Good Morning Praying Friends of God! Have you ever contemplated deeply just what it means that Jesus called you "friend"? Think about all the facets of being His friend today. That should lead to all kinds of praise on this gloomy day. Growing in friendship with Jesus blossoms as we pray and spend time in His presence. His loving friendship overflows from us and draws others to becoming His friend. He was called a friend of sinners. PTL! Right? Think about some other friends of Jesus that you know and how He may be leading you into a deeper friendship and ministry together. I think we can all say that we have been mad at a friend at least once in life. How do you mend those friendships? Humble yourself, confess, repent and work at restoring that relationship--just love on them and receive their love. That works the same way with our friendship with Jesus too. Think about all the lonely, friendless people around you. How might Jesus be leading you to befriend someone and share His friendship with them. Investing in friendships is crucial today. And investing in our friendship with Jesus is vital for our health. So, what is your Friend leading you to do today about any of this? Will you listen and try it, trust and follow His advice? He is a true Friend with your best interests at heart. Rejoice and love on Him some this morning! It's a great day to fellowship with our Friend and some of His friends and maybe even to lead someone to friendship with Him. Amen! Who's your Buddy?
Our devotionals for today speak into growing our relationship with Jesus and the importance of some good practices for growing as His friend. The Word for You Today speaks about our daily bread and nourishing our souls and minds as we sit at Jesus' feet and prayerfully open His Living Word. He is the Bread of Life! Feast on Him and His Living Word everyday. Hunger and thirst after that friendship as you study and pray. The rest of our devos discuss praying and it's vital importance. Check out Charles Stanley's reminder of just how important prayer is. I believe Jesus is calling us to work on His wish that His Church would become a House of Prayer for the Nations. How is your Friend inviting you into your part in that? Our Daily Bread reminds us about confessing and repenting as we pray and spend time at Jesus' feet and with others. God is calling us to start some small accountability groups and this speaks into that as we pray for each other and seek to grow in Christ and love like Him more. The Upper Room reminds us to be in a constant state of prayer and how our prayers can change things and even bring healing and help. Prayers and a growing prayer time with our Friend, Jesus, changes us too! Amen! Harvest Prayer reminds us the power of prayer over Satan and enemy attacks and shares some great prayers to engage with and remember for those dark times. Satan be gone! Come Holy Spirit! Fill us with Light and Love. Jesus bring Your wisdom alive and lead us today as we spend time with You in Your Word and in prayer and praise. Come. Father, thank You for hearing and answering our prayers! Lord prepare us, send us and grow us in You. Use us for Your glory. Grow our friendship with you and lead us to others to befriend and love on like Jesus. Thanks! Amen!
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There’s a man people hire as they’re dying, paying him to show up at their funerals and reveal secrets they never shared while they were alive. The man has interrupted eulogies. He’s asked stunned officiants to sit down when they started to object. He once stood to explain how the man in the casket had won the lotto but never told a soul and for decades pretended to be a successful businessman. Multiple times the hired man has confessed infidelity to a widowed spouse. One might question whether these actions were exploitative or enacted in good faith, but what’s obvious is people’s hunger to be absolved of past sins.
Having someone else confess for us (especially after we’re dead) is a futile and risky way to deal with secrets. These stories, however, reveal a deep truth: we have a need to confess, to unburden ourselves. Confession cleanses us of those things that we’ve hidden and allowed to fester. “Confess your sins to each other,” James says, “and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (5:16). Confession releases us from burdens that bind us, freeing us to commune with God—praying with a heart open to Him and to our faith community. Confession enacts healing.
James invites us to live an open life, confessing to God and those closest to us the pains and failings we’re tempted to bury. We don’t have to carry these burdens alone. Confession is a gift to us. God uses it to cleanse our heart and set us free.
By Winn Collier
REFLECT & PRAY
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What do you need to confess—and to whom? What’s holding you back?
Dear God, please help me practice confession.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
First John 1:9 ties together confession and cleansing: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (esv). The Greek word for confess is homologeō, which means “to speak or say the same thing.” The idea is “to admit or declare oneself guilty of what one is accused of.” The Greek word for cleanse, katharizō, is where we get the English word catharsis, which means “to purify” or “purge.” Biblical usage includes cleansing from physical defilement from dirt or disease (Matthew 23:25; Luke 7:22) and from immoral attitudes and sin (2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 John 1:7). Confession and cleansing are essential to our spiritual health. Through confession, we bring what’s in the dark to the light and to the One who stands ready to provide the cleansing He’s purchased for us through His death.
Arthur Jackson |
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UR: Continued Prayer
By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see. - Acts 3:16 (NIV)
On June 4th, 2018, my blood pressure increased, and my body began feeling weak. I informed my son and my nephew, who is a hospital nurse. They immediately admitted me to the hospital, where I was placed in the cardiovascular intensive care unit and then underwent surgery. When I opened my eyes, my family members, pastors, and friends were around my bed.
The prayer and mission committee started praying for me. And because of a pastors conference in the city, many pastors and leaders also visited and prayed for me. I also prayed, but I felt that it was time for me to end my work in children’s ministry. However, our great and kind God heard our prayers, and I recovered. To my surprise, dozens of churches invited me to help with vacation Bible school ministries and to speak during Passion Week meetings.
In today’s Bible reading, we see the faith of the friends of a paralyzed man. In much the same way, I believe the prayers of churches, friends, and relatives brought me healing. God’s grace, my wife’s care, and much prayer also provided encouragement to me. For Jesus Christ, nothing is impossible.
Today's Prayer
Loving God, thank you for the healing and care you provide. We ask for comfort, healing, and peace for those who are ill. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.Harvest:
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August 8 - Power Over Satan
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While walking the earth, Jesus cast out demons. The Pharisees entertained thoughts that He really was performing the works of Satan. Scripture shows us the truth:
A Divided Kingdom (Luke 11:17-23)
“Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and a divided household falls. So if Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe. But when a stronger man attacks and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s armor on which the man relied and divides up his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
Blasphemy Against the Spirit (Luke 12:10)
“And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.”
Deliverance from Evil (Luke 8:30–33)
“What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. And they began to beg him not to order them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and the demonic spirits begged Jesus to let them go into them. He gave them permission. So the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd of pigs rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned.
Jesus preached. Jesus healed. Jesus cast out demons. He wanted to expand the Kingdom of God on earth by throwing demons out of spaces, namely people and territories. He shared an illustration, demonstrating how casting out demons works. Contrary to what Jesus’ accusers said, His works emanated from God, not Satan. He also said if they blasphemed Him, they could be forgiven, but if anyone blasphemed the Holy Spirit, they would not be forgiven. The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is attributing His work to being the work of Satan.
Lord, I repent for any thought, act, or word that has attacked and misjudged a man or woman of God doing Your work. I will not blaspheme the Holy Spirit. I declare I will be like You. I will cultivate an understanding and awareness to discern what is or isn’t of God.
I thank You, Lord, that You walk with me and that I can grow sensitive to You. I thank You that You will ensure that I recognize You and Your hand in every situation. I thank You that I will know without a doubt what is of You and what is of Satan. I thank You that like Christ, if necessary, I will cast out demons in Jesus’ name.
I praise You that You want this for me. You want me to be like You, and as I submit to Your will, You will transform me to be more like Jesus.
--Adapted from Praying What Jesus Says by Natasha Miller. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
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- Read Ps. 73:23-26 and give praise to the one who holds you every day by your right hand.
- Thank God for guiding you by his wise counsel.
- Confess any time you have desired some earthly trinket more than the riches of your heavenly Father.
- Commit yourself to staying close to God today.
- Ask God to be “the strength of [your] heart and [your] portion forever.”
- Pray for any unsaved friends or relatives by name. Ask that they will embrace the peace that comes with having God hold them by the hand.
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Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount.
Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) © 2024 is a free devotional published daily by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe here. |
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