spiritual holiness. The teacher who engages in speculation to excite the curiosity of his hearers without providing them with a moral application is sinning even as he speaks.” I’m much in agreement with this statement of Tozer’s. It shouldn’t surprise us that one of the reasons we are to live in a right way before the Lord’s return, is so that we can pray with greater power and effectiveness in these critical days. The Apostle Peter said it this way: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray” (1 Peter 4:7). The events and trends of our day have many Christians wondering if we are living in the last days. Unfortunately, the response of many is to worry and live in fear. The godly response is to pray. As we look forward to the Lord’s return, whenever that might be, we must live the kind of lives that allow us to replace fear with intercession that will release the Lord’s power and purposes into our needy world.

Our creative Father loves to develop newness in and around His people. He is at work to transform us from old to new. By the power of His Spirit, we are continually being made new day by day. As you look to this new year, consider studying these passages prayerfully by yourself, with your family, or with your small group. Take some time to consider the goodness of the Lord, and how He has made provision to transform you into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. Talk about how God has, is, and will continue to make you new. See if you can find new things in every passage that you may never have considered before. Is there a promise? Is there something that gives you courage…or hope? Drink deeply from the well of the Father, who is able to make all things…and all people new. New Birth “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time”  (1 Pet. 1:3-5). Describe your new birth in Jesus. Why do you think God is so merciful to us? Pray:  Give God praise for the mercy He has shown you through your new birth, and thank Him for the inheritance being kept for you in heaven that will never perish, spoil or fade! New Life “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life”  (Rom. 6:4). Why do you think it is necessary for God’s people to be buried with Jesus in baptism in order to experience new life? Pray:  Thank God for the new life you have through Christ as your old life was buried so that you could have a fresh beginning. New Things “And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And He *said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’ Then He said to me, ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son'” (Rev. 21:5-7). “I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you”  (Isa. 42:8-9). “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland”  (Isa. 43:18-19). How thirsty are you for the water of life? Are you thirsty enough to be an overcomer? Are there any idols in your home? What are they? (Keep in mind that they may be “good things.”) What are some things in your past that need to be forgiven and/or forgotten? How can you keep from dwelling on them? What are the new things that God is doing in your life? Pray:  Ask the Father to help you to recognize the idols in your life so that you can turn away from them and put your focus on all of the amazing new things God holds for you in His heart. New Songs “I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD”  (Psa. 40:1-3). “Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples”  (Psa. 96:1-3). My friend, Dick Eastman, President of Every Home for Christ, felt the Lord leading him to sing his prayers for several months. At first, he felt self-conscious and a bit silly; however, as he began to be obedient, the Lord began to give him new songs; new ways to express his love to the Lord. Has God ever put a new song in your mouth? Describe the experience. Try to write and/or sing new songs to the Lord as you pay attention to His glory among the nations and His marvelous deeds among all peoples. Pray:  Father, help me to sing the new songs in my heart as an offering to You! May I glorify You among the nations and put all of my trust in You! New Names Because I love Zion, because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I will not cease to pray for her or to cry out to God on her behalf until she shines forth in his righteousness and is glorious in his salvation. The nations shall see your righteousness. Kings shall be blinded by your glory; and God will confer on you a new name. He will hold you aloft in his hands for all to see—a splendid crown for the King of kings. Never again shall you be called “The God-forsaken Land” or the “Land That God Forgot.” Your new name will be “The Land of God’s Delight” and “The Bride,” for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his own. Your children will care for you, O Jerusalem, with joy like that of a young man who marries a virgin; and God will rejoice over you as a bridegroom with his bride. O Jerusalem, I have set intercessors on your walls who shall cry to God all day and all night for the fulfillment of his promises. Take no rest, all you who pray, and give God no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes her respected and admired throughout the earth” (Isaiah 62:1-7 TLB). What do you think God is saying in this passage about Jerusalem’s new name? Talk about others in the Bible to whom God gave a new name like Abraham and Paul. Could the Lord be calling you to be a watchman on the walls in this new year? Could Watchman be your new name? God calls all of us to be intercessors and continually tells us to “keep watch.” Pray:  Righteous Father, You give new names to people who seek to honor You with their lives. I want to step into my new name as a Watchman on the wall! Train me to be an intercessor for the sake of Your kingdom! New Heavens and a New Earth   For see, I am creating new heavens and a new earth—so wonderful that no one will even think about the old ones anymore. (Isa. 65:17 TLB). “But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness”  (2 Pet. 3:13). Here is an Old Testament passage with a promise, and a New Testament reminder of that promise. Talk about what a new heaven and a new earth might be like. What are you most looking forward to in this home of righteousness? Pray:  Grace-filled Lord, You have made ALL things new in my life. How I look forward to the promise of a new heaven and a new earth! Teach me to live a righteous life of expectancy, always longing for my new home! New Compassions “Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness”  (Lam. 3:22-23). What could we be consumed by that God’s love and compassion protects us from? What does it mean to you that the Lord’s compassions are new every morning? Pray:  Lord Jesus, thank You for Your faithfulness that is new every morning! Thank You that you let me begin again with a fresh start each day because of Your compassion. New Spirit “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’ They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws. They will be My people, and I will be their God”  (Ezek. 11:17-20). “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you”  (John 14:26). According to the passage in Ezekiel, what will happen when God puts a new spirit in the people of Israel? Has God put a new spirit in you? If so, how do you know?  John 14:26 tells us that the Holy Spirit will be our teacher and our Advocate. How have you experienced His presence in your life through His teaching and advocacy for you? Pray:  Holy Spirit, how grateful I am that You have put a new spirit in me that compels me to follow You more completely. I am so glad to have a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone! Most of all, I am thankful to know that you will always be there to teach me and to advocate for me! Holy Father, thank You for this amazing gift! New Wine and New Wineskins “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved”  (Matt. 9:16-17). Jesus brings a newness of life that cannot be contained within old habits and lifestyles. Have you prepared a new wineskin to receive the new wine He wants to pour into it? How is your new wineskin different from your old one? Or, perhaps you are still trying to pour new wine into an old wineskin. If so, what has been the result? Pray:  Lord Jesus, You want to pour newness into my heart continually! Help me to replace all of the old habits and my sinfulness with a new wineskin that will contain all of the amazing life You have for me! New Covenant “In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me’”  (1 Cor. 11:25). “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant – not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6). “By calling this covenant ‘new,’ He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear”  (Heb. 8:13). “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal   inheritance – now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant” (Heb. 9:15). Talk about how the new covenant of Jesus is different from the old covenant of the law. How does the Holy Spirit give life to you? Consider taking communion as an act of remembrance alone or together as a family/small group. Talk about the new covenant and why it is important to be reminded of the sacrifice Christ made for our sins. Pray:  Father, thank You for revealing God’s New Covenant through Jesus. How grateful I am to be free from sin and that I can look forward to the eternal inheritance You have promised! New Command “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another”  (John 13:34-35). How do you carry out this “new”  command in practical, everyday ways? Why is it important for “all men”  to know that you are Jesus’ disciples? What new things could you do this year to be obedient to this “new command” ? Pray:  Lord Jesus, give me strength each day to carry out this amazing command. May I demonstrate Your love in every relationship and situation every day of my life so that I may bring honor and glory to Your name alone! New Creation “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  (2 Cor. 5:17). Think about and talk with your family/small group about how you became new creations because of Christ. What old habits and/or lifestyles changed when Jesus came into your lives? Pray:  Lord Jesus, thank You for making me a new creation! Continue to show me how to be made new day by day as I live out the life of Jesus! New Self “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”  (Eph. 4:22-24). What was your former way of life? What does it mean to “be made new in the attitude of your minds” ? Do you still struggle with “deceitful desires” ? If so, how does Jesus help you? If not, how has Jesus helped you to overcome? Pray:  Father, create a new mind and attitude within me as I learn how to step into the newness of desiring only what You want, rather than indulging my own selfish desires. New and Living Way “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water”  (Heb. 10:19-22). How will Jesus’ “new and living way”  help you to live differently in this new year? What does this passage teach you about prayer? Pray:  Father, by the blood of Jesus, You are teaching me day by day to live as He lived. Show me how to step into this new year by drawing near to You with a sincere heart, in full assurance of faith! Jesus came to make all things new! Will you and your family choose to honor Him for His sacrifice…this year…and for the rest of your lives? How will this new year be different because of the “new and living way”  – the way of Christ Jesus?