What are you carrying in your backpack? (What is weighing you down?)
Prayer Focus Week 40 (Sunday-Shabbat)
As I have shared this week’s Call To Prayer, people have wondered are you writing about me? Please note: no prayer focus is ever directed to any specific person. However, this message, I believe, is for us all, beginning with ME!
Each of us carries around a backpack. Though it is not physical, it is an emotional or spiritual weight. What we put in our pack burdens us and pushes us down. What are you putting in your backpack? Is it fear? Fear of tomorrow? Fear of being seen as weak with human problems? Fear of letting go of hurts? Fear of being hurt again? Fear of the unknown?
Hebrews 12:1, NLT, teaches “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
The author reminds that witnesses are watching us. Some of these people are encouraging us on; others are younger believers in the faith who are watching to learn how to walk upright before Him in the midst of difficult circumstances. The Lord tells us to strip off every weight/issue that weighs us down. The contents of our backpack is actually sin. And it keeps us from being all God designed us to be. Someone wisely commented, “Why don’t I just give it up. I know in the end I will surrender my issue to the Lord; so why do I resist? Once I give it to Him, I know there will be great joy.”
Let us each examine what we are carrying around. What would God have us to give up so we can walk in His unspeakable relief, joy, and freedom! ….. What are you putting in your backpack?
Verse to memorize: Meditate on these verses: Jesus said that the Shema is the most important of the Commandments (Just as we often do when speaking with friends, we say something short or abbreviated referring to a whole, so Jesus did in Matt 22:36-40)
o Hear, O Israel, the LORDOur God, the LORDis One.
o And you shall love the LORDyour God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deut 6:4-5, ESV)
o And these words that I command you today shall be on your heartYou shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deut 6:6-9)
Prayer:we blessed to be allowed to intercede for the needs. Some answers come within a few days, others may take weeks or months. Regardless of what we see with our natural eyes, HE is working. We need to continue to be faithful inintercession!
“Lord, these are heavy times in which we find ourselves. This spiritual bootcamp is hard; we want You to change us. We want to mature in You, but it’s scary to walk into the unknown and give up those things which have been a part of our lives for years. Help us to want to give up that which besets us and draws us away from You. Help us to walk upright before You. We thank You that You do not ask anything of us that we cannot do. Thank You that You are there to pick us up when we fall — again and again. In You, we know there is victory! Thank You for the subtle but profound miracles You have wrought this week. We pray for each of the requests below. Be with families; bring them together in You. Heal the sick; heal each of our hearts. Be with our soldiers, Israel, and America. We love You, our mighty king. In Your holy Name, we pray.”
Hallelujah: lots are great action THIS week!
o Jon (Phyllis’ son): “reading his Bible everyday and praying for everyone and he said that "it's nice to talk to God". He also said how he plans on doing everything he can to better himself while he is in prison. Then he said to me, "I love you and miss you and you are in my thoughts and prayers." What a blessing from the Lord to hear these words from my son.” Hallelujah!!!
o Joe: “is fine!!” Hallellujah!
o Chantell and the boys are well!
o Miracles have happened with medicine THIS week.
o Lori: Miracles have happened at work THIS week!
o Marita: leaves for Israel in three days (and still has so much to accomplish for her year-long trip)
o Joan (Les’a’s mother): huge financial blessing – totally unexpected. (Each homeowner was to be assessed $1200 for termite treatment. The company was so impressed with homeowners’ integrity by homeowners reminding company of not being billed. Company reduced the price to $535 and extended warranty almost an extra full year!!)
o Paul: knee replacement surgery went amazingly well. No blood clot!!
o Pamela: is healing nicely from shoulder surgery!
o Brother (Phyllis): continues going to a Messianic congregation!
o Don: shingles gone! No pain!
o Joan’s steadiness: better every week!!
o Aunt (Paul’s wife): at peace with her Messiah!!
o Natan’s unit: God’s protection continues!
Requests: (please email updates on these situations)… we blessed to be allowed to intercede for these!Some answers to prayer come within a few days, others may take weeks or months. Regardless of what we see with our natural eyes, HE is working. We need to continue to be faithful in our intercession!Reminder: Don’t forget to email answers – even baby steps are answers!
o Oxana: God will anoint and move mightily as she ministers in Tucson next weekend. God bless her and her husband.
o Jeannette: recovery from surgery and total eye & pituitary gland healing.
o Bob (Chantell’s grandfather): restoration of his thumb which was caught in a tractor engine.
o (Yvonne’s friend): breast cancer surgery Wed: total healing. She becomes a believer.
o 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.”
o Leonard (Phyllis’ brother): Monday begins chemo and radiation: healing and peace
o Phyllis & John Also Ray & Sharon Sanders (Christian Friends of Israel, Jerusalem): health and vitality.
o Marita: easy transition back into Israeli society – hand-picked room-mate and apartment
o Natan: activity is escalating: please pray for sound mind, safety, protection, and calm
o Prayer for our soldiers safety and for the hearts of morale for these soldiers who have lost fellow soldiers
o Call to Prayer intercessors: Debt-free by the end of 2012!
o Pamela and Norman: jobs
o Pamela’s family: healing from her cousin’s passing.
o Betty & Harold’s friend: brain tumor stage 4. Cancer.
o Paul: knee will continue to heal and that no clot will develop
o Christine’s mom (Bev and Ruben’s friend): very ill. Prayer for total healing.
o Prayer for intercessors who are hurting because of the challenges their loved ones are facing
o Unspoken various family matters – that God will bring families into a tight bond in Him.
o Tina (Phyllis’ daughter-in-law): turn heart and life to the LORD; peace and direction
o Joan (Joan’s friend): collapsed lung.
o Sister (Norma G): recovery from fire.
o Phyllis: son (in jail).
o Tracy & others: healing from intense migraines.
o Diane (Jeannette’s friend): shingles on face and in eyes – very painful!!!
o Natan: please pray he can enter green-to-gold program.
o Paul: upcoming total knee replacement.surgery and pre-surgery complications.
o Les’a: swelling in foot to continue lessening and flexibility in toe to continue increasing.
o Hurting hearts & bodies would be healed.
o Carol (Maxine’s friend): lump in rib.
o 2012: wisdom and self-control that we can all achieve financial freedom.
o Jeanne (Bonnie’s friend): stage 4 ovarian cancer. Salvation and healing with the understanding it was God Who healed her.
o Phyllis & Dawn: continued prayer for total healing of their knees.
o John: continued health and financial challenges.
o Jobs (Betty, Rhonda, Deb, and all those who not listed): those who need work. That God will give them fulfilling and rewarding employment where they will have great favor!
o Keith (Dawn’s grandson): come to the God of his parents and grandmother.
o Debbie and family (Maxine’s daughter and grandkids): prayer for their healing as they transition to life without Matt. Also, prayer for Frank and family during their transition without Judy. And for Karen and kids with their loss of Fred.
o Rudy (Les’a’s friend): cracked skull resulting in major mental complications.
o Financial needs.
o God to continue strengthening and building family relationships!
o God will protect our soldiers – that He will give them wisdom.
o Natan (Les’a and Don’s son and his family): Pray for wisdom, accuracy, and knowledge. God will bring them home whole: spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. And God will be with their families.
o The hearts of Americans: turn to God!
o Marita: plans to return to Israel.
o Families(all of our families): to be whole and walk in the ways of the Lord!
o Grandson: pray that his mom and her boyfriend treat him with love.
o Marriages to be healed.
o Jon: That God intervenes and places him where he will be encouraged to make good decisions, impacting his family for good.
o God’s protection over Israel
o David: return to the God of his youth — that his family will be encouraged.
o Healing of family relationships.
o Intercessors for The Call To Prayer: wisdom and tenacity to continue on to see victory!
o God’spower, anointing, and favor on pastors.
o Sheri: migraines would permanently leave.
o Peace of Jerusalem!
o Debt-free in 2012!
o Pima County Sheriff's department.
o Those who need jobs will get jobs — God-chosen jobs.
o Deb: migraines and onslaught of the enemy.
o Need total & complete healing for hearts of my family that are wounded; forgiveness for offenses; & new found understanding & commitment to family, restoration & unity
o Need for increased income with wisdom & self-control, in order to pay off credit card/legal fees.
o Josiah D.: favor, protection & a heart like King David.
o Favor & wisdomin 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!
o Bob: special prayer for physical healing.
o God will healour land
o Three sisters to meet godly men.
o Children will stop runningand will turn to God.
o Corbin (Jim’s acquaintance): God will open his eyes to accept Jesus as his Lord and that he will accept the word of God.
o God will supplythe needs of those in ministry.
o A’s daughter in law: her heart, drawn to her husband; she will receive info from her father-in-law,that the Lord would place believers in her path.
o A’s relationship with his daughter: healing and mending of hearts.
o A’s Medicare situation to be straightened out – to his financial benefit. And for doctors to find the right solution to his health issues.
o T (Les’a & Don’s friend & a man of God): the Lord would bring him the perfect helpmate – to share his life and to be a partner in ministry.
Assignments:
o Email me: results & challenges,we want to hear – we love you and are here for YOU!
o Assignments:
1. Speak the Word to these situations.
2. Fast: Wed-Thurs(you choose whether liquid/water/juice fast or no pleasant bread fast (giving up a food or drink that you love) for these two days. Several are fasting longer to break the chains that are ensnaring.
3. Pray earnestly for the rest of ourWatchmen. We lift up each other’s arms as Moses were lifted by Aaron and Hur.
