We all have the same amount of minutes and hours in a day, but there never seems to be enough time to get things done in our busy lives.  Either we don’t manage our time well or we’re just not organized.   Let’s evaluate our priorities. Are we careful to “redeem the time.” Time passes so quickly and too often, is wasted.   Are we good stewards of our time?  Are we crowding prayer and Bible study out of our days?  If God is getting “leftovers” at the end of our days, we probably aren’t aware how much the devil enjoys watching us live this way.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray that adoption proceedings for Baby Joshua would go smoothly and speedily for Pennsylvania Home Missionaries Allen and Jenny Hall.

The type of person mentioned in verse 31 doesn’t see the need for change. Yet, it is simply amazing to see the transformation in an individual’s life when this person prays for it.  God stills works miracles today when people pray.  If you need the Lord to give you an attitude adjustment, pray. And as you pray, thank Him for the mercy and kindness He has shown you.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Free Will Baptist relief efforts organizing in the wake of this week’s devastating storms.

It’s unfortunate that some Christians are living way below their privileges. They struggle with the cares of this life when God is only a prayer away. Within that struggle, they become targets for the Enemy.

It’s sometimes hard for us to grasp that God wants what is best for us. Within that doubt, we lose patience waiting for it to happen.  If we pray in His will, He’s going to answer and take care of the need.  When we don’t get an immediate answer, we want to quit praying. When was the last time, you stayed on your knees all night in earnest prayer?  Picture this: Imagine the devil shaking in his shoes, because he knows you are doing this and will continue to pray.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for families in Oklahoma and Kansas who are grieving the loss of loved ones from Sunday and Monday storms. Pray especially for churches in the Oklahoma City area as they unite together and serve as the hands and feet of Christ to their neighbors during the aftermath.

While pouring over commentaries, I often saw this phrase, “prayer could be the seventh piece of the whole armor of God.”  However, I think of prayer as the second greatest weapon in our arsenal for spiritual warfare. You may feel as I do, that prayer is something we should bathe in, before we put on our armor. Our study writer says, “… prayer activates our weapons against the Enemy.”

We are admonished in various Scriptures to “watch and pray.”  In other words, be on guard and always be praying.  As much as we need to pray for ourselves, we must be willing to pray for others.

We learned the devil is like a “roaring lion.”  I recently read an  article titled, “Lion Alert or Lion Dessert.”  We cannot be too careful. While the devil continues to roam the earth, “watch and pray.”  He trembles when he sees us on our knees, and I’m glad.

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for continued strength for Lynette Morgan, this month’s Treasure Bible study writer and the wife of FWBIM director Clint Morgan.

Contrary to what you might be feeling, how you view the circumstances you find yourself in and what well-meaning friends have said—God is still on your side.

He has not excused Himself from your life.

No vacation for Him.

No potty breaks.

No turning His head to sneeze and thus allowing the universe to function on its own for a brief time.

At no time in your life, or in the lifetime of our great, big world, has He ever created a time when He thought any one of us could go it alone.

He is with you.  He is evident in your life.  He is in your inhaling and in your exhaling.  He is as close as your pulse and as up-to-date on your life’s story as your fingerprints.

No matter how you feel, you have to know He is with you.

Malinda Edgell
Illinois

PRAY TOGETHER: Today is Pentecost Sunday and the Global Day of Prayer. Join with believers from the North, South, East and West in this prayer for the world:

A Prayer for the World

Almighty God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
We gather with believers all over the world,
to glorify You as Creator of heaven and earth.
You alone are holy and righteous.
We submit to Your authority.
We praise and adore You alone.

Father, we honour You
Lord Jesus Christ, we honour You
Holy Spirit, we honour You

Our Father in heaven,
Thank You for loving the world so much
that You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ,
to die on the cross for our sins
so that we could be reconciled to You.
Fill us with your love as we faithfully intercede for the lost,
the hopeless, the helpless and the world.

Thank You Father, for adopting us into Your family.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You died on the cross and
redeemed us to the Father by Your blood.
You are Head of the Church
and Lord of all heaven and earth.
Let Your kingdom be established in every nation of the world
bring transformation among peoples of all tribes and languages
so that righteousness and justice will prevail.
May Your Name be great, from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Jesus Christ, You are Lord of all.

Father of mercy and grace,
We have sinned.
Our world is gripped by the power of sin.
Our hearts are grieved by injustice, hatred and violence.
We are shamed by oppression, racism and bloodshed in our land.
We mourn all loss of life in murder, war and terrorism.
Our homes are broken and our churches are divided by rebellion and pride.
Our lives are polluted by selfishness, greed, idolatry and sexual sin.

God of mercy, forgive our sins.
Pour out Your grace and heal our land.

Spirit of the living God,
Transform Your Church into the image of Jesus Christ.
Release Your power to bring healing to the sick,
freedom to the oppressed and comfort to those who mourn.
Fill us with compassion
for the homeless and the hungry
for orphans, widows and the elderly.
Give us wisdom and insight for our world’s problems
to use the resources of the earth for the well-being of all.

Holy Spirit, guide us and lead us.

Lord Jesus Christ,
You destroyed sin, conquered death and defeated Satan.
Remove the veil of darkness that covers the peoples.
Restrain the evil that promotes violence and death.
Deliver us from demonic oppression.
Break the hold of slavery, tyranny and disease.
Help us to tear down strongholds and ideologies
that resist the knowledge of God.

Almighty God, deliver us from evil.

King of Glory,
Come and finish Your work in our cities, our peoples and our nations.
From all continents and islands we cry:

Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Be lifted up ancient doors
so that the King of glory may come in!

Come fill the earth with the knowledge of Your glory as the waters cover the sea.

The Spirit and the Bride say:

Amen! Come Lord Jesus!

As Paul mentored young Timothy, he gave him good advice.  Paul faced much adversity in his life, but he “fought the good fight of faith.”  He could have allowed the “affairs of this life” to interfere with his service to  God.  But he wanted to  walk worthy of his calling. He was a soldier in the Lord’s army and he wanted to please his “general.”  He advised Timothy to do the same.
The battle cry goes out to us today. We  must lift high His “blood-stained banner.”  We have our marching orders (Matthew 28:19-20) and He has chosen us to carry them out.
As we conclude this week of  study,  let’s not forget to put on or take each piece of our armor. Next week, we will share about something some commentators call the “seventh piece of the armor.”

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: Today’s Global Prayer thought is “Be a House of Prayer.”

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, You desire that your house will be a house of prayer.
May the Church in our generation be transformed by the Holy Spirit into a dwelling place for fullness of God.
You have seated us with Christ in the heavenly places. Help us to understand how to pray from that position of intercession.
Fill us with your love and compassion for all peoples.
Reveal to us your plans and purposes for our generation. Guide us with your counsel.
Open the ears and eyes of our hearts to hear and see the things You hear and see.
Give us your wisdom and understanding on how to deal with the problems the world is facing today.
Give the Church the ability to take up the burden of intercession and join with the prayers of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit.
Let our faith rise to take hold of your promises and the words of prophecy that still need to be fulfilled.
Use us in your plan to redeem mankind.
Let this generation understand the times and seasons we are in.
We bow at the throne of grace for we truly need mercy in this time of need.
Amen!

The greatest weapon in your arsenal is the Bible. It is your sword, as today’s verse plainly states. Never underestimate its power. The NIV Study Bible states, “The dynamic word of God, active in accomplishing God’s purposes appears in both the Old and New Testament.  The author of Hebrews describes it as a living power that judges as with an all-seeing eye, penetrating a person’s innermost being.”

I like to envision the imagery our study writer used concerning the “sword of the Spirit.”
She spoke of  “wielding the Word with the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Sue Winchester
Missouri

PRAY TOGETHER: This week is part of a 10-day preparation for the Global Day of Prayer on Sunday May 19 (Pentecost Sunday). Find information and download a prayer guide at www.globaldayofprayer.com. Today’s prayer is “Open Their Eyes.”

We proclaim that by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and by the blood of the eternal sacrifice, that the power of Satan, sin and death is broken.
We proclaim that in the name of Jesus Christ there is forgiveness, deliverance and healing.
We proclaim that it is God’s love for mankind that caused Him to send his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins.
He loves us with an everlasting love and no weapon that is formed against us will prosper.
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray that the Church, through the power of the Holy Spirit, will demonstrate your manifest wisdom to the principalities and powers through the proclamation of the gospel: that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us in the Person of Jesus of Nazareth, who laid down his life on the cross, who was raised from the dead and is seated at your right hand in heaven.
We believe that He will come again.
Thank you for the outpouring of your Holy Spirit to empower and equip us to take this message of deliverance and forgiveness to every human being alive on this planet today.
May the Gospel open the eyes of unbelievers and cause them to turn from their wicked ways to meet the living God. Amen!