Innholdsfortegnelse for April/May 2022 i 60 Days of Prayer

But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. ROMANS 8:25 (NIV) DO YOU WAIT hopefully? The pauses in life—the waiting periods—can be grueling and difficult. But you can learn to wait with hope, to wait with your faith firmly rooted in God’s promises. By developing a strong prayer life, you begin to recognize that life’s low points serve an important purpose: The waiting strengthens your relationship with God. God of hope, help me to be patient. Stretch my faith as I wait.…

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! ISAIAH 30:18 (NIV) ERMA BOMBECK SAID, “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.’” Every gift you share with the world, every generous act and surrender you make will open your heart wider and enable you to receive more of God’s spiritual gifts. A gift to God has infinite value. It delights Him. Lord, I want to live a life free of regret, doing everything I can to use my talents…

Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. DEUTERONOMY 11:26–27 (NLT) WHEN YOU CHOOSE to be led by God, you are choosing to be blessed by Him. By focusing on prayer and developing a relationship with God, you are on the path of walking in His truth. Dear God, when I am tempted to stray from Your guidance, help me to keep the faith and to continue on this glorious journey with You.…

Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. LUKE 23:53 (NLT) HOLY SATURDAY REPRESENTS an anxious, in-between state. Jesus’ life had brutally ended, and He was placed in a tomb for three days. All of us experience upsetting, in-between states when the rhythm of life is uprooted by loss or failure. When life is in a liminal state, ask God to help you hold on and have faith. Lord, in this world I will have tribulation, but I will be courageous because You have overcome the world.…

Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. MATTHEW 13:32 (NIV) THE BIBLE STRESSES the importance of little things and normal people—a mustard seed, a lost coin, a diminutive tax collector called Zacchaeus, and a shepherd boy named David. One of the shortest verses, “God is love” (1 John 4:8) is one of the most powerful in the Bible. When you are feeling small or unappreciated, remember this verse. Lord, I know Your greatest works often begin as small seeds.…

Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” JOHN 1:38 (NIV) IN THE VERSES that follow the above, Jesus tells the two men, “Come and see!” So they follow Him. Jesus’ question, “What do you want?” was much larger than they ever imagined. It caused one of them, Andrew, to become His disciple. Take a moment and answer Jesus’ question. Tell Him what you want. Lord, I seek You. Fill me with Your love and peace. I want to know You.…

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. ECCLESIASTES 3:1 (KJV) SPRING IS A season of growth. The budding flowers are beautiful proof of nature’s resilience. Each bloom is a reminder that life is filled with transition. If you are experiencing a challenging time, trust that it is temporary and that every moment in your life serves a purpose in God’s plan—an opportunity for growth. Heavenly Father, help me remember that hard times help me grow in grace.…

Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. PSALM 37:7 (NIV) SOMETIMES WHEN OUR prayers seem to go unanswered, we get frustrated—or worse, accuse God of not caring. In times of despair and doubt, pray more. Ask God to help you control your impatience with Him. Believe that He is working on your behalf for the best outcome. Heavenly Father, help me to wait in faith, knowing that You are in control of every circumstance.…

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” MATTHEW 14:30 (NIV) WHEN PETER CRIED out to Jesus in the above verse, the Lord pulled him up. “Why did you doubt?” He asked him. When the storms of life crash down on you, how do you react? And when God lifts you up with an opportunity, do you recognize His great power? Why do you doubt? Lord, You’ve rescued me countless times when I cried out for You to save me. Help me to feel secure the next time a storm is approaching.…

Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 1 KINGS 19:5 (NIV) ELIJAH HAD DEDICATED His life to serving God, and yet he became so exhausted he was ready to give up. In the above verse, the Lord let Elijah sleep peacefully and sent an angel to feed him. After rest and food, Elijah felt prepared to face his future and hear God’s still, small voice. If you are feeling like Elijah, burned out from your life’s work, take a moment and ask God to minister to you. Lord, when I am struggling, guide me to find peace and rest in Your presence.…

“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.” ISAIAH 55:8–9 (NIV) IT’S NOT EASY feeling thankful when you are upset and struggling emotionally. But what you feel is not who you are. No matter what you face, one thing remains the same—God. He is with you through life’s problems, big and small. Thank Him for being there, and trust Him to see you through. Dear God, thank You for a new day. Today, right at this moment, my focus is on being with You.…

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. PHILIPPIANS 3:13–14 (NIV) DO YOU LIVE in the present? God does not want you to spend your energy focusing on the past. He invites you to embrace the gift of the present moment. Ask Him to be part of your day, to guide you where you should go, to press ahead and live your best life. Lord, what do You want me to do right now?…

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) WHEN YOU ARE overwhelmed, instead of asking God to change the situation, try asking Him to transform your perspective. Ask Him to help you see life differently and embrace the challenges at hand with a new vision. Lord, renew my mind. I want to see Your perfect will at work.…

After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. JOHN 13:5 (NIV) THE DISCIPLES, ESPECIALLY Peter, found it embarrassing to have Christ wash their feet. The Lord was so much greater than they were. How can you emulate Jesus’ loving humility? Perhaps it’s a phone call to a person you’ve lost touch with? A delivery of flowers to brighten someone’s day? Lord, what act of kindness can I do for someone today?…

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. GENESIS 50:20 (NIV) REJOICE! CHRIST THE Lord has risen today! The actions of His enemies actually fulfilled His mission. Jesus sacrificed His life so that our sins will be forgiven, and we will experience everlasting life. As Madeleine L’Engle said, “Easter is always the answer to ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!’” Lord, because of You, I know the power and glory of Your great love!…

He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land—the Lord is his name. AMOS 5:8 (NIV) WHEN YOU ARE feeling stressed, take a few minutes and look up at the God of order. If He can keep the heavens untangled, He can help you navigate your busy day. Share your frustrations and worries with Him. Great Creator, just as You turn midnight into dawn, bring light and clarity to my day.…

And who has extended his good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me. EZRA 7:28 (NIV) DR. NORMAN VINCENT Peale suggested using the the faith practice of memorizing reassuring Bible verses to fill your mind with peace—and force worry out. The word worry originates from a word that means to strangle or to choke. Worry chokes the joy of today. Father God, when I keep my mind fixed on You, I will be kept in perfect peace.…

So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 1 SAMUEL 3:9 (NIV) JUST AS GOD spoke to Samuel, God speaks to us. Make time to listen. Respond to His callings, His nudges and guidance. Sit down and meditate on His Word. Pray and have faith that He can and will speak to you. Lord God, I pray that I hear Your voice today. In the words of Eli, “Your servant is listening.”…

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. JOHN 19:26–27 (NIV) IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to imagine the excruciating sorrow Jesus’ mother felt watching her son perish on the cross. Among His final words, He instructed John to, “Take care of her.” Today, on Mother’s Day, may God bless and take care of mothers everywhere. Dear Lord, today I pray for all the mothers in the world. May they feel Your comfort and peace.…

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” NEHEMIAH 8:10 (NIV) THE JOY OF the Lord is your strength. When you delight in Him, you witness the power of prayer. Your faith develops and your hope grows bright! Come and sit in the power of His light. When you are at home with Him, you are blessed with His joy. Dear Lord, may the Light of heaven shine in my heart.…

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. GENESIS 9:16 (NIV) THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE, God gives visible signs to remind people of His promises. The rainbow is a beautiful symbol of God’s blessing and a stunning reminder of the triumph of mercy and the victory of grace. Heavenly Father, thank You for sending signs that reassure and remind us of Your promises.…

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 PETER 4:10 (NIV) WHAT KIND GESTURES can you extend to help others? Perhaps you know just the right words to comfort someone in need. Or maybe it’s volunteering at a local community center or shelter. What acts of thoughtfulness and generosity can you spread in God’s name? Lord, I know You have given me gifts to share. Guide me to places where I can be a blessing to others.…

Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again. 1 KINGS 18:37 (NIV) WHEN ELIJAH WAS depressed and afraid, ready to give up, God’s gentle whisper encouraged him to keep going. “What are you doing here, Elijah?” God asked. Sometimes God gives us His wisdom by asking the right question, by leading us to find the answer we need. One and only God, in Your presence I find wisdom. I hear Your whispers.…

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. PSALM 37:37 (KJV) HAVE YOU BEEN nudged to do something but are concerned that your effort won’t turn out to be perfect? Do you look for perfection in your job, your home, your children, your actions? While God’s love is perfect, He does not expect you to live flawlessly. So follow our Heavenly Father’s example and strive to emulate His perfect love instead. Loving Father, help me to be patient and kind, to lift someone’s burdens and make their lives better.…

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ZECHARIAH 9:9 (NIV) TODAY, PALM SUNDAY, is the first day of Holy Week. As Jesus made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the crowds cheered and waved palm branches to symbolize His victory. Reflect on Jesus’ passion and thank God for sending His son to walk on earth among us. Dear Lord, may I always be mindful of the sacrifice You made for me.…

And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. MARK 15:24 (NIV) AS THE GRIEF-STRICKEN followers of Jesus laid Him in the tomb, so too, they lay down the wreckage of their hope. Easter Sunday was ahead, but on that Friday, they did not know that. Sometimes in our own lives when devastating tragedy strikes, we feel as the disciples did, that Jesus has failed us. In these times, Easter is our hope. As Sue Monk Kidd wrote, “Somewhere in every crown of suffering, God has implanted a bud of strength that can burst open, releasing extra power.” All-powerful God, when my life seems broken, help me to remember the everlasting hope that awaits.…

Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. JOHN 14:19 (NIV) EVERY DAY IS an opportunity to meet the rising sun with praises of God’s goodness. Today, Easter Monday, celebrate His resurrection and apply His promising message to your life. He has given you the power to have a fresh start—a new entrance into the world—a new opportunity to offer yourself to His service and glory. Dear Lord, may my joyful heart praise and magnify Your glory!…

Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? LUKE 15:4 (NIV) WHEN YOU LOSE your sense of direction in life, God always sends someone or something to direct you back: a Scripture, a sudden insight or a friend who says the right words. God promises He will leave the ninety-nine sheep to find the one that is lost. He will do the same for you. Good Shepherd, when I lose my way, find me and guide me to faithfully follow You.…

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. GALATIANS 6:9 (NIV) SOMETIMES WHEN WE make a change and take a leap of faith, we believe we are following God’s will. Yet when we aren’t immediately successful, we become anxious and question our path, believing that we must have misinterpreted God’s message. If this happens, do not give up. Trust that if you are in alignment with His plan, everything will work out for the best. Lord, help me to stay the course and keep the faith even when things aren’t going my way.…

And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away. NEHEMIAH 12:43 (NIV) HOW MANY GIFTS of grace have you acknowledged today? A key to being joyful is to stay alert and look for God’s caring hand. His love is certain and constant. Even in challenging times when you are hurting, you can trust that joy is right around the corner. Lord, You have given me great joy!…

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) IF YOU SEEK God through your own works you will stumble, but if you faithfully rely on Him, you will experience righteousness and salvation. God offers you His grace and His Word. Trust in Jesus and you will not fall. Our Heavenly Father, You have my heart. Through faith and humble reliance upon You I will not stumble.…

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. GALATIANS 6:2 (NIV) GOD WANTS US to help one another, to carry each other’s burdens. Do you keep a prayer list of other people’s needs? If not, now is the perfect time to begin this practice. Prayer is one of God’s greatest gifts; use it to help ease one another’s troubles. God of comfort, thank You for being our stronghold, our anchor and Savior! Thank You for the amazing power of prayer.…

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness so that we can, with reverence, serve you. PSALM 130:3–4 (NIV) IN THE ABOVE verse, as David waits for God to answer his prayer, he searches his heart and confesses anything that might be hindering his relationship with God. Even when you aren’t waiting on the Lord, now is the perfect time to surrender your will and ask God to align your desires with His plans. Merciful God, forgive me of my wrongdoings, my selfish requests, so that I can serve You with reverence.…

I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding. PSALM 119:30–32 (NIV) TODAY, AS WE honor Memorial Day, reflect on the many blessings God has showered upon us as a nation. Give thanks for those who have sacrificed their lives to protect our freedom, and pray for peace among nations and all people. My Heavenly Father, make us worthy of Your gift of freedom.…