Day 6: 90 Days of Prayer

Okay, when I started this I didn't know how hard this was going to be.  The first 3 days satan attacked me non stop.  From everything to this won't work, this won't help, your wasting your time to just straight out spiritual attacks.  Then he attacked me where I wasn't expecting and through me for a complete loop and that was, just leaving me alone and trying to tie up all my free time with busy stuff and I got off schedule.

Now that I know his scheme, I'm back at it and will continue to post.  This 90 day process may be longer than 90 days in the long run, but I will not surrender. 

We just completed week 3 of when God's people pray and can I say it was very challenging and convicting.  I learned that if I have unconfessed sin in my life that God will not hear my prayers.  This was startling to me, because I just assumed he would listen anyways.  But, there are several scripture references for this, here are just a few.

Psalms 66:18 "If I had Cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened."
Isaiah 59:27:  "But your iniquities (unconfessed sins) have separates you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that He will not hear.

Unconfessed sin grieves His Holy Spirit and breaks our fellowship with the Lord. Until it’s confessed, He will not hear our prayers.  There are several other examples in the bible of this and from a man who has been a Christian for over 30 years this was very startling.  The light bulb came on and it was like, wow, no wonder there were prayer requests in my life that didn't get answered, because I had unconfessed sin in my life at the same time.  So I want to start this out right, with a clean heart.

Lord Jesus, I come before you and confess all my sins to you.  Those that have come out of my mouth, through my eyes, or thoughts in my head.  Lord I don't want anything to come between you and me, and I understand that with unconfessed sin in my life that You cannot use me.  Please forgive me of my sins, and use me in whatever way you see fit according to your will, and for your Glory.  Amen.

Prayer Requests:
Joey:  His grandad is not doing well and has health issues.
James:  That God will continue to provide direction in my life, my work and show me his will.
Frank and Cindy:  Grank needing consistent work and his travel in the next couple of weeks out of state for work.  Provide safety and an abundant flow of work.
Purcell Small Group:  That our prayer life in our group would increase and that we would be bold about it.
Heather and Josh:  heathers sister and Josh's friend and their neighbors to receive Christ.  They have been witnessing for Christ and not seeing results.  Pray for all to have open hearts and minds.
Mark and Trina:  Pray for Mark as he had a health issue where his lungs filled up with fluid.  Pray that he not only takes his meds like he needs but also that he does his exercising that is required to help alleviate the problem.  Also pray for a job opportunity that has arised and that they will find favor in him and hire him for it.
Kelly (I know I kept putting her name up as Terry, but it is Kelly) Pray that God would move in her husband's life -Kelly that he will see that he needs God and that he can't do everything on his own.  That God will help reconcile their marriage committments and help them to grow together.
Susan and Warren:  Pray for a burden that Susan has been carrying and pray that God will help direct her on how to handle it.
Greg and Jan:  We were so glad they made it to small group and praise God for them being obedient to him in coming to small group.  Pray that they continue to come and we are able to minister to them and them to us.
Jennifer:  Pray for her husband and bitterness he may be holding.  Praise of thanks that she came to small group for the first time and prayer that she will continue to come.

I would like to continue to pray for our pastors at Ridgeway Baptist that God will continue to lead them in the direction we as a church are to go and that God will prepare the hearts of the people in the church to be moved and open to the direction we are led.

Pastor Brian:  Pray for his family that he will be able to minister to them when he's off work and not come home exhausted.  That he will be a might man of God.  That God will direct his ministry and the direction it is to go.  That God will build and improve his study habits in the bible and help develope them.  To make him be bold in preaching and teaching.  That he will be humble before God.

Finally, I lift up any unspoken prayer requests from our group.  i lift up those prayer requests that I have forgotten.  God may your will be done in those and in our lives.  Thank you Lord for loving us and sending your Son Jesus to die on the cross so we can have eternal life in heaven with you.  Amen.

Hint for tomorrow's post:  Integrity of Scripture.  Phillipians 4:6-7 and Numbers 23:19 

Day 5: 90 days of Prayer

I realized today why I am not a farmer.  Got to use a brush hog at the deer lease to start preparing it for deer hunting.  Watched OU play football tonight, watched the CPHS Sandites beat Muskogee at highschool football.  My son brought his grade up in Geometry which was a praise report and an answer to prayer.  Something about this time of the year that makes the hair on your next stand up.  I love this time of the year.

Thank you Lord for all the little things that make life so enjoyable.  Lord I ask your forgiveness of my sins.  I continue to lift up the prayers of my small group that we have been praying for.  I lift up Mark and Trina and Marks job.  I pray that you will answer his requests, guide him and protect him.

I pray for Terry and her husband.  I pray for their marriage and that you will build them up. 

Lord I pray and thank ou for future cool weather spell.  It has been extremely hot and we have so many people out there that suffer in this heat.  We thank you for the weather and thank you for the break from the heat in advance.

Lord may I be an example and a prayer partner for those that need it.  Its in your name I pray.  Amen.

Day 4:90 Days of Prayer

While being very tired of the heat and working out in it all day, I'm am still reminded of the beauty that God created.  The birds and insects making noise and flying and crawling.  What's the bible say about even the birds and the trees will praise the Lord.  I think they praise him daily by reflecting his beauty.

Thank you Lord for the beauty of your creation.  Lord, I come before you to ask your forgiveness of my sins and any and all things that would seperate me and these prayers from you.  I ask that you will stand in the gap for me and my family when the enemy attacks.  I ask that you guide me and my family each and everyday.

I want to continue to pray for my job and sales.  This week has been a very good week and I pray that you will continue to help my sales to grow.  I thank you for the sales of this week and thank you for future sales.  I pray that you will put us in a position for paying our student loans in 6 months.

I continue to lift up Mark and Trina and Marks job.  I pray that you will bless him for being so faithful to you.  I pray for their finances.

Pray for Heather and Josh as they travel on and back from their anniversary trip.  Continue to bless their marriage.

I pray for Pastor Tito and all the people and new friends we met in Peru.  I pray the new Chrisitians that chose to follow you even though it is not popular.

Lord lift up those prayers from our small group that are close to their hearts and ask you to answer them.  I pray for Terry and her husband.  I pray that you will build and grow their marriage.  Thank you for allowing them to be apart of our small group.

Lord thank you for love and saving grace.  I ask all these things in your name amen.

During these 90 days of prayers there will be some times that there seems to be no answers and sometimes that seem a little slow.  Continue to follow and add and lift up your prayers as well, as we continue this process.

Day 3: 90 Days Of Prayer

After a rough couple of days starting this prayer blog, today was such a blessing.  God, truly knew I needed it.  Got to go out and participate in one of my favorite early hunting seasons, Dove season.  Got to see the sun come up and share it with two great friends, hunting buddies, and wonderful men of God.  I didn't kill a thing, I only shot twice, but you know it was one of my favorite trips.  Got to have some deep conversations with two Godly men on things going on in my life and their life while sitting in God's beauty.  What a refreshing trip.  Now to the real important part which is the prayer time.

Father God, I ask you to forgive me of all my sins.  You already know what they are, but forgive me anyways.  I ask that you bind satan today for me, my small group families and fellow Christians in this battle we call life.  I ask you to guide me today and each day and to stand in the gap when my armor is weak.  I pray that this blog will not only reach people and be a blessing but teach others about transparency and prayer.

Lord, I don't always take time to spend in the word.  Forgive me of my excuses and help me and remind me of that special time between you and I.  Lord I lift up the prayers of my small group. God give us a fresh new look at prayer in the lives of our families, our marriages and in ourselves.

I pray for my wife today, that you will bless her in her work.  That you will love her when my love is not enough.  That you will protector when I cannot and that your will lead her when I cannot lead.  She is such an inspiration to me and my son.  She is selfless, kind and loving.  You have blessed me more than I will ever know by bringing her into my life so long ago and I thank you for that Jesus.

I continue to lift up to you my job and finances.  Help to lead us out of debt and be able to start paying our student loans.  I pray that you will bring in the sales when I cannot find them.  I thank you right now in advance.  I pray also that you will always remind me where it comes from.  Not from my employer but from you.

Lord I lift up Mark and Trina.  What an inspiration.  I ask that you answer his prayers in regards to his works.  You know all that is going on and the seasons they are in, in their life.  Bless Mark because of his faithfulness to you.

I pray for Susan and Warren and their family.  I pray for the jobs that you will bless them and make them successful.  I thank you for bringing them back into our small group and church.

I pray for Terry and her husband.  Lord heal the hurt, strengthen their marriage and love him and allow him to see that love so that he may seek you in all things.

I lift up Frank and Cindy and Franks work.  I pray that you will provide him with more work than he ever thought possible.  Thank you for allowing them to be apart of our small group and our family's life.

I lift up to you my son.  Help him to focus on school and to the very best he can so that he doesn't have to struggle with it later.  Forgive me for my failures as a dad and a husband.  Help me to be the spiritual leader to him that my dad was to me.  I love you and thank you for bringing him into our lives and the joy that he brings Jana and I.

Lord I pray that through this pray blog that we may see you work in ways that seem insurmountable to us.  May we see you work in a way that we can say and show that things only happened because of you.  May you receive all the glory, and honor and praise forever.  Amen.

I love you God.