I John 5:13-15 - "Giants Fall"

The Lord had me awake from 2-4 during the night praying. As I started praying I asked Him to reveal to me who I was praying for but He did not give me a specific person but instead many...

• a father/husband who has been accused of a crime and continues to plead his innocence...the one who has made the accusation...his wife, daughter and family as they continue to go through this ordeal
• my Momma who is hurting in her back...the pain to lessen
• a friend with upcoming cervical surgery...fear to be gone
• a family who have been given little time with their five year old son
• the husband/father/grandfather who went through brain surgery and is facing chemo and radiation
• a pastor who is in a 'nasty' situation due to the actions of one in their church...the one who did the actions...the people in the church...the leadership of the district
• a pastor and his family who felt confirmation yesterday on where the Lord desires them to be...the people of the church they feel called to
• children in two families who will be moving over the next month...their parents who are making life-changing decisions
• a young man I prayed with on Saturday....an elderly lady I prayed with on Saturday
• ones who heard the sermon yesterday morning...for it to soak in and be lived out
• a family burying a loved one within the next couple of days

As I reflected back this morning on my prayers I thought of I John 5:13-15...

I love these verses in The Message. They tell me when I am confident in my life with Christ, He enables me with boldness in His presence as I talk with Him. I can know He is listening and when will answer my prayers. Verse 14 reminds me of John 14:14..."You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." This reminds me of my dear friend Lenore. She would call me up on the phone when she couldn't come pray with me. After she prayed she would say, "Now Sheila, remember God's Word tells us when we believe in Him and pray He will answer our prayers." In the beginning of hearing her say this I thought she was twisting Scripture because I didn't remember it. But I soon find out it to be the Truth. He may not always answer the way we want in our human being but He always answers how He desires for what is best for us.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for our friends who are visiting! Lord, as I look back on these last nine and a half months I can see Your hand at work in so many ways. One of those ways is bringing friends and family frequently as we adjust to being so far away from them. Thank You for that. Thank You for our trip back to Ohio in February. Thank You for answering prayers in a way that we can see You are working in our lives. Thank You for our Sunday School lesson and Doc's sermon yesterday. Point us, as individuals and as a church, in the way we are to live. After hearing the lesson and sermon I saw why the enemy was fighting us so hard yesterday morning. Woo hoo! He did not win but You did! Thank You for being my words, actions, attitude, and vision today. Fill me to overflowing with more of You so people will see and hear You instead of me. Thank You for being My Boldness. Amen.