We begin our prayer time in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. + Amen.
‘Adoration’
Psalm 103:1-5; “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
I was looking at the hurricane map for the Atlantic recently and was thinking about how our Creator daily provides for all of our needs and how at times, we witness a storm dump 10” of rain or 12” of snow on our day and out comes the complaints that “we didn’t need that much” God.
HE causes the weather to cover the believers and non-believers in the same way and provides His children with an opportunity to reflect their assurance that He is in control and will be with them and bless their lives..forever.
A time of ‘Adoration’ to our Triune God.
· Think about the provisions, protection, hope and love that surround you because of His unfailing love for you.
· Try to grasp the immense work that our Creator is doing in the lives of each Haitian child who are to walking to their Christian school this month and are receiving daily manna from Heaven.
‘Confession’
1 John 1:9; “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
We were born, sinful and unclean, through no fault of our own, but because of the sins of our parents, grandparents…Adam and Eve.
God sent His only Son to die for our sins. Jesus did everything right while he was here on this earth. He loves you with a love that cannot be measured. He gave to the world when no thanks were returned to Him. He healed when there was no hope, and He died without complaint. Jesus did nothing wrong and everything right; all this for you. He lived for you and died for you. Our sins nailed Him to the cross on Calvary and kept Him there until His life on earth had ended.
· A time of personal confession.
Our sins are placed at the base of the Calvary cross...His cross, and we give thanks that the times we have fallen short in the eyes of our Heavenly Father have been washed clean and we have been forgiven through the Blood of our Risen Savior Jesus Christ.
‘Thanksgiving’
I was sitting here looking outside at the green leaves on the trees beginning to turn a little yellow and the lush green lawn following rain and abundant sunshine and thought what would happen if God decided to give us control of the weather? It wouldn’t take too long and we would be fighting with our family, neighbors and those cousins of ours, over the setting of the thermostat, the density of the clouds, the amount of rain, the velocity of the wind and the brightness of the moon. Once again, we would make a mess of things. I’m thankful He is in control.
Twenty years ago John Hall and Pastor Revenel Benoit were at a school called Tarrasse and there were 42 children who were without food and the Holy Spirit nudged John to ask “How can we help?” And here we are today, still collecting quarters and feeding over 24,000 children throughout Haiti. As John quite often said, “Ain’t God good?” We give thanks for the opportunity to feed the children in Haiti who are learning about Jesus...so thankful that He is in control.
2 Corinthians 9:15; “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”
Heavenly Father, we come to You now with hearts, minds and words filled with ‘Thanksgiving’.”
· We give thanks for our Creator, Redeemer and Holy Spirit and for Your continued blessings in our lives.
· We give thanks for this new school year and the many students who will learn about Jesus and receive a daily meal from Trinity/HOPE.
· We give you thanks for our providence and as we give of our first fruits may we also give a portion of our best to His children in Haiti who need the assistance we can provide because of You.
· We give You thanks for many donors with the Matthew 25 Project and for the many more children that are being blessed each day.
‘Supplications’
Philippians 4:6-7; “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The Apostle Paul had a wealth of experience when it came to being persecuted for his faith and when he tells us “do not be anxious for anything” he speaks from years of taking everything to the Lord, and finding peace. You anxious about anything today? There are times when worry gets the best of me and I always end up surrendering it to the Lord and placing my challenges at the foot of the cross as that is the only place it will be resolved.
When my challenges seem large the thought of that Haitian child who attends a Christian school going home to face questions and corrections from their vodou following parent causes my problems seem insignificant. May that child be a part of your daily prayers and you remain in a prominent place of theirs.
· Lord Jesus, cause Your Haitian children to be strong, courageous and faithful in the witness.
· May the fires started by the cooks scorch the lies of the vodou priests and bring those who still cling to those lies to the foot of the cross seeking Your favor.
· Heavenly Father, please bless new donors unknown to us but who are out there ready to help to feed Haitian children through the Matthew 25 Project.
· Lord Jesus, place your healing hand on those with cancer; Sonja, Bonnie, Darrell and David. Please continue to restore Roro and Lafleur.
· Father, provide teams with Trinity/HOPE who oversee the monthly records from Haitian schools abundant joy as they serve you in this way.
Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a Word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You sent it; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
2 Corinthians 13:11-14; “Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints send their greetings. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
May God go before you to guide you; may His arms be beneath you to support you, around you to protect you and above you to bless you. And may the blessings of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you always dear sister and brother in Christ,
In His love, Jay Brinkmeyer