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Prayer Relay Movement September 19, 2020 Leave a Comment

His Mercies are New Every Morning: Grabbing Hold of Them

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Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Understanding how his mercies are new every morning

I grew up hearing and singing a song that goes something like this. “The servant’s love for the Lord never ceases, great is thy faithfulness oh Lord. His mercies are new every morning. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness, oh Lord!” I may be getting some of the words jumbled there.

Even with all that singing, there is a risk that the message at the heart of it all will fall through the cracks. This post will explore this message in a little more detail. What does it means when it is said that “His mercies are new every morning?”

What is mercy? Mercy compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. [1] God is almighty, he can do anything at any time. Nothing on this earth of outside of it can occur outside of his control. He is omniscient and omnipresent. Present everywhere, knowing everything.

The Need for Mercy

Romans 3:23 New King James Version (NKJV)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:23 highlights our need for mercy. Even the best people among us are sinners. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We are called to be holy as he is. Yet, this is not a standard that we adhere to. The condition of mankind is that of constantly seeking things that are visual and offer immediate gratification.

This is not to say that these things cannot be avoided. We are in constant contention, to amplify our spirit. The flesh has demands that often need to be harnessed. The wisest man to ever walk the planet, Solomon lost his way. It is not an easy walk. The saving grace is in knowing that Christ understands.

Hebrews 4:15 New King James Version (NKJV)
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

We need mercy. God is merciful!

For we know that for everything that we put into this life there is a result. What you sow is what you reap. The wage of sin is death. Yet here we are walking. That is what mercy will. By his grace and mercy, with love as a vehicle, God sent his son down to die in our place. He took upon himself what should have been ours. Having never sinned he took upon himself the wages of sin.

Life is difficult

If we are honest, we can all admit that life is filled with difficulty. In all its wonder and awe, it is also difficult. You only need to watch the news or hear stories of what people are going through. There is no sign that any of this will slow down at any point. Our goal should always to grab hold of the mercy that we have been freely given. No matter the difficulty, his grace is sufficient.

Mercy gives you and I a break. In a world where most people just want to take and take from you. Just to know that there is someone who truly cares, and extends unhinged mercy our way is insane.

Your situation is no reflection of a lack of mercy. Difficulty is not a sign that you are lacking his mercy. There are battles that the Lord is fighting on your behalf that you are not aware of. In situations that could have taken your life, you have survived.

There are things that could have robbed you of sanity, but you are here and of sound mind. These are victories that we often take for granted. Part of this is a direct result of mercy. Mercy means that you may not see arrows being fired at you, so you will not realise how close you were to perishing.

One of my favourites sayings goes, “I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds it!” Knowing that our God, the one who holds tomorrow is merciful gives us peace. Rather be at his mercy than that of anyone else. He is a just, and merciful God. It’s a rare combination for justice to be paired with mercy.

Nothing is too big or too small for mercy

Another reminder that we all need at one point or another is that there is nothing too big or too small for God’s mercy. His mercy was sufficient for David after he had murdered Uriah and committed adultery with Bathsheba. It is enough for a small child who has stolen some candy.

How to make the most of mercies that are new?

Grace and mercy, as great as they are are not passports to live free of consequence. Mercy gives us another chance to walk on a better path. It is not for us to get back on the wrong path. Accepting mercies that are new every morning begins with making the most of the new opportunity that you have received. We ought to pursue true repentance diligently.

Guilt is a thief

Dwelling in guilt is a thief. This is what steals our joy. We are not saying that we should not feel bad for falling short of God’s glory. However, when we hold on to things that he has forgiven us of, we rob ourselves. His mercies are new every morning. Let mercy pick you up from the dust and set you back on the right path.

Remember it is not necessarily about how many times you fall. It is how you pick up after you have risen. King David was known to be a man after God’s own heart. Was he a perfect man? Not even close. He simply leaned on God’s mercies at his lowest points as well as at the highest points in his life.

C.S. Lewis has an incredible take on this. He contended that mercy that comes without justice will at some point no longer be mercy. What does this mean? When you offer mercy, a price that should have been paid is no longer paid, so in some way we have negated justice. In the case of Christ dying our behalf, justice was served. The cost of sin was death, and that price was paid on the cross. So there was both mercy and justice. It is a delicate balance, one that is difficult for humans to comprehend or exercise.

Another case of mercy is that of a young man who had murdered his friend. While in prison, paying for his crime, the deceased’s family pleaded for his release. Upon released he lived with them while getting back on his feet. Justice would have cost two lives in this case. Perhaps, even more, seeing as the parents of the deceased man would have been affected as well.

By extending mercy to the perpetrator, they extended the same to themselves. In the case, justice was served.

Thomas Watson captured this in a wonderful way. God doesn’t take pleasure in punishing us. We know from scripture he is a giver of perfect gifts, and that he delights and giving good things to us. Our sinfulness places him in a position that he does not delight in being. For this reason, he makes a way for us. Mercy is in his nature!

He is more inclined to save than to punish. Hold on to that.

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Prayer Relay Movement September 19, 2020 Leave a Comment

How to Truly be Anxious for NOTHING and live Fulfilled

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HOW TO TRULY BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING AND BE FULFILLED

The apostle Paul encouraged us to “be anxious for nothing.” This becomes more and more relevant with each day that goes by. We know that this generation is under more pressure than any generation that has come before it. The irony is that this is the only generation that has lived without a world war in close to half a century!

Our luxuries are the greatest source of pressure. Things such as social media keep up flooded with information that we may or may not need. This means that we are worried about things that would have gone unknown in previous generations. We know what is happening on every corner of the globe as it happens. And of course, bad news sells.

Children across the world are anxious about not being enough. Social media constantly sets standards that are unreachable. By contrast, life is hard. There are those who do not know where their next meal will come from or where they will spend the night.

How can one be anxious for nothing when there is so much to be anxious about? As I write this, the UK and Europe as a whole are anxious about the outcome of Brexit. The US is anxious about the crisis in leadership that is there today. Some thinking that the wrong leader is in power, and others thinking that there are inadequate leaders working with the president.

There is a vacuum to be filled. The apostle Paul had his own worries and anxieties to be mindful of. He didn’t know if his day would end in prison or with his head on a chopping block. In my opinion, the stakes were higher in his time.

Anxiety is a telling sign that you are holding on to what you should have placed in God’s hands. If you have placed it in his CAPABLE hands, you have no reason to be anxious, it is well. To be uncertain about anything is never an easy place to be. We find peace in knowing when are how things will occur. One of the lessons I have learned about myself and had to improve on is anxiety.

I am more anxious when I do not have enough money. There is a concern just looming over my head in those times. I am also very anxious when I think that I may disappoint someone. Deep down I am a people pleaser. There are upsides and downsides to this. The upside is that I genuinely care for others. The downside is that I may let people take advantage of me for longer than I should.

Take a moment to reflect on these things for your self. What are you most anxious about?

Philippians 4:6-7 New King James Version (NKJV)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Paul’s Strategy

Being anxious for nothing is stopping yourself from playing tug-of-war with God. When you have handed him your cares and burdens, you stop trying to play fixer it the background. Is there anything too hard for the Lord? While Abram was promised to be a father of the nation, he and his wife decided to play fixer by giving him his maidservant to lay with.

God’s ways are higher than ours. Stop trying to be God! Let go and let God deal with things.

Prayer and Supplication

Prayer is a great place to lay down your burdens into God’s capable hands. It is a great place to let go of anxiety. A supplication is a petition, to humbly and earnestly ask God for something. Do we know what the bible says about earnest prayer?

James 5:16 TLB Version
Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.

Other versions say such prayer “availeth much”

With Thanksgiving

I will always contend that gratitude is the purest form of prayer. When you are thankful, the Lord is moved. Do we know his words of the leper who returned?

Luke 17
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

No matter what you are going through, be grateful for each day. We have blessings that we take for granted, that others would die to attain. In fact, we have freedoms that others are dying for. There are people losing their lives for their faith, yet we often take for granted the fact that we can pray, praise and worship freely.

Let Your Requests Be Known to God

One of the most interesting conversations that were ever recorded of Jesus was the one that he had with Bartimaeus. The scripture tells us that this man was blind. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he would not be silenced. He called unto the master, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”[Mark 10]

What I found amusing was Jesus’ response to him. He answered, “What can I do for you?” This man was clearly blind. He had to be led through the crowd to get to Jesus. Yet, Jesus’ question was a valid one. What can I do for you? We are never to pray amiss. There is power in targeted prayer. Prayers that are tailored to specific situations bear results. Whatever it is that you are anxious about, Jesus is asking you as well, “What can I do for you?”

Some may respond “he knows my needs”. Although this is true, he is not just willy nilly touching situations that you have not explicitly asked him to touch. I encourage you to be bold, to explicit in your requests to God. Let your requests be known to God.

The Peace of God will Guard Your Heart

We are assured that having done all of this, the peace of God that surpassed all understanding will guard our hearts. Where there is peace, you cannot be anxious for anything. When your mind is at peace, anxiety is absent.

Meditate on His Word

As a bonus pointer, let us highlight the importance of meditating on the word of God. We know that faith is a direct result of hearing the word of God. There is no faith that is birthed away from the word of God. Read the scripture and meditate on it. When you meditate on the word of God you are reminded of who he is and what he can do.

How can you remain anxious, when you are aware of his love and of his power?

Christian Quotes About being Anxious

“I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me; for in the easiest positions He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient.”- Hudson Taylor

Hudson Taylor’s quote is profound. He refuses to be anxious, based on realising that Christ is faithful to see his will come to pass. The Bible tells us that he watches over his word to perform it. Not a single word that he utters returns to him void. He sends his word out, and it performs that which it is sent out to perform.

Hudson goes on to say that God’s will is his will. When you tie your will to God’s you know that it shall come to pass. No matter when or how it will come to pass. We are blessed to be carriers of the grace of God. His grace is sufficient, no matter the situation. There is no reason to allow anxiety to settle in.

the beginning of anxiety is the end of faith

“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”- George Mueller

What an amazing quote by George Mueller. We have already mentioned this, faith and anxiety cannot co-exist. One will eat at the other one until there is only one left. Where there is true faith, anxiety has to come to an end.

“Whenever a man allows himself to have anxieties, fears, or complaints, he must consider his behavior as either a denial of the wisdom of God or as a confession that he is out of his will.”- William Law

William Law simplifies it all is a very provoking and sobering quote. The presence of anxieties, fears or complaints is a testament of denial of the wisdom of God. If this is not the case then it is a confession that you are walking out of his will. If you are walking in God’s will, why would you be anxious about anything?

“What else does anxiety about the future bring you but sorrow upon sorrow?”- Thomas a Kempis

What has sorrow ever resolved? Think about it. Sorrow adds more sorrow where there is no sorrow. Sometimes it adds more sorrow where there is none, and will never be. You will find that some of the things that we are anxious about never come to fruition. We spend too much time worrying about what could happen, and it doesn’t always happen. Even if it were to happen, would anxiety bring a solution?

“Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.”- Charles Spurgeon

The quote by Charles Spurgeon is on another level. It is similar to the one above by Thomas Kempis. Whether you worry or not, the sorrows of tomorrow will come. The only difference is that by worrying today, you are not only going to endure the pain of tomorrow’s sorrows but the worry of today. There is no strength in anxiety!

Prayer to be anxious for nothing

Father, we pray for every reader or listen to this. As they go through this, may your peace that surpasses all understanding overcome them. Grant them renew hope. They will no longer be anxious for anything. May your grace be known to them in everything that they do. May they see and know your glory in the land of the living. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen

As always, we are eternally grateful for every prayer warrior that is committed to partnering us in prayer. Our goal is to create more and more tools and aids that will be distributed to believers in electronic and printed form. We would love for you to be a part of this journey. If you would like to be a part of it, head over to our PATREON PAGE

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Prayer Relay Movement September 19, 2020 Leave a Comment

30+ Wonderful Points to Pray for Zimbabwe

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How to Pray for Zimbabwe

To pray without context is to pray in vain. What are you praying for. As we pray for Zimbabwe it is important that we know some things about the country. The first half of this post will be about that. After that, we will move on to prayer points for Zimbabwe. If you already know about the nation, feel free to skip to the prayer section.

Geographical detail:

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in southern Africa. It shares borders with South Africa on the southern side, Botswana on the western, Zambia on the northern and Mozambique on the Eastern side. The capital city of Zimbabwe is Harare.

The country has an estimated population of 16.3 million, source. English, Shona and Ndebele are the most widely spoken and recognised languages in Zimbabwe.

Dating as far back as the 11th Century, historians and archaeologists have found that Zimbabwe was a major trade route. The main kingdom involved in said trade was the Great Zimbabwe of modern-day Masvingo.

Zimbabwe was under colonial rule from the late 19th century and most of the 20th Century. The removal of the white minority government came at the end of a bitter civil war, known and second Chimurenga.

The state endured international isolation and a 15-year guerrilla war with black nationalist forces; which culminated in a peace agreement that established universal enfranchisement and independent sovereignty as Zimbabwe in April 1980.

Population: 16.3+ Million

Map:

Leadership

President: Emmerson D Mnangagwa

Vice Presidents: Constantino Chiwenga, Kembo Mohadi

Political brief: General Politics

Zimbabwe is a republic with a presidential system of government. A semi-presidential system was abolished with the adoption of a new constitution after a referendum in March 2013.

On 19 November 2017 in the wake of protests, ZANU-PF sacked Robert Mugabe as party leader and appointed former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa in his place.

This was a military-backed move, which was carried out while Mugabe was on what he later referred to as “house arrest.” The entire move has often been called a coup, but not really a coup. Perhaps pseudo-coup is a fitting term.

From his home, on the 21st of November 2017, Mugabe tendered his resignation prior to impeachment proceedings being completed

The ruling ZANU PF, led by Emmerson Mnangagwa, narrowly won the elections in July 2018. The jury is out on whether this is the end of an era or continuing it under a different leader.

Economy brief:

Mining and agriculture still provide the largest chunk of Zimbabwe’s GDP. There are several reasons that one can attribute to this. One could say that this is a sign of a lack of progression over the year. Another reason could simply be the lack of investment during the period that they have been under sanctions. Mining and agriculture are industries that are usually sanction proof.

Rampant mismanagement of funds and corruption within most industries has contributed to the death of a lot of companies. Investors have become wary of putting money into the nation as well. Add economic sanctions to all of this, and we have an incredibly difficult nation to govern and to reside in.

The main farm produce remains tobacco, corn, cotton, wheat, coffee, tea, sugarcane, peanuts and soya beans. This is mainly due to the ability to sell most of these locally, as well as an export opportunity.

Livestock farmers raise a wide variety of animals that usually include cattle, goats, sheep, chickens and pigs. There is a wide consumption of milk and meat across the nation, so there is a lot of custom for livestock and related products locally.

The main industries are mining, farming and manufacturing. The mining sector produces coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, diamonds, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores. The manufacturing sector produces steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertiliser, clothing and footwear, food and beverages.

There are reports of gas and petroleum reserves yet to be explored.

South Africa is currently Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner by a mile. They are the main exporter and importer from Zimbabwe.

What to pray for regarding Zimbabwe?

Prayer Points for Zimbabwe

Leadership : 1 Timothy 2:1-3

Everything filters down from the leadership. The departure of Mugabe leaves an opportunity for a new start and improvement of leadership.

Speak a covering over Emmerson Mnangagwa, Constantino Chiwenga, Kembo Mohadi other government officials.
We pray for their health and well being
We pray that the Lord grant them wisdom and a heart for the people of Zimbabwe
May their families be preserved.
We pray for unselfish vision in leaders.
Pray for dialogue and consensus for a common purpose among the political leaders.
Pray for renewal of minds in leadership.
Lord give them wisdom for such a time as this. New wisdom, to build a new nation.
Raise around them Nehemiahs of this day; rebuilders of what has long been broken.

Economic growth

Zimbabwean a desperate for a better economy. They are desperate for opportunities for themselves and for their children in their own country. Our prayer is that the Lord would raise dying and dead industries in the country. May the Lord raise innovators and a generation of captains of industry with fresh ideas. More than anything a leadership that fosters an environment in which all these things are possible.

Lord, we pray for economic growth.
Pray for a lifting of economic sanctions against Zimbabwe by the USA.
We pray for innovation and wisdom in the mining sector.
We pray for an increase in Foreign Direct Investment.
We pray for wisdom and innovation to solve Zimbabwe’s financial crisis.
We pray for the establishment of new industries.
We pray against the spirit of poverty.
We pray for lucrative partnerships with other nations.
We pray for rain and wisdom for the agricultural sector.
We pray for success in the plans to revive old industries and factories.

Health

Beyond health issues that plague the nation as a result of poor economic structures and infrastructure, better things need to be built. There is absolutely no reason why people should be dying of cholera in this century. As humanity, we owe it to ourselves to be better.

Speak against the spread of cholera and other related waterborne diseases.
Pray for the preservation of lives against disease outbreaks and medical drugs shortages.
Speak against industrial strikes in the health sector.
Pray for an improvement in health service delivery.

Peace

Zimbabweans have always been known to be a pacifist and peaceful people. Our prayer is that that trait is not eaten away by the consistent nag that is poverty and corruption. Father may peace prevail over this land.

Father, we thank you for peace across Zimbabwe.
We speak against political violence and uprisings.
May your word find its way into more and more homes and transform the nation.
We pray that the government handle protests with grace.

The Church

The church used to be a respected vehicle of change in the nation. Today more and more people are turning away from it due to the blatant disregard of Christlikeness that has hit it. More and more churches are springing up and taking advantage of people desperate for a saviour.

Lord bring authenticity back to your church.
Expose and uproot all wolves that have gotten among your flock.
Raise men women after your heart.
Raise the church as a vehicle of hope and of change in the nation.

Production

Proverbs 12:27 The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.

The verse above is unfortunately accurate description of most African countries, including Zimbabwe. They diligent in hunting but never roast what they have hunted. This is the reason why our industries export raw material to be processed elsewhere and sold back to Zimbabwe at higher rates. Minerals are not being “roasted”, but are bought back as jewellery at premium rates.

Father make Zimbabwe a nation of producers and not mere consumers.
Give them the wisdom to build wealth for generations to come.
Give them the foresight to build not only for themselves but for their children, a better nation.

General

There are a lot of other points that we have failed to find a home for under any of the other headings. Whatever else you think we may have missed out while praying for Zimbabwe, add it to this general section.

We pray for church leaders that their lives be preserved and good health.
Pray for the will of God to prevail in Zimbabwe.
Pray for unity in the Church.
Pray for the awareness and growth of an entrepreneurial culture among the youth.
Speak against hoarding and shortages of basic commodities.
Pray that sanity and wisdom prevail in the marketplace.
Pray for economic reforms.

Thank you for partnering with us in prayer. Our goal is to create one of these for every country in the world. We want to be enablers of prayer warriors. This is part of our prayer for nations goal. If you would like to volunteer to create prayer points or be a part of our team of intercessors, please get in touch.

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