Matthew 6:9-10
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Over the past few weeks, Thursday's have become prayer request days...
Don't ever doubt for a moment that your prayers for the men I list here aren't being answered by God. This exercise in faith that we enter into is producing fruit.
When I go to Rapha on Wednesday's, I spend my time walking around, talking with the men. Mostly chit chat about how the weekend was.....what about the food....are you homesick...that kind of stuff. We will talk about ballgames and hobbies. Who caught the biggest fish over the weekend. But along the way, I direct the conversation over to "What's going on between you and God?" For the most part, they get real honest about this portion of their life. Some will tell me that they are growing in Christ..they have a hunger to read their Bible. Some will tell me that they are struggling. They want to believe that there is a God who can do all these marvelous things they have heard, but they just aren't sure.
As I share about how others are praying for them and their situation, I also help them to understand that they can pray too. That their prayers carry weight and substance, not to fall prey to the old idea that they are so damaged that God won't hear their prayers.
My time and trips to Rapha have produced a foundation that God is building on.
Last night's Bible Study @ Rapha was probably one of the best we've had in a long time.
At the end of the teaching, the guys were not ready to quit....as a group, they asked me if I could keep teaching....could I expound on what was shared. They had questions...they had comments..You could see it in their faces....they wanted to know this Jesus.
Such nights as this...
Such Bible studies as we had last night...
let me know that God isn't finished with me or Rapha...
O.k.....lets get down to the business of prayer....
1.) K. --- Ask for prayer for discernment. He is afraid of that old part of his life that deceived him over the years. Affecting the way he thinks and views life, that lead him down a dark path. He realizes that, at this point in time, he doesn't need to really make any decisions without good counsel. He desires to have a correct view of God's truth.
2.) V. -- Begins the process of job hunting this morning. He isn't concerned about how much he will make, as he is the job site being one that will not be a detriment to his recovery. His prayer is that "God would let me work in a place that I can stay clean and sober."
3.) S. -- Asked prayer for his wife who is going through some terrible pain in her back and in her legs. She is going to the doctor, but he fully realizes that God is the healer. Also strength and grace for him to be who God created him to be.
4.) D. -- He asks for God's hand to be the real guide in his life as he moves forward in his recovery. He has been to multiple rehabs and is tired of this merry-go-round. He is ready to move forward with his life and get it right this time.
5.) B. -- Ask for provision for his family while he is in treatment. He is really struggling with the thought of leaving, so he can get to work and take care of them. Behind this thought is the reality that he isn't ready to leave. That if he did make such a choice as to to leave treatment, it would not turn out well.
6.) J. -- He has a really good relationship with his grandmother who is getting on up in years. He fully understands that she isn't going to be around much longer, but that doesn't ease the pain of knowing that she won't see him beat this addiction thing. He simply asks for favor from God to rest on him and her, and that somehow she would know that he is doing o.k.
7.) Rapha Staff --- prayers for strength and guidance that they can teach and model what these men need in order for them to move forward in their respective lives.
Thanks to everyone of you who participate in this Prayer exercise....
God on you...
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