Week 3 of PRESS JUNE 2016 - Renewal

Our Prayer focus for this week is Renewal. Renewal is all about you!

Focus Scripture

 

 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 

                    ~ Psalm 51:10

Today was one of those days where I woke up completely exhausted. Not just tired in my body, but heart-tired, emotionally-tired, and mentally-drained. I didn't even want to get out of bed.

But I have to PRESS. I have a child to take care of, a dog that only eats when I feed him, a small business to run, and people I’m connected with through this ministry. They are used to a morning prayer. After-all, we are in the middle of the 30-Day prayer challenge. I want to give of myself, but I am at the end. At the end of my strength. I begin to pray. This time I’m praying for myself, because I need renewal.

I don’t know about you, but I’m giving prayer-warrior. I pray for any and everyone and everything. I pray for a squirrel in the street. “Lord, let him not be roadkill today.” It’s that serious. But I tend to leave myself off the list. I’m not sure what that’s about. I think it’s some wrong teaching I picked up along the way. Perhaps a twist on the word…it’s better to give than to receive or some twisted kind of guilt I have over knowing how blessed I am and daring to ask God for another thing. Guilt doesn’t come from God, conviction does, so if I feel guilty, it’s not HIM.  Whatever the source, it catches up with me. On mornings like today when I want to bury my head under a blanket and cry. When I hear the Holy Spirit ask, “Are you okay?” And the answer isn’t immediately yes. I know that I have done myself an injustice. I have not practiced self-care. And I need to pray for me. No one knows my hopes, fears, sins, ambitions, and needs better than I do. 

Praying for ourselves empowers us to live the way God wants us to and grow to become more like Jesus along the way. Even Jesus prayed for Himself while He was on earth. The word tells us in Luke 5:16 that Jesus often withdrew from the crowds to pray.  I think one of the best examples of this is in Matthew 26:39 when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane “saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Jesus was praying for himself. 

The next time the enemy tries to make me feel guilty about putting my needs first I will fight back with the scriptures that tell me the truth. I will speak the word saying, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Do you struggle with praying for yourself? Why do you think that is? 

Here is a list of prayers to mediate on this week that will help you if you to pray for yourself and a few for those who may be like me…simply overwhelmed:

Matthew 7:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Ephesians 1:17; Ephesians 6:1-12; Psalm 62:1-2; Psalm 73:26; 2 Corinthians 3:5-6

Be Renewed By His Word. PRESS ladies. Pray! We're nearly halfway through the month. 

PRESS June 2016 - Weekly Corporate Prayer #2

PRESS through 2016...

Pray – Renew – Examine – Study – Stand 

What is PRESS!

Press is 30 Days of collective prayer. Each week we’ll post a specific topic or theme that we’ll lift up in prayer as a group. We’ll include scriptures that you can apply when praying for yourself and for others regarding each topic. You’ll have the opportunity to share your prayer requests in the comments section below based on that week’s specific topic and also have a chance to pray for another sister that has posted a prayer request. When and where you pray will be up to you, but we will hold weekly Prayer Calls on Thursday evenings for those that would like to join.

In addition to prayer we will discuss the contents of the book, Me and My Big Mouth by Joyce Meyer. While we pray out of one side of our mouth, we have to be careful with the words we speak out of the other side. The Bible asks “Does a spring pour out sweet and bitter water from the same opening?” James 3:11(HCSB) and states “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Proverbs 18:31. We’re going to tame our tongues and make 2016 the year we speak life and flow sweet water from the spring of our hearts.

The book discussion is separate and of course optional. The main day for discussion will be Tuesday. I’ll post questions beginning at 10 a.m. You may join us at any time during the day to add to the discussion.

The Purpose for PRESS!

God wants this year to be #sweet2016 for you. That’s why it has been such a tough year for many of us. We are almost halfway through 2016. We have some praise reports, but we also have some disappointments, broken promises, distractions, and other issues that have been so bad it feels like hell is vomiting up the worse of what it has. Nevertheless, we shall #press through in prayer and finish strong. Amen.

All activities are optional, but we pray you will PRESS and join us for as many as possible.

PRESS begins Wednesday, June 1, 2016 and ends on June 30, 2016.

We’ll PRESS right here in the Facebook group. I’ll also share the weekly prayer on the blog www.afaithworthliving.com

You can receive updates about the weekly blog post, reminders for prayer, and a reminder for the book discussion by opting in. Send a text message to 81010 with the message @afaith and/or you can sign-up for email updates from the blog. I’ll provide a link for sign-up closer to the time.

Rhonda

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 3:14

National Day of Prayer - A Prayer With My Sisters

Today is the National Day of Prayer. I hope that you had time to join other believers all over the national in praying for the United States, our families, and the world. 

I called a prayer tonight because in addition to praying for our nation, I wanted to take advantage of the atmosphere of prayer that is present in the spirit realm right now. Our Father is always available to us. He is always open to our prayers, but while our hearts and spirits are bent toward Him because of the prayers we prayed for our nation, I thought why not take advantage of the residue of this day and call on the name of Jesus in corporate prayer for women. I've shared the prayer below:

Father, 

We gather as a group of your beloved daughters with humble and contrite spirits. First we offer you thanksgiving for the many gifts that you have given us. Our hearts are fully aware of your grace, your mercy, and the abundance that you have afforded us, so we’re grateful. We are a body of women who know that we serve a good God.

We repent of our sins. The sin of fear, lack of faith, and impatience. The sin of not believing wo we are in Christ because if we knew who we were, we wouldn’t be fearful. We wouldn’t lack faith. We wouldn’t be impatient. We would be a people who walked in confidence that you are rich in kindness. 

God help us to know what even as we struggle in individual areas of our lives and even though we are sometimes pressed on every side by trouble, we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed but we don’t give up and quit. 

I pray for our relationships. Those with spouses, children, parents and friends. Help us to remember your word, even as we deal with relationships that may be difficult, that WE are salt and light. Help us to not be weary in well doing. We WILL reap a harvest if we faint not. Help us not to faint Lord. Strengthen us. 

Help my sisters to know that daily time in prayer with you and in Bible Study will strengthen them and draw them closer to you. That in you we have find comfort and peace. 

Bless the marriages of my sisters. Bless our children. We proclaim that our children will grow up and not depart from your teachings. Where we have come up short as parents, you will take up the slack with your love. Your love covers a multitude of faults. 

We seek the conviction of the Holy Spirit as we live our lives. We want to please you. We need to the Holy Spirit to speak to us and guide us. We desire the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Conviction is correction. It’s a way of turning us out of the path of sin. Help us to know that conviction is not condemnation. Release us from feelings of condemnation and ineffectiveness. We are your righteousness in the earth and there is no condemnation to those whom are in Christ Jesus.

Help us to walk in the truth of your word…that we are beloved regardless of who we are or what we’ve done simply because Jesus redeemed and restored us to a God whose image we bear. Thank you for your loving kindness. Thank you for your promises. Thank you for your grace. 

In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Meditative Scriptures:

Ephesians 1:6-8

2 Corinthians 4:7-10, 5:7

Galatians 6:9

In His Service,

Rhonda