Innholdsfortegnelse for February/March 2020 i 60 Days of Prayer

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemies before you, saying, “Destroy them!” DEUTERONOMY 33:27 (NIV) IT HAS BEEN said that February is the most depressing time of the year. If you are feeling down, turn to prayer. Ask God to comfort and guide you to find support and resources that can help. Pray until you feel His everlasting arms around you. Lord God, shine your heavenly light upon me. Guide me to peace, happiness and contentment. REFLECTIONS…

And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. MATTHEW 14:36 (KJV) THIS VERSE IS a beautiful reminder that all it takes to feel complete is to reach out and touch God. Even if it’s only the hem of His garment, if your desire is real, you will be made perfectly whole. You’ll no longer be defeated by your fears or feel confused by inner conflict. You will be at peace. Dear Lord, I reach out to You today for healing and help on this journey. I long to be perfectly whole. REFLECTIONS…

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. JAMES 1:5 (NIV) HAVE YOU PRAYED and prayed about something and feel that God isn’t answering you? Sometimes God uses your prayers in unexpected ways to help you grow. If you are struggling with feeling that God is letting you down, open your heart to Him. Let Him know you are willing to change. Dear Lord, grant me the courage to change my life for the better, even when it means accepting situations I wish were different. Bless me with the willingness to learn and adapt. REFLECTIONS…

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” 1 SAMUEL 17:45 (NIV) WHEN YOU ARE up against bad odds, draw courage and strength from God. There is no difficulty that you cannot overcome with God at your side. Together you have the power to accomplish mighty things. Everlasting Father, I praise You for the many victories to come—there is no obstacle too big for You to overcome. REFLECTIONS…

Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. GENESIS 28:18 (NIV) IN THIS VERSE, Jacob set up the stone as a monument to commemorate the blessed place where he was visited by God. Do you have any markers or reminders that help you feel God’s presence? Reflect on your life and recall the many blessings He has given you. Heavenly Father, I am in awe at the many times You’ve blessed me. REFLECTIONS…

“Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 2 KINGS 20:3 (NIV) KING HEZEKIAH WAS an honest and good ruler. When he became ill, he prayed the above words and God gave him fifteen more years of life. If you are in desperate need of God’s help, model your prayer after King Hezekiah. Heavenly Father, I have walked before you faithfully. See my tears and hear my prayers. REFLECTIONS…

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. ISAIAH 43:18-19 (ESV) DURING THIS SEASON of Lent, ask God to help you leave behind barriers that block you from having a closer relationship with Him and look to the future. Let go of what is impeding you from living your best full life and go forward on the path He clears for you. Heavenly Father, release me of thoughts and things that get in the way our relationship. REFLECTIONS…

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. PSALM 62:1-2 (ESV) THE SEASON OF LENT is a blessed time of spiritual renewal. Focus on what you can do to open yourself to reach a new level of experiencing God’s grace. Ask Him to help transform your life by building up your faith, and dedicating yourself to be of service. Righteous Father, help me to look deep within myself, to let go of what is no longer good for me and embrace the new life that comes from You. REFLECTIONS…

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9 (NIV) WHEN THE APOSTLE Paul asked God to take away a “thorn in the flesh,” God said no. Why? Because Paul’s pain was being used by God for a purpose. When you serve God despite your weaknesses and struggles, you show others the grace of His glory. God of All Goodness, Your power is made perfect in my weakness. Your grace is sufficient for me. REFLECTIONS…

Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” MARK 5:36 (NIV) DR. NORMAN VINCENT PEALE said, “Whenever a negative thought concerning your personal powers comes to mind, deliberately voice a positive thought to cancel it out.” If you are worried that you cannot accomplish a goal, don’t give up. Conquer your doubt with faith. God of Peace, I believe in myself because Your abundance, peace and power are within me. I lack for nothing. REFLECTIONS…

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. MATTHEW 4:1-2 (NIV) THE ABOVE VERSE boldly states that Jesus was led to the devil by the Spirit. Ever wonder why after being baptized Jesus needed to be tested in the wilderness? It’s because these difficult trials are a part of walking with the Lord. Jesus’ experience shows us that when God brings us to the wilderness, it’s for an important and eternal purpose. Heavenly Father, I am a Christian, a child of God and no matter what trials I face, I will obey Your Word. REFLECTIONS…

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. ISAIAH 40:31 (NIV) THIS BEAUTIFUL VERSE describes the greatest experience that can ever happen to you—spiritual renewal. By completely surrendering yourself to God and putting your faith in Him, you will feel His strength guiding you and giving you energy. Dear Lord, renew my spirit so that I rise above life’s challenges and soar with the eagles. REFLECTIONS…

That you will do us no harm, just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord. GENESIS 26:29 (NIV) NURTURE YOUR CONNECTION with God by taking a moment to say a prayer that blesses someone or something. Start your morning with a blessing prayer and you’ll receive His gifts throughout the day. Heavenly Father, every day is a blessing because You are beside me, leading me to my best life. REFLECTIONS…

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. “For in him we live and move and have our being.” As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” ACTS 17:27-28 (NIV) IF YOUR LIFE feels out of control, find a quiet place and take several deep breaths. Focus on what is going on and visualize God in the situation with you. Feel His love and strength. Dear Lord, You are my Savior, my wise Counselor, guiding me to make the right choices and easing my worries so that I can calmly and confidently navigate through life’s challenges. REFLECTIONS…

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.... PSALM 37:5 (NIV) MAX LUCADO SAID, “God loves us too much to indulge our every whim.” If you want clarity and purpose in your life, pray this bold prayer: “God, I put my life in Your hands. I trust Your guidance. I leave the outcome to You.” Be ready to feel calm and confident knowing that you are on a divine journey. Heavenly Father, I commit my way to You. I trust You with my life. REFLECTIONS…

...So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. EPHESIANS 3:17-19 (NIV) RICK WARREN SAID, “God’s love is like an ocean. You can see its beginning, but not its end.” His love for you is unconditional and eternal. He loves you on good days and bad ones. He loves you no matter what. His love never fails. Heavenly Father, fill my heart and bless my soul with Your precious gift of love.…

As it is written: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” ROMANS 9:33 (NIV) IN ANY GIVEN situation, it’s easy to focus on what God should be doing—rather than accept what He is actually doing. If we seek God through our own works we will stumble, but if we faithfully depend on Him we will experience righteousness and salvation. Our Heavenly Father, I surrender myself into Your hands. Through faith and humble dependence upon You I will not stumble. REFLECTIONS…

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ISAIAH 55:8-9 (NIV) GOD’S WAYS ARE higher than your ways. When a situation is confusing and something has happened that just doesn’t make sense no matter how much you think about it, let it go. Turn it over to God. Dear Lord, when I feel that I need to figure everything out, remind me that You have it all under control. REFLECTIONS…

And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. JOSHUA 10:13 (KJV) ONCE EVERY FOUR years, the whole planet gets an extra day. Today, on Leap Day, consider this question asked by beloved poet Mary Oliver: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Check in with your heart and soul and make sure you are on the right track. Heavenly Father, I will spend this bonus day serving You. REFLECTIONS…

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. COLOSSIANS 3:23 (NIV) MANY PEOPLE MAKE a big mistake by dreading their work and thinking of it as a period of time they must suffer through. The truth is, work is a blessing. No matter what job you hold, your contribution is necessary and worthwhile. Work can be a source of satisfaction and strength…when you let it. Dear Lord, help me to recognize the power of work—and to see my job as the blessing it really is. REFLECTIONS…

And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. ISAIAH 35:8 (NIV) YOU ARE PROGRESSING on the Way of Holiness. Reflect on how you feel as you move toward being more fully centered on God’s will. Take a moment and praise God for the positive changes happening in your faith and your life. God of Truth, thank You for showing me the Highway of Holiness. REFLECTIONS…

Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life. DEUTERONOMY 30:19-20 (NIV) MANY PEOPLE PRAY to God and spend so much time asking and talking that they forget to make an effort to listen for His guiding voice. When you listen to the Lord, He will instruct and comfort you. Dear Lord, thank You for being patient with me. I’m here. I want to listen to You. REFLECTIONS…

The Lord’s...compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. LAMENTATIONS 3:22-23 (NIV) IN A WORLD where everything changes, life’s uncertainties and unexpected twists can sometimes make you lose your footing. When you feel off-kilter focus on the beautiful truth that God is always the same. He is always and forever faithful, the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Lord, I trust Your constant faithfulness and love. Your never-changing compassion enables me to keep moving forward in this ever-changing world. REFLECTIONS…

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. HEBREWS 13:16 (NIV) GIVING DOESN’T HAVE to be a burden or an obligation; instead, it should be an expression of our love, humanity and purpose. The best gift we can give ourselves is the joy we receive when helping and giving to others. Dear God, help me to give generously to the causes I believe in and remind me that everything I give in charity, no matter how small, makes a difference. REFLECTIONS…

The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. NAHUM 1:7 (NIV) DO YOU TRUST God in times of trouble or do you doubt His goodness and faithfulness? If you are having a crisis of faith, put your effort into knowing and loving Him more. Pray for help to overcome your doubt. He will fulfill your trust. He will never let you down. Heavenly Father, help me to understand what is blocking me from putting all of my trust in You. Give me the peace I need to move my faith forward. REFLECTIONS…

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” ISAIAH 30:21 (NIV) GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS AREN’T always big, momentous life-changing moments. Often He gives us seemingly small instructions, little nudges to point us in the right direction. God is speaking to you all the time. Incline your ear and heart to His words. Dear Lord, I want to hear and follow Your instructions big and small. Fulfill Your work in my life. REFLECTIONS…

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” PSALM 46:10 (NIV) SOMETIMES THE MOST productive prayer times can be as simple as quietly sitting with God, being still and feeling His presence. Like good friends enjoying the moment—words aren’t necessary. Savor the silence. Lord, I sometimes forget the importance of being still. Thank You for these precious times where You grace me with silence that renews my mind. REFLECTIONS…

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4 (NIV) IF YOU ARE experiencing a time of sorrow or distress, offer your suffering to God. Ask for His peace. With prayer, grief can be transformed into empathy, understanding and compassion. God of All Comfort, when tragedy strikes, help me find me peace. Give me strength to get through pain and sorrow. Help me have hope in tomorrow. REFLECTIONS…

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 JOHN 4:18 (NIV) ONE OF GOD’S greatest promises is that no matter what happens, nothing can separate you from His love and protection. When you build up your spirit with this truth, your faith becomes unshakable and you become able to handle any problem with grace and strength. Mighty God, I can relax because I know that You are in control. You are working for my good. REFLECTIONS…

I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ISAIAH 41:10 (NIV) WHEN YOU NEED to feel safe and in God’s presence, repeat the above verse. Close your eyes and imagine Him taking your hand. With His support there is no need to be afraid. He is with you, knowing the unknowns and helping you feel secure. You are safe. Loving Father, thank You for protecting me, comforting me and guiding me through uncertain times. REFLECTIONS…

I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance. JOB 42:5-6 (NLT) TODAY IS ASH WEDNESDAY, the first day of Lent. As we enter the holiest of seasons, allow God to search your heart and reveal anything that needs to renewed or transformed. Today is the perfect time to get your heart right with God. Loving Father, I long to live my life so that it pleases You. REFLECTIONS…

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. ROMANS 12:2 (NIV) LENT IS THE perfect time to listen to the voice deep in your heart and to be guided by God’s wisdom. Steer away from things that you know aren’t good for you and make habits and choices that lead you toward living your best life. God of All Grace, You are my guide. Help me live a life that frees me from discomfort in my heart. Help me make choices that please You. REFLECTIONS…

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. JAMES 1:2-4 (NIV) DR. NORMAN VINCENT Peale said, “God knew what He was doing when He constructed this world so that there was difficulty in it. That is what makes it possible for us to grow in strength and understanding. There is conflict in the universe and that is what makes life go.” The next time you feel pulled apart by a challenge, recognize how rich your life story is becoming by experiencing the hurdles and bumps on the road of life’s journey. Mighty God, because of You…

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. PROVERBS 6:16, 19 (NIV) EACH DAY RESOLVE to become the best version of yourself. Encourage others by showing them love rather than judgement. Be generous with your time. And when conflict arises, be fair and understanding. Show another the Light. Heavenly Father, fill my heart with patience and strength, guide me to be a beacon of Your love. REFLECTIONS…

And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” MARK 16:15 (NLT) SAINT PATRICK IS said to have listened to his dreams and allowed them to direct his life. In one dream, he heard the people of Ireland calling out for him to walk among them. Shortly after, he began his priesthood studies. Do you listen to your dreams, or other ways God communicates with you? Heavenly Father, I long to serve You. I am open to Your calling. REFLECTIONS…

Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. ISAIAH 55:3 (ESV) WHEN YOU READ God’s Word, take your time. Don’t rush. Let the Scripture sink into your mind and heart. Deep listening allows something amazing to happen—His divine message is delivered powerfully into your spirit. Heavenly Father, I incline my ear to You and open my heart and mind to Your wisdom. REFLECTIONS…

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. GALATIANS 5:22–23 (NIV) WHEN YOU EMBRACE the fruit of the Spirit, your life becomes more fulfilling and satisfying. The closer you are to God, the more He shapes your actions, enabling you to manage difficult situations with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Lord, guide me to live by the Spirit, to respond to those in need with kindness, goodness and faithfulness. REFLECTIONS…