Elul — week 3 — 13 attributes of mercy
Week 13,year 2 (Sunday-Shabbat)
We are beginning the 3rd week of the month of Elul. This week, we are focusing on the 13 attributes of mercy. What is mercy (in Hebrew, rachamim)? Generally it is
translated: love tenderly, pity, sympathize with, have compassion on. It includes showing kindness to the undeserving, and forgiving the guilty.
The 13 attributes of mercy is common theme of Elul to most Jews. The verses used are Ex 34:6-7 (when Moses ascended Mt Sinai with the 2 stone tablets after the golden calf incident):
“6The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord,the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness [truth], 7keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation,” Ex 34:6-7, ESV.
Below are the LORD’s attributes He lists in the above Scripture:
1. The LORD– His personal, covenant-keeping name (Adonai)
2. The LORD– repetition of The LORDfor emphases
3. A God– Almighty, the Creator
4. Merciful– compassionate
5. Gracious– shows grace and favor to the undeserving
6. Slow to anger– patiently awaits our repentance
7. Abounding in steadfast love– directed toward both the righteous and the unrighteous
8. Truth– means firm, stable, reliable, faithful. He is fair and just.
9. Steadfast love for thousands– His generational love is endless
10. Forgiving iniquity– forgives intentional sin
11. Transgression– a strong term for sin; open rebellion
12. Sin– unintentional sin; because of not paying enough attention, carelessness, error
13. Visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the 3rd and 4th generation– He does not allow the guilty to go unpunished
Isn’t there a similarity between the attributes in verse 6 and those listed in 1Cor 13? God has a message for us: that we should allow these attributes to become a part of our very lives.
Assignment:
· This week, meditate on ways He shows you His mercy.
· Email me just 2 ways in which you see His mercy this week – ok?
· Update on Operation Jericho: many of us are feeling the prompting and necessity to resume our battle-ready position of fasting this upcoming week.
“Father, again You show us Your unending love. Your mercy. Help us to be aware of Your constant signs of love, like little billboards along the highway of our lives. Help us to develop these same characteristics. Help us to extend them to those around us. Bless all of our intercessors. You have intervened amazingly during this season of Elul and preparation for Your High Holy Days. We pray for emotional, physical, and financial healing for all our intercessors and those on our list. Heal inter-family and personal relations. Turn the hearts of our children and all Americans back to You. Be with our soldiers. We continue to stand against all ills attempting to harass them and their families. Bless our volunteer prayer army. Thank You for helping each of us to get out of debt by the end of 2012. Be with the Israeli believers. Bless them. Give them favor. Bring Your peace to J’lem. In Your hesed (loving kindness), we pray.”
Read what He is doing this year through prayer!
1. Deb: trip to ABQ to see father, was very special. We enjoyed our time & experiences during my visit, & seeds of love, devotion, & hope, were planted.
2. Daughter (Tere): successful out-patient surgery to remove fatty tissue cyst on leg.
3. Joe: procedure: revealed no problems! Prayers they determine what is causing him the pain.
4. Ramon (Krinskys): PSA count went from 4.0 to 0.0!! Doctor was extremely pleased and said he didn’t need to see him for 6 months.
5. Bob (Maxine & Joe’s friend): excellent report from Mayo Clinic
6. Adriana (Yvonne’s sister): appears to continue doing better. Prayers that she continues with treatment.
7. Betty& Harold: new jobs!
8. Les’a & Don: God healed our water softener – repairman asked his Bible study to agree with himJ
9. Family members are opening to the Word and prayer!
10. Matthew (Frank): decided to stay in rehab!! Pray for total deliverance.
11. Frank’s trip: good report
12. Olympic Runner Paul Ryan: announces God is his coach
13. Gabby Douglas: gives God glory for her Olympic gold medals in gymnastics.
14. Many little signs of His involvement in various situations all week – He is continuing to move – and we get to be part!!!!! Yes, we are His elite soldiers!
15. Jeff (Paul & Lynn’s son): GRE tests went very well!
16. Jeannette: camping was trip great with unexpected blessings.
17. Sylvia Powell (friend of Jeannette): family adjusting well without her.
18. Suzi (Jeannette’s friend): recovering from knee replacement – pray for continued healing.
19. Hawkins (soldier friend of Natan’s who was hurt in explosion in Afghanistan): he is doing well.
20. Infant Maxwell (parents are missionaries to Poland): 10 weeks old and over 12 pounds. Still tired and sleeps nearly all day, but nursing well. Pray his heart shows improvement, so he can go off meds. The family is “forever and a day grateful that you prayed for his life!”
21. Norman G: finished back taxes!
22. Natan & Chantell found a house to rent – please pray this will be an easy & quick move for them, as they have to be out of the small apt by the 1st! (No time for PTSD this weekend!)
23. Bonnie: huge blessing regarding work hours.
24. Maxine: pain-free
25. Maxine & Joe: trip was fantastic
26. Marita: “Prayer Tools on your website is very popular.” It is being read in Israel, South Africa & France and is being translated into Spanish!!! May His Word continue to go forth!
27. Brian (Paul): received the Lord!
28. Men’s meeting: good food; great fellowship; interesting discussion. – if you’re a guy, don’t miss the next meeting!
29. Operation Jericho answers are coming!
30. David (Bev & Ruben): went to detox. Pray for total deliverance.
31. Lori received medical report showing improvement!! Pray for 100% healing.
32. Natan came home 3 weeks ago! Thank you for your prayers for his safety and continued prayers for his re-entry into family life.
33. Jim received an excellent report from doctor!!!
34. Bonnie: mechanical miracle with medical device – huge blessing!
35. God again spared Natan and others from insidious attacks by the enemy – an explosion was only 40 meters away. (As Natan put it, had it been closer it would have been a ‘bad day’!)
36. Quinton (Art’s grandson): born healthy!
37. Family reunions continue to occur – pray that they will all be joyous!! To date, good reports from all reunions!!
38. Lori (Norman G’s daughter): approval at new job. Please pray for housing.
39. Pamela and Norman: have work – hallelujah! Let us pray they have divine appointments– & full schedules!
40. Friend (Dawn): Court ruled earthly justice. Pray for emotional and spiritual healing for all.
41. Bonnie: family visit was excellent
42. Don: trip for his mom’s 90th bday was terrific!
43. Les’a: unexpected financial blessing (insurance company suddenly paid 100% of $219 vaccine, which previously they would said they would not!) TYL! – let us continue to pray we will all be debt-free, except for housing, by the end of 2012.
44. Lynn Mann: total healing from foot surgery.
Listen to what our LORD did last year!!
1. He has miraculously saved lives physically and spiritually.
2. He has healed many from surgeries and sicknesses.
3. He intervened and a 7-week premature baby was born healthy and continues to thrive a year later.
4. He is mending many, manyfamily relationships.
5. He opened doors where there were none.
6. He has provided many with employment.
7. He has touched finances.
8. He has protected our soldier.
9. He has taught us to be consistent and persevering in prayer.
Prayer: Are we willing to continue your commitment to praying 15 minutes a dayfor a year? Reminder: Don’t forget even baby steps are answers!
· Bev & Ruben: God will protect their home from vandals and that He will restore. That David will turn away from his destructive ways and to the God of his parents. God’s peace will reign!
· Dennis: traveling mercies; God’s anointing as he encourages his family.
· Bonnie, Jim, Doc, Joe, and all others: healing and vitality.
· Brother (Doc): healing spiritually and physically.
· Ron (Debbie & Dennis): light stroke; no apparent damage; air lifted to UMC. Prayer for total restoration.
· Danielle (Phyllis): pray for deliverance, healing, stability for boys
· Joe: doctors will determine cause for pain
· Adriana (Yvonne’s sister): will continue in therapy.
· PJ: Army National Guard transfer to Tucson& travel arrangements for training settled.
· PJ & Tracy: house and finances.
· Les’a: favor regarding Shabbat – HR woman Friday sounded very positiveJ
· Becca (Tracy’s friend): healing from surgery. Know the Lord as Savior.
· Krinskys: sale of home and moving mercies
· Natan: school schedule and ease of transition into classes.
· Natan and Chantell: finances and transition into ‘normal God-centered life’
· Natan: PTSD – transition home and all will quickly “be on the same page”
· Bev & Ruben: traveling blessings & open doors. Daughter’s wedding.
· Bev & Ruben: wisdom and direction
· Son (John): divorce and custody, know the God of his father
· John: correct medicine will be prescribed and there will be no side effects
· Families: please pray that God will intervene and bring His peace and righteousness to these families.
· Ray & Sharon (Directors & Founders of Christian Friends of Israel): home broken into and many items stolen or broken
· Uncle (Deb): cancer
· Father (Deb): seek medical needed medical assistance to be able to regain mobility
· Friends and family (Deb): close relationship with the Messiah
· Rhonda: stress & car issues.
· Unspoken: spiritual battles. Pray that His love & truth will prevail.
· Jobs: favor and wisdom
· Pamela: job direction
· Pamela & Norman: finances. That we ALL will be debt-free by 12/31/2012!
· Leonard (Phyllis’ bro) removed lymph nodes were cancerous. After his staples are removed, chemo again – 6 weeks on 2 weeks off for 6 to 8 months. Further surgery to remove remaining lymph nodes in the rectal area. Please keep him on The Call to Prayer!
· Lori: God’s intervention and total resolution.
· Bob Hart (Les’a & Don): healing.
· Bonnie: work comes early in the week – with no technical difficulties.
· Prayers for our country and revival.
· Nathan (Jeannette’s son in law): encouragement and support as he works with patients.
· Brenan (Jeannette’s grandson): healing for heel and foot pain.
· Jeannette: find the right house that meets all their needs.
· Prayers for victims and their families in the heinous movie theater shootingin Aurora, CO.
· Prayer for victims and their families of the heinous acts of terror against Israeli tourists in Bulgaria.
· Tere: 2-year legal proceeding regarding mother’s care to come to a close quickly. And with a positive outcome.
· Phyllis & Maxine: pain-free, energy, and vitality.
· Tsilla (Debbie): depression
· Prayer for our soldiers: spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally whole!
· Jordan (Les’a & Don): Navy Boot Camp – prayer for him & his family.
· Kyle (Yvonne’s son): heart to the Lord – heaviness of depression to lift.
· Debbie & Dennis (& us all!!): God will lead and guide our footsteps and use us to minister to others.
· Another family reunion: joyous time of togetherness
· Group in Yellowstone: prayer to break strongholds over the area.
· Cynthia: lawsuit against her parents and their food bank ministry. Pray suit will be dropped & healing will result.
· Isabel Mercedes Celis (6-year old Tucson girl who was abducted April 21): pray for safety and return to her family.
Families (all of our families):
- To be whole and walk in the ways of the Lord!
- God to continue strengthening and building family relationships!
- Josiah D: favor, protection & a heart like King David.
- God would bring godly helpmates and partners in ministry: T (Les’a & Don’s friend & a man of God), Cynthia, etc.
Healing:
- Marita (in Israel): prayer for total healing from kidney stones. She does much for the Kingdom!
- Jeff & Paul (Paul & Lynn Mann): healing from knee surgeries.
- Krys (Les’a’s co-worker’s husband): serious problems caused by Parkinson's.
- Susie (Bonnie): from previous cervical fusion, one of the screws started migrating and was pushing at her esophagus threatening a puncture. Had surgery Thursday. Prayer for recovery and acceptance of Jesus.
- Bud (Tracy’s father): 2 tumors, and another one that is pre-cancerous.
- Bonnie: healing with oxygen levels.
- Christopher & Liz (Maxine): she has ovarian cancer, resulting in financial problems. Pray for encouragement.
- Bob & Pat (Maxine & Joe): healing.
- Jeanne (Bonnie’s friend): stage 4 ovarian cancer. Salvation and healing with the understanding it was God Who healed her.
- Rudy (Les’a’s friend): cracked skull resulting in major mental complications.
Call to Prayer intercessors:
- Debt-free by the end of 2012!
- Intercessors for The Call To Prayer: wisdom and tenacity to continue on to see victory!
Employment:
- Favor & wisdom in the work force: We would be excellent in the work place – even as Joseph, Daniel, etc. were – blessings to the companies because we are there!
- Deb and all those who not listed.
- God will give them fulfilling & rewarding employment where they will have great favor!
Relationship with our Lord:
- 5 grandchildren (Debbie & Dennis): to know the salvation and love of Yeshua.
- David (Bev & Ruben): his mom’s request “he quickly come to the end of himself and look up. Protection for him and all of his family.” Warfare is intense.
- Keith (Dawn’s grandson): come to the God of his parents and grandmother
Countries:
- The hearts of Americans: turn to God! Our land will be healed.
- Peace of Jerusalem!
Soldiers:
- Natan (Les’a and Don’s son and his family) & our soldiers:
- Pray for wisdom, accuracy, and knowledge. God will bring them home whole: spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. And God will be with their families.
Pastors:
- God’s wisdom, power, anointing, and favor.
PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS BRING GREAT RESULTS:
