Acts of Kindness

SCRIPTURE

 

Matthew 25:34-40

34        "Then the King will say to those on His right, "Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35        "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;

36        naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'

37        "Then the righteous will answer Him, "Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink?

38        "And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?

39        "When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'

40        "The King will answer and say to them, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them you did it to Me.'

 

 

PRAYER

 

Lord, needs abound, in both ______ and in those around him. There are not only the physical needs, but also emotional hurts that run deep. Souls are hungry, thirsty, alone, uncared for, sick, and imprisoned. They need a touch from you Lord, a touch that you have designed to come through us, and a touch that is sometimes neglected by those who can give it. I pray two things this week Lord. First, I pray that you would touch ______’s deep needs by bringing to him a few who will act as your instruments of care. I pray that you would prompt their hearts to extend acts of kindness to ______ in just the way he needs, in just the manner that is best, and at just the perfect time. Meet his needs through them Lord. And I pray equally that you would prompt ______’s heart to extend his kindness to those persons you put in his heart this week. Meet their needs through him Lord. And as you do, I pray that you would close a circle of community, a circle that has you at the center. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

When you reach out and meet a need, it has the same impact and the same reward as if you did it for our Lord himself. Keep your awareness keen, and watch our Lord bring a perfect opportunity to touch “him” this week.

 

 

Strength and Encouragement

SCRIPTURE

Psalm 138:3

As soon as I pray, you answer me;
you encourage me by giving me the strength I need.

PRAYER

Lord, as ______ is crying out to you, I ask that you would answer him quickly, and I pray that your answer would carry with it your strength. There are days when he feels weak Lord. It just feels like the circumstances of his life require more than he has to give. He is not sure that he can go on, but there seems to be no escape. And his heart begins to feel the heaviness of discouragement. Oh Lord, I ask that you would give a double portion of your strength to ______ this moment. And as that strength lands in his heart, I pray that it would bear the fruit of encouragement. Lift his spirits. Fill him with hope. Cover him with peace. May that strength give him the confidence he needs to walk the path before him, with honor and grace. Amen.

ENCOURAGEMENT

It may be that the answer to your prayer comes, not as the answer you expected, but as the answer you needed… strength. Be encouraged… you are just that important to him.

Bless the Children

SCRIPTURE

 

Luke 18: 15-17

15 One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.

16 Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

 

 

PRAYER

 

Lord, there are some children hovering around ______’s life that he touches. You have given him a special gift that he employs to bless these children in wonderful ways Lord. Today I pray that you would give ______ a blessing because of that. Swell his heart with the satisfaction of knowing that he has made the same tender souls important that you made important. Help him to know that his touch in their lives is eternal and powerful. Give him a glimpse of the fruit of his blessing on their lives Lord. Honor him for honoring them. And I pray that you would give him a really big hug from one of those children, accompanied by a beaming smile that says, “I love you.” Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

The difference you are making in these children’s lives is eternal, and will bring an eternal reward. May God bless you for blessing them.

 

 

Calming the Storm

SCRIPTURE

Matthew 8:23-27
23 When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.
24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep.
25 And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, "Save us Lord; we are perishing!
26 He said to them, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.
27 The men were amazed, and said, "What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"



PRAYER

Lord, ______ may feel today that the recent storms around his life are overwhelming him with the swells of pain and sorrow. The hurt he carries feels as deep as the ocean that brings the storm. The confusion around him bites like a bitter wind in his face. And some days he feels like he is going under for the last time. The boat of his life feels as if it is becoming swamped. I ask at this moment Lord, that you would rebuke the circumstances of his life, and calm the storm around him. Bring calm and peace I pray. I ask that he would be as amazed as the men on that boat with Jesus were. I pray that he would be drawn to worship you in amazement as he sees what you have done in his life. And Lord, I pray that you would build _____'s faith indeed. Amen.


ENCOURAGEMENT

He sees the storm, and yet he is calm. His strength can calm the storm around you. Ask him. And then trust him.

The Great Healer

SCRIPTURE

 

Psalm 6:2-4

2          Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed.

3          And my soul is greatly dismayed; but you, O LORD-- how long?

4          Return, O LORD, rescue my soul; save me because of your lovingkindness.

 

Matthew 15:30

30        And large crowds came to Him [Jesus], bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them.

 

PRAYER

 

You, O Lord, are the one who heals. Though the sin of mankind has infiltrated our world, and the sins of some have shattered our personal worlds, yet you heal Lord. I ask that this day you would give ______ a quiet reassurance that your power is able, and your grace is sufficient, to heal even a greatly dismayed soul. Give him faith Lord. I pray that he would be among those who come to you, pining away and yet searching for your healing. I ask that you would flood his heart with a healing balm that could only come from the divine. May he know that you are reaching into his heart, and touching him in ways that are beyond counseling, beyond self-help, and beyond understanding. May he feel your touch Lord. And as he does, I pray that he would perceive healing. Don’t just bandaged his wounds, Lord, but take the cancer of soul away. Reach his deep places, his confused places, his blocked places, his fearful places. Heal him… completely… unmistakably… and soon, I pray. Amen.

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

He came to heal. Be dismayed, that’s ok. Ask, how long, he understands. But plead with him to give you the healing that your heart and soul needs today. Ask him. He is the great healer.

 

Wings Like Eagles

SCRIPTURE

 

Isaiah 40:27-31

27 O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?

      O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?

 28 Have you never heard?

      Have you never understood?

   The Lord is the everlasting God,

      the Creator of all the earth.

   He never grows weak or weary.

      No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

 29 He gives power to the weak

      and strength to the powerless.

 30 Even youths will become weak and tired,

      and young men will fall in exhaustion.

 31 But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength.

      They will soar high on wings like eagles.

   They will run and not grow weary.

      They will walk and not faint.

 

 

PRAYER

 

Lord, the more ______ waits, the more it may seem that you do not see his troubles. And some seasons of life are so unfair that he might think that you are ignoring him entirely. Those seasons of emptiness and aloneness can be consuming, almost like a low-grade terror that builds in the background of the heart and threatens to overwhelm. In those seasons Lord, I pray that you would remind ______ of who you are; the everlasting God, Creator of all the earth. Bring to his heart a vision of the amazing strength, endurance, and understanding that you make available to him. Lord, quiet his heart. Still him. Move him into your presence just to sit in silence, and wait. Wait, Lord. Remove from his mind the fear of the unknown, the worry of the future, the pain of the present. Give his heart a singular focus Lord… YOU. Open a conduit from your heart to his. And as he waits, pour forth upon his spirit a generous supply of strength to overcome his fears, of understanding to see his future, and endurance to face his present. Lift him high above his circumstances as his wings catch the wind of your spirit. Make his spirit soar Lord. Give him that surge of strength, that depth of endurance he needs to walk his path. When it comes to him Lord, may it be sudden and supernatural. May he know for sure that it comes from you. May he see WAITING as the conduit that carries this strength. And Lord, because of that, may the word WAIT become sweet to his soul indeed. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

Make the waiting count, my dear friend. Wait long, not for your hopes and dreams, but wait on your Lord. Sit in his presence often and long. Worship him as creator and sustainer. Delight yourself in the intimacy of his presence. And feel yourself soar.

 

God our Father

SCRIPTURE

 

Rom 1:7b

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

PRAYER

Lord, you have given ______ an earthly father who loved him dearly. Although not perfect, he has gifted him with a treasure of memories, lessons, and love that will last forever. And most of all, he has taught him something of you, his Heavenly Father. I pray that today you would bring to ______’s heart the good gifts he has received from his earthly father, and would thus be moved with gratitude toward you, his Heavenly Father. I pray that as he reflects on his Dad, that he would have a moment of insight that would give him a deeper understanding of you Lord. As he remembers his embrace, may he receive yours. As he reflects on his wisdom, may he ponder yours. As he feels his love, may he savor yours. And as he feels his Dad’s smile, fill him with your grace and your peace. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

Earthly fathers may come and go, but your Heavenly Father is always with you; always; right beside you; through anything. He will never leave you ______. Never.

 

 

As Unto the Lord

SCRIPTURE

 

Matt 6:1-6

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven... When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

 

Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

 

 

PRAYER

 

Lord, there is much in ______’s life that goes unnoticed by people. There may be ordinary everyday tasks that he does to serve his family, or his friends, or the elderly, or the needy, or the hurting… and those acts of service may be taken for granted or unseen by many. Very likely the time he spends in prayer, the energy he puts into meditation on your truth, and the authenticity of his honest self-reflection goes unseen by any other person on this planet. He grows in his faith, in the peace he feels from you, in the depth of obedience in his heart, and no one sees that but you. Ah, but Lord, YOU see it. I ask that you would make ______ aware of your watchful eye upon the good he does. Help him to know that you log his good deeds, and will reward them richly one day. May he feel your smile upon his life, Lord. May he feel the satisfaction of having your pleasure. And as he comes to appreciate more the fullness of your smile, may his every motive be refined. May all that he does, big and small, be done as unto you Lord. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

______, God is sees those acts of service that go unnoticed, and he is aware of the good things in your heart. He sees, and he will reward you. Be encouraged, and please don’t give up. We need you.

 

His Grace

SCRIPTURE

 

Proverbs 18:13 (NASB)

He who gives an answer before he hears, it is folly and shame to him.

 

Matthew 7:1 (NASB)

Do not judge so that you will not be judged.

 

Galatians 5:14-15 (NASB)

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

 

John 8:7 (NASB)

[Of the woman caught in adultery and brought before Jesus to be stoned]

Jesus straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."

 

 

PRAYER

 

Lord, there are times when the hateful eyes of “Christian Pharisees” are upon ______, and the venom of their condemning words threaten to bite and devour him. They feel qualified to judge, although they know nothing of the facts, have not walked his road, and cannot see his deep heart. They relish an opportunity to hurl a stone. Lord, protect ______’s heart and soul from these. Cause him to turn toward your grace, receiving your forgiveness, and continuing to walk in humble repentance and renewed obedience. Help him to know and feel your favor and grace on his life. Guard him from their bite, and make the accusations roll off his heart like water off a duck’s back. And I ask that the beautiful grace that you have given him, he would extend patiently and kindly to his accusers, that they may come to their senses and stop doing the enemy’s work. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

Hear our Lord’s voice clearly through the crowd of your accusers, “Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

Draw Near

SCRIPTURE

Luke 10:38-42

 

As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

 

James 4:8a

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

 

 

PRAYER

[Pray this for yourself]

 

Dear Lord, there resides beneath the surface of my heart a dull ache regarding my future. What will my life become? Will my needs ever be met? Will my longings be fulfilled? Is there hope? Will my worries become realities? Will my fears take flesh? Which will come true, my nightmares or my dreams? Lord, I do all that I can do, all that you call me to do, but there is so much that is outside of my control. I confess that at times I feel both helpless and hopeless. Help me Lord. Help me to seek you with more of my heart. Give me that singular focus that draws me to long for your attention and yearn for your nearness. I cry out to you Lord, please listen. Please listen, and please reveal yourself to me. Give me that same comfort that you gave your people, give me a comfort to know that you have plans for good, not disaster; that I do indeed have a hopeful future Lord. I need comfort. I ask you to enter that place of ache deep inside, and dissolve it into peaceful trust in you and your grace. Help my faith. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

God knows the plans he has for you. He knows. Draw near to him. Enjoy him. Rest in him. Trust him.

 

Get and Give Mercy

SCRIPTURE

Luke 18:9-14

 

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

 

 

PRAYER

 

Lord, cultivate in ______ that posture of heart that sees in one view both his sin and your mercy. Keep him from confidence in his own righteousness and the unseemliness of scorn that comes with it. This confidence comes so subtly Lord, almost unaware. It seeps in over years of religiosity and overtakes that once humble heart. And we forget from whence we came. And we think that we made our own righteousness. And we so easily look down from our self-made loftiness, guard ______’s heart from that place Lord. Give him that beautiful balance of awareness of his own sin, and yet trust in your mercy for forgiveness and cleansing. Make him feel the unworthiness and sorrow of his sin, and yet the justification that comes to him though your mercy. And Lord, may you honor his humility. Exalt him I pray. Amen.

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

Ok, so you have sinned. Feel your sorrow fully, and cry for his mercy. He will be pleased with your humility of heart, and will declare you righteous. Then go, and give what you have been given, mercy rather than judgment.

 

A Sure Help

SCRIPTURE
Psalm 142:4-7a

4 I look for someone to come and help me,
      but no one gives me a passing thought!
   No one will help me;
      no one cares a bit what happens to me.
 5 Then I pray to you, O Lord.
      I say, "You are my place of refuge.
      You are all I really want in life.
 6 Hear my cry,
      for I am very low.
   Rescue me from my persecutors,
      for they are too strong for me.
 7 Bring my soul out of prison
      so I can thank you.

PRAYER

It is an empty feeling to be abandoned in our most desperate time of need, Lord. And yet, it is when ______ feels the sting of consequences for his own mistakes that he is most likely to be ignored by those who were his friends. He hopes for someone to help him, but they put him out of their minds. No one seems to care. And the very ones who could add comfort, multiply pain by their neglect. Yet, it is in those times that he is most likely to turn to you Lord. Move his heart to find his shelter in you. I ask that ______ would see you as the only one who could ever really fill that empty place in his life. I ask that you would hear his cry, lift his spirit, and rescue him from those who would spit the venom of self-righteousness upon him. Their accusations are too strong for him to handle Lord. Please release his soul from this prison. Free him to live again. Bring him home Lord, so that he can lavish his thanks upon you. Amen.

ENCOURAGEMENT
Seek God's attentive and caring help most. It is the only sure help there is.

Pour Out Your Troubles

SCRIPTURE
Psalm 142:1-3

1 I cry out to the Lord;
I plead for the Lord’s mercy.
2 I pour out my complaints before him
and tell him all my troubles.
3 When I am overwhelmed,
you alone know the way I should turn.


PRAYER

Lord, sometimes ______ just has a need to come before you and unburden his heart. He feels the pain of trouble in his life, and the pressure gives vent to a respectful complaint. He has a case to build for what he would like you to do. I pray that you would release the constraints on ______’s heart, and allow him the freedom to tell you what he will. Lord, bid him follow the Psalmist example, and cry out with a plea for your mercy and a detailing of all his troubles. Somewhere in the expression there is hope and comfort to be found, we know. So pull from his heart the depth of pain that he holds there. I pray that he would release that pain into your hands, with details. You are big enough to handle even the raw blast of emotion he feels. You are able to sift through the words and hear his true heart. He has no risk of being misunderstood by you Lord. Give him permission in his soul to speak from that place of being overwhelmed. And as he does, I pray that you would reassure him that you alone understand the situation, and you alone know the change in direction that he needs. From the expression of pain, show him your direction Lord. Make it as clear as day. Help the eyes of his heart to see it. Help the feet of his will to follow your direction Lord, follow it completely. Amen.


ENCOURAGEMENT

There is no shame in feeling pain, and in venting the full blast of your emotions to God. He can handle it. Tell him where you hurt, why you want it to change, and what you want him to do. It’s called prayer, and it may not look like a church prayer, but it will certainly look like a prayer of Psalm 142. God will be pleased, and you might just find some direction waiting at the other end.

Incomprehensible Love

SCRIPTURE
Ephesians 3.18

"And I pray that you may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge."

PRAYER

Lord, there may be some days that ______ longs for the love of a person. He wants to be cared for. He wants to be important and needed. He wants to be listened to, understood, and admired. He wants to capture the attention and affection of someone important to him. But Lord, when ______ looks deep within, he knows that the love he really needs is yours. I ask that today he would be empowered to grasp even more clearly how amazing your love for him really is. Help him to know that the breadth of your love covers all, the length of your love is never-ending, the height of your love is immeasurable, and the depth of your love reaches the most important parts of our being. And as he grasps this love, I pray that it would go even deeper… I pray that he would know the experience of your love in such a way that his heart is touched and his life is changed. Be the lover of his soul today. Amen.

ENCOURAGEMENT

______, always remember, the one who loves you most matters most… our Lord himself. Soak it in, bask in it, and allow that love to change you. It will never let you down. Never.

Unfailing Love

SCRIPTURE

Psalm 143:7-10 (NLT)

 

7 Come quickly, Lord, and answer me,

      for my depression deepens.

   Don’t turn away from me,

      or I will die.

 8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,

      for I am trusting you.

   Show me where to walk,

      for I give myself to you.

 9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;

      I run to you to hide me.

 10 Teach me to do your will,

      for you are my God.

   May your gracious Spirit lead me forward

      on a firm footing.

 

 

PRAYER

 

Lord, there are moments in ______’s life, when heaviness of heart would surely drown him in a sea of circumstance, were it not for you. He knows in those moments that your help, your presence, and your unfailing love are necessary for his very survival. Dear God, I ask that this morning you would land your unfailing love upon the awareness of his heart. May that love melt helplessness and hopelessness into a deep pool of trust. Lord, guide ______ with your love. Show him precisely where to take his next step. And after he takes that step, show him the next. I pray that he would give himself completely to you Lord, walking just as you would have him to walk. Rescue him from danger. Teach him your will. Lead him. And as he ponders your present love, I ask that he would feel the safety of hiding in your care. Give him both a firm footing and a forward movement as your spirit leads. Help him Lord, help him. Amen

 

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

 

Listen for his unfailing love this day. It will come to you in unexpected ways. Receive it. Relish it. Trust it. And walk in it.

 

A Cry for Mercy

SCRIPTURE
Luke 18:35, 38-43 (NASB)

Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging... And he called out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

And he said, "Lord, I want to regain my sight!" And Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."

Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

PRAYER

Lord, it may be that ______ has a hurt in his life that has surrounded him for so long that survival has demanded he adjust. It is a pain that he cannot fix, that limits his wholeness, and dulls hope on the horizon of his future. He needs a touch from you in either his heart, or his circumstances, or both. I pray that he would feel your presence close by, and cry out for your mercy. And though others may not understand or approve of his plea, may he cry out all the more fervently Lord. And when you respond to his heart, may he be ready to articulate simply and precisely what he wants you to do for him. May that desire so burn in his heart that there is no pause in his response. May he tell you what he wants, with a heart that brims with belief. And Lord, I pray that you would see his faith, and grant his heart's desire. Heal ______'s hurt Lord. Fulfill his longing. Make his dream come true. And Lord, in so doing, may you enjoy the sweet aroma of his undying gratitude and praise.
Amen.

ENCOURAGEMENT

Mercy. It flows from his heart to yours. It is released by the cry of faith. Cry out for his Mercy ______. And keep crying out.