For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Even as a child, I looked forward to Thanksgiving Day with great anticipation. I was a child who loved traditions, and our Thanksgiving tradition was to load up in the car and head to my mom’s side of the family for a day of food and fun with all of my aunts and uncles, lots of cousins, and of course, Grandma and Grandpa.

One of the best gifts my husband can give me

...and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room in the inn. Luke 2:7

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."  -Winnie the Pooh

See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him. 1 John 3:1

Psalm 9:9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

24 Ways to PRAY for the Lost

(This is not written by me, Misty Cramer. It is a prayer guide we have used in our ministry, and I am sharing it.)

Author Unknown

Praying for our unsaved young people is the best way to begin reaching them for Christ. The following verses give us a biblical outline for these prayers:

Thank you God that you are not willing that any should perish

He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) and would have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4).

Thank You that all things are possible with You

Then who can be saved?  Jesus glanced around at them and said, With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God (Mark 10:27). What is impossible with men is possible with God (Matthew 19:26).

PRAY:

For God to draw them to Himself in true faith and repentance 

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him…” (John 6:44).

For God to destroy any false ideas about salvation through Jesus Christ 

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death (Proverbs 14:12).

For God to quicken unbelievers to their sins and trespasses

…you were dead in your transgressions and sins (Ephe­sians 2:1).

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

For God to dull unbelievers to the allurement to this world pleasures and the all-consuming worries of life so that the Word of God not be choked

7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful (Matthew 13:7, 22).

For God to grant genuine faith to believe

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10).

For God to give them a new heart

And the Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your being, that you may live (Deuteronomy 30:6).

That God would undo the work of Satan and open the minds of the unbelievers to the truth of the Gospel

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4).

That God would deliver them from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves (Colossians 1:13).

That God would grant genuine repentance

But unless you repent, you too will all perish (Luke 13:1-3).

That God would apply His mercy

Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our   sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah (Ephesians 2:1-6, The Message).

That God would thrust out laborers

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (Romans 10:14).

So pray to the Lord of the harvest to force out and thrust laborers into His harvest (Matthew 9:38).That God would stir them out of their complacency and indifference

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

That God’s Spirit and power rest on the laborers

And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the (Holy) Spirit and power (a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them), so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

For our (preaching of the) glad tidings (the Gospel) came to you not only in word, but also in (its own inherent) power and in the Holy Spirit and with great conviction and absolute certainty (on our part) (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

That God’s Spirit reveal to them their sinful condition and quicken their conscience, plow up their heart, and ring conviction in their soul

He (the Spirit) will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgement (John 16:8)

That God would stir them out of their complacency and indifference

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2)

That God would awaken them

Because they seeing, see not, and hearing, they hear not, neither do they understand.  For this people’s heart is become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have closed (Matthew 13:13)

That God’s love would be understood and embraced

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

That God would open a door to proclaim the Gospel

And at the same time pray for us also, that God may open a door to us for the Word (the Gospel), to proclaim the mystery concerning Christ (the Messiah) on account of which I am in prison (Colossians 4:3).

That God would minister to their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the (physical and spiritual) captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound (Isaiah 61:1)

To grant (consolation and joy) to those who mourn in Zion – to give them an ornament (a garland or diadem) of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment (expressive) of praise instead of a heavy, burdened, and failing spirit – that they may be called oaks of righteousness (lofty, strong, and magnificent, distinguished for uprightness, justice, and right standing with God), the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified (Isaiah 61:3)

That they might escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will

…and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26)

That they would see God in creation

For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So are without excuse (Romans 1:20 AMP).

That their conscience bear witness

They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts and are operating there, with which their consciences (sense of right and wrong) also bear witness; and their decisions (their arguments of reason, their condemning or approving thoughts) will accuse or perhaps defend and excuse (Romans 2:15 AMP). For the Law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin [not mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance, faith, and holy character] (Romans 3:20, AMP).

That they would come to recognize sin and its penalty

Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. God has levied a death penalty for sinning and it’s eternal separation from Him. For the wages which sin pays is death (Romans 6:23).

That they would seek to know God

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 4:29).

For the Holy Spirit to work in them 

When he comes, he’ll expose the error of the godless world’s view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He’ll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted (John 16:7-11, The Message).

That they would turn from sin

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out… (Acts 3:19).

That they would confess Christ as Lord

That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved (Romans 10:9, 10).

…the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). for all who believe (Romans 3:22 AMP).

That they would take root and grow in Christ 

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness (Colossians 2:6,7).

That their life be transformed by the Gospel

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17)

A PRAYER USING SCRIPTURES 

Father, hear us as we ask You to rescue the lost from the domain of darkness and bring them into the kingdom of Your Son. You alone can draw and enable them. You alone can send Your Holy Spirit with power to convict them of the sin in their life and their need to repent and believe in Your truth–that Jesus is the only way to You, that He alone is the way, the truth and the life.  

Father, we ask you to forgive the sins of the lost. We come in Jesus’ name to demolish the strongholds in their minds that those sins have allowed. We come in the authority of Jesus’ name to overcome the power of the enemy in their lives, to ask You to bind evil spirits away from them in the name of Jesus and the blood of the Lamb through the word of our testimony.  

We come against the blinding of their minds and ask that You send someone to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light; help us to be willing to go. Father, don’t let their hearts be hardened, but open their hearts to receive Your truth. Rip away any veil that covers their hearts, any false teaching that confuses their minds. Help them to hear your Word with power and conviction as the Word of God and not the word of man. Give them understanding, so that Satan will not be able to steal Your Word from their hearts.  

Father, help them see their need for a Savior, to know they must confess their sins, repent and believe–or they perish. Help them choose Your mercy and Your gift of faith, to believe with their hearts and confess with their mouths, Jesus is Lord. We ask in Your will, that not any should perish. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

(Author unknown)

Pictured is my nephew, Dawson, who is enjoying some rest of mind and body during a visit to our home last summer. 

As I laid my head down on my pillow, I could feel the physical exhaustion wash over me. My body was craving the sleep it so badly needed. It didn’t take much to get myself comfortable, as I laid my tired head on my pillow, and allowed my eyes to close, something they had been desiring to do for the past many hours.

But what was happening? My exhausted body was attached to my head, which at this particular moment, was the home for the numerous thoughts regarding the painful circumstances many people were in at that very moment. No, this couldn’t be happening!

It was as if my mind didn’t care one bit about the exhausted body in which it resided. It was going to run its own course, taking me down trails, rough and rock ones, that I did not want to explore tonight. Couples whose marriages are failing. Youth who feel discarded. Death in the streets of Ukraine. Families struggling with finances. Parents feeling overwhelmed. Friends dealing with loss of loved ones. The trails in my mind were endless; they were dark. Lonely. And had no finish line. 

I know you can relate to those nights. We all have them. Yet, I have come to realize how deeply important rest is in our lives. And not only physical rest, but mental and emotional rest, as well. 

During those times, I frequently find myself telling God, “Lord, you know how exhausted I am. You also know my brain won’t shut off tonight. So, God, I’m just going to talk to you until I fall asleep; there will be no “amen” tonight. Thanks for listening.”

I don’t think the Lord minds one bit that I fall asleep while I’m talking to Him. I imagine at that moment, He’s taking the role of the Father, who is very content to have His daughter resting in his arms, providing her with the peace she needs that night to rest her body, and her mind. 

My prayer is that you share with your Heavenly Father all those challenges that are keeping you up at night, so you are able to truly rest in the arms of your Father when lay your head on your pillow tonight. 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jesus (Matthew 11:28) 

Misty Cramer is an author and speaker, wife of 37 years to her favorite man, Todd, mother to five sons and two daughter-in-laws, and grandma to two of the cutest little humans on earth. She wants you to know you were created by a loving God who desires for you to have a relationship with Him.  And not only that, but He desires for you to live life to the fullest, to have an abundant life (John 10)!  Did you know that same God is able to do beyond anything we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20)?  Often we find ourselves just plodding along in life, without passion, without dreams, without a vision for our future. That isn’t the life God has in mind for us.  Whether we are going through the dark valleys of life, venturing into the wonderful mountain tops of life, or find ourselves somewhere in between, God wants to walk with us, meet with us, and show us how to live life to the fullest. 

#imagine320 #rest #sleeplessnights #restforyoursoul #jesus #devotions #christian #encouragement #exhaustion #peace #wednesdaysword 

Pictured is my son, Zachary, who is keeping "watch" during an outdoor worship service last summer. Photo Credit: My son, Micah Cramer @5thchildphotography (Etsy Store) 

Although the chair was far from comfortable, it had been my home for the past thirty minutes, and my body began to accept the fact that it would remain my home for at least another thirty. With that fact, I began to slouch, sliding my legs further underneath the desk in front of me. I then allowed my ears to turn the professor’s history lecture on the War of 1812 into a soothing drone, making focus difficult, and keeping my eyes open, even more challenging. What I think was moments later, a quick jerk of my head, caused me to abruptly open my eyes. I sat upright in my chair, and glanced around the room, checking to see if I had been caught in my “moment of indiscretion”, otherwise known as “sleeping in class”. 

In the book of Matthew, specifically Chapter 26, we could say, three of Jesus’ disciples are caught in such an “indiscretion”.  Jesus had just finished the Last Supper with his disciples. He knows that Peter is about to deny him. He knows Judas is betraying him. He knows his death is imminent. And he goes to Gethsemane to pray, asking if Peter (and others) will “keep watch with me”. Before Jesus goes off to pray, he even shares that his “soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death”. It is beyond our comprehension...his depth of pain, his loneliness, the betrayal he was feeling as he walked into the Garden that night. The weight of the world pressing down on him at that moment, would have made it difficult for him to make the journey. And yet he did, to spend time with his Father. And he had what seemed like one simple request, to the three who walked with him: “keep watch with me”. He desired back-up. He desired his friends to be close to him, to watch, to pray. He wanted them to be alert. To be protected from the schemes of the devil. Yet, he also wanted to spare them the full devastation of seeing him crying out to the Father, spare them from seeing him sweat blood as he bowed before the Father, so he had them stay back a bit. And he walked further into the garden, among the trees, alone with the Father, crying out to him. 

Watch. Pray. The instruction, the plea, doesn’t seem to be that difficult, does it? At least not for us, us who are able to simply read “the story”, and point our fingers at those who failed the test. We know the “end of the story”. We know this was Jesus’ last night on earth. We know; but they didn’t. They were tired, their bodies exhausted. The night had been long. Jesus, there’s a lot going on. Couldn’t we call it a night? They let their bodies rest on the side of the tree. They laid their head against its bark. They let the weight of their eyes be drawn closed, and just like I did in the classroom of my professor, they feel asleep on their Teacher. And not just once, nor twice, but three times. Three times Jesus returns from his time with the Father, to find his beloved three....sleeping. 

I read this passage and think, “oh, I would stay awake”. I mean, it is Jesus, after all. If Jesus asked me to stay awake and keep watch, if Jesus asked me to watch and pray, of course I could do it. Or could I? 

My challenge with our “Wednesday Word” this week, “watch”, is that we each take time to do just that. To “watch and pray”. What might Jesus want us to watch for this week? What temptations may be luring in the darkness for us, temptations that can be identified when we “watch”? What might Jesus want us to pray for this week? Who does he want to bring to our mind during our time with the Father? As we head into Maundy Thursday, and then into Good Friday, I wonder if we could each read the scripture in Matthew 26. Walk the journey with Jesus again. Can we take the opportunity to allow God to show us a piece of what it must have been like for his Son, Jesus, in those days leading into his death? It won’t be an easy journey to allow even a portion of the pain, the realization of what Jesus went through for us, to seep into our souls. It won’t be a pretty journey, as betrayal, sacrifice, sin, and death are never pretty. But keeping watch, praying, will be life-changing. We cannot remain the same when we allow God into the deepest portions of our being. He will change us. Be ready. And keep watch. 

Misty Cramer, is an author and speak whose desire is to encourage others, as she shares the hope Jesus provides in the midst of life’s darkest challenges, as well as it’s brightest triumphs. If you would like to receive “Wednesday’s Word”, as well as other encouragement, you can subscribe to her website, and follow her on Instagram @mistydawncramer and Facebook, Misty Cramer, Author & Speaker. She would love to connect with you!  #imagine320 #wednesdaysword #watch #keepwatch #jesus #easter #devotions #christian #encouragement #exhaustion #peace #mandythursday #goodfriday