Posts Tagged repentance

Seek God to Grow by the Power Within to Please God

Thank you for joining the 40 Day Prayer Journey . Today is Day 30 of the prayer journey of, “Growing by the Power Within to Please God: Repenting for a Renewed Relationship With God”. Philippians 2:13. Seek God for repentance, breakthrough, renewed minds and reconciliation with Him.

The daily prayer points in this guide begin with stated scriptures applicable to the focus of the day. You are invited to seek God’s face to enable you to grow in the actions and thoughts that please God. You want to confess, repent and turn from actions and thoughts that grieve the Lord.
During the Forty Day Prayer Journey daily read the suggested scriptures. Meditate on the Word asking the Holy Spirit to speak to you and reveal in your heart how He wants you to respond personally and on behalf of your church or city. This is an opportunity for personal repentance. Ask the Lord to search your heart for thoughts and actions that are sinful. (Psalm 139:23-24) Allow the Lord to examine your life thoroughly.

During the 40 Day journey each of us are opening ourselves to be joyful by what pleases God and grieved by our actions, walk and talk that displease Him.
Pray the specific daily prayer points as well as other prayer points that the Holy Spirit brings to your heart. It is suggested that you write in a journal your reflections and what the Lord is to you.

DAY 27 – April 1 – “Growing to Please God by Demonstrating the Love of Christ”

Scriptures: John 3:1-21; 1 John 3:1-23

Pray:

  • Pray that the church will be a living force of love in the earth today.
    • Pray that the disciples of Christ will be known by our love for one another and the loving-kindness of the Lord that leads to repentance.
    • Pray that members of the church and yourself show love through deeds that touch the lives of the unsaved, unchurched and unsure.
    • Repent from demonstrating the letter of the law rather than the Spirit of liberty and love.
    • Pray for persons who are unsaved. Call out their names.
    • Pray for depressed persons. Pray that God’s healing presence will reach them; that the light of truth will dispel the lies and the oppressive power of Satan; for helpful counsel and God’s wisdom; for God’s healing of long standing wounds and the renewing of their minds in Christ.
    • Pray that fathers will look to God as the ultimate spiritual head of their household, and serve their families by carrying responsibility for the physical, emotional and spiritual well being of their wives. Pray that God will instill a vision of wholesome, supportive, fatherhood to all fathers.
    • Pray for single people. Pray that Christ will protect them; that friendships and church fellowships bring ample fullness of healthy relationship; for wisdom to choose sexual purity and holy lifestyles; for marriage.
    • Pray for broken families. Pray for the healing of broken or embittered hearts. Pray for the children of such homes.
    .
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DAY 28 – April 2- “Growing to Please God by Demonstrating Mercy,
Loving-kindness and Goodness”

Scriptures: Romans 2:1-16; Galatians 5:22-23

Pray:

  • Repent of failing to show acts of kindness to those who mistreat or offend us or our love ones.
    • Repent of withholding mercy and love out of judgment and vengeance.
    • Pray that believers and yourself will grow in grace, mercy and love to make an impact in the lives of others and in the world.
    • Pray that the fruit of the spirit will abound in you and in and through the church.
    • Pray for the physically disabled. Pray that they will be surrounded with loving friends and family; for physical stamina and healing; for financial burdens of therapy and special care, and that they will love and honor God.
    • Pray for prisoners and their families; pray that people in jail will hear the gospel and follow Christ; for fellowships of Christians in prison to multiply; pray that persons in prison will be protected from violence and the forces of spiritual evil.
    • Pray for the spouses and children of prisoners. Pray that they will be sustained, protected, provided for and that their hearts are healed.
    • Pray that former prisoners will find strength and wisdom to live restored lives and will not return to the actions or ways that led to their imprisonment.
    • Pray for Health Care Workers- that God will equip health care workers of every kind to serve others with loving hearts; that God will bless them with perseverance and joy ;that the pressures of their professions will not crush their families and friendships; that many will follow Christ.

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DAY 29 – April 3 – “Growing to Please God by Demonstrating the Life of the Spirit”

Scriptures: Romans 8:12-14; Ephesians 5:15-21

Pray:

Repent of living according to the flesh and its desires rather than the Spirit of love and failing to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit.
• Pray that you and church members will be led by the Spirit of God toward increasing maturity and to demonstrate love in action.
• Pray to grow in faith and to surrender to the Holy Spirit as a powerful demonstration of His love and power.
• Pray to walk in God’s grace as members of the body of Christ and to demonstrate His love, mercy, grace, and power to the world.
• Pray for homeless people. Pray for immediate relief, shelter, food and health care; that Christ will restore hope for the future. Pray for protection from the risks of life on the streets for the homeless and for employment, housing and restored family life.
• Pray for your co-workers especially the difficult ones. Pray that God will give you divine appointments to witness to those who do not know the Lord.
• Pray for your neighbors. Pray for God’s peace to be upon those who live on your street or in your housing complex. Ask God to give you an opportunity to witness to them about God’s love.
• Pray for Judges and Law Enforcement- Pray for righteous wisdom, patience and gentle authority; for physical and emotional protection strength and blessing for their families; that they will become agents of God’s hands to resist evil and preserve an environment in which heaven’s justice can increase.

DAY 30 – April 4 – Growing to Please God by Demonstrating a Servant Heart

Scriptures: Matthew 20:20-28; Philippians 2:5-18

Pray:
• Pray for the church and yourself to learn to serve as Christ did and demonstrate love.
• Pray that the believers serve our community in ways that will soften the hearts of unbelievers to the gospel of love , grace and truth.
• Pray that unbelievers would receive your service as a demonstration of Christ’s love for them, leading many to salvation.
• Ask God to bring a conviction of sin, spiritual brokenness and genuine repentance among the people.
• Pray to be clothed in humility in order to serve out of the love Christ has bestowed upon you.
• Pray that our service would be a holy demonstration of Christ’s love, not self-serving in any way.
• Pray for business people. Pray that they operate honestly and to frustrate any practice that creates injustice. Pray that you will grow in the knowledge of God’s Word for every aspect of your life.

DAY 31 – April 5 – “Growing to Please God by Demonstrating God’s Grace”

Scriptures: John 1:14-18; Acts 4:32-33, 11:19-24; 1Peter 4:7-11

Pray:• Pray that you would grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord.
• Pray to have faith to live graciously toward those in our communities who do not yet know Christ.
• Pray for fresh grace to live according to God’s commands and His call upon your life.
• Thank the Lord for His grace and for the gifts He has bestowed upon you.
• Pray that you and members of the church demonstrate graciousness in your attitude, speech and actions.
• Pray that our city will be transformed as we cry in humble and faith-filled intercession.
• Pray that families will be free from the destructive power of unforgiveness.
• Pray for every member of the body to understand their place and purpose in the body and to work together in proper relationship with each other under the leadership of the Pastor.

DAY 32 – April 6- “Growing to Please God by Listening to and Obeying His Voice”

Scriptures: Psalm 81: 8-16; John 10:22-30

Pray:
• Seek the Lord for you to come to a place of being quiet before the Lord, expecting to hear what He has to speak to you.
• Pray for the grace to walk in humble obedience to His voice.
• Pray for ears to hear from the Lord through the pastor, teacher or through whatever way He has chosen to speak to and through His children.
• Pray for your relationship with a family member. Pray that the Lord will bring healing, reconciliation and restoration where it is needed.
• Pray for any relationship you may have with people who do not know the Lord. Pray for words to say that will turn their hearts to Jesus. Specifically, pray for ______ who has turned his/her heart from God.
• Pray for new hearts for ministry in all of the leaders. See Ezekiel 18:31
• Pray for Business People—Ask God to bless those who base business practices in righteousness. Pray that God will prosper those who pursue their business as mission for God’s Kingdom. Pray for the gospel to spread in the marketplace, for righteous manager and executives; for creative godly consequences

Take the time to sit down and reflect, meditate and journal your thoughts.

Linda Fegins, The Prayer Leader ldfaygo@gmail.com

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Growing to Please God Through Repentance

 

The Lenten Season is a time of repentance, self-examination, fasting and prayer in preparation for Resurrection Sunday (Easter). “Renewing our sense of who we really are before God is the core of the Lenten experience”. (Pastor Orville K.Littlejohn, my Pastor,) “). Each day we want to search our hearts that we may grow to have the mind of Christ and grow to please God and to be more like Jesus.

So today on the 22nd day of the Lenton Season seek God with a repentant heart (See Joel 2: 12-24) and let us honestly search our hearts (Psalm 139:23-24). Here is an example of a prayer of repentance to help you get started in initiating self-examination , prayer and a spirit of repentance. Then we will examine what is repentance and why it is important to our prayer lives and our relationship with God.

A Prayer of Repentance
Lord, I come humbly before You and ask you to cleanse my heart of my every sin. “Have mercy on me O, Lord according to your loving kindness and blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly of my iniquity and cleanse me of all of my sin. (Psalm 51:1-2) Lord create in me a clean heart. Please Lord renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10-11). Forgive me for thoughts I have had, words I have spoken and things that I have done that are not pleasing in your sight and do not glorify you. Father, forgive me I pray for my sins of_______(state them)________________________. I confess it is a sin and truly repent of these acts, words and thoughts. ( 1 John 1:9; Psalm 32:5 Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 51:6, 10). Lord search the inwards hidden places of my heart and reveal my sin to me that I may not see. (Psalm 139: 23-24). I seek to repent of everything that You show me Lord. I confess my sins to you in the full realization that you are faithful and just to forgive me of all my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.( 1John 1:9) I know that my sins are against You and You only. Grant me a broken, willing spirit and a contrite heart so I can offer it to You (Psalm 51:1-4, Psalm. 51:12, Psalm 51:17).

Thank you Father. I desire to obey your commandments and statutes. I choose to stop my sinful ways and to turn to walk upright. Help me, Lord God to bring forth fruits that are worthy of repentance (Luke 3:8). Lord I want to live a righteous, pure and holy life through your power (Colossians 1:11). I am determined to walk in the Spirit and in your ways and walk away from my sins by the power of the Holy Ghost. Grant me a godly sorrow that is not just full of regret because of the consequences of sin but sorrow that leads to true repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-10). Lord give me a tender heart that is sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and the conviction of sin. Holy Spirit, thank You for convicting me of my sin. Forgive me for the ways I’ve ignored Your voice and quenched and grieved You. (John 16:8; Ephesians. 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Romans. 8:1-2). Lord I praise you, Father, for your goodness that leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). Lord thank you for restoring my soul so that the times of refreshing my come (Acts 3:19). Amen.

It is important to note that a repentant heart is not limited to a special season or time of the year. If we want to have effective prayer lives which bring forth life transformation and healing of the land, repentance must become a part of our lifestyle. Despite the benefits of repentance, we are resistant to the thought of repentance. Repentance isn’t a popular word. Our culture encourages us to do whatever we want when we want. TV, music videos and movies very rarely show the consequences of our sins.

It is one thing to know that you have done something that is wrong . But it is another to be saddened and sorrowful about your actions and determine that you will turn away from that sin and never do the act again. To repent “I” or “we” must come to terms with and acknowledge that we have sinned and then turn away from such sinful behavior and be reconciled back to our loving Lord. Therefore, repentance is a change of mind that involves both a turning from sin and turning to God. Christ began his ministry with a call to repentance. (Mathew. 4:17). We must examine every attitude, every motive, every action and ever word of evil. Repentance means that you are deeply godly sorrowful and hurt about what you have done unto the Lord and that you are determined to do all that you can not to commit that sin again. “Repentance means we are sorry about our sin to the point of grief, and we have turned and walked away from it”. Stormie Omartian, “The Power of a Praying Woman” p. 40, Harvest House Publishers,(2002).

Join us for the remainder of the  40 Day Prayer Journey “Growing by the Power Within to Please God: Repenting for a Renewed Relationship With God”. Philippians 2:13.

The daily prayer points in this guide begin with stated scriptures applicable to the focus of the day. You are invited to seek God’s face to enable you to grow in the actions and thoughts that please God. You want to confess, repent and turn from actions and thoughts that grieve the Lord.
During the Forty Day Prayer Journey daily read the suggested scriptures. Meditate on the Word asking the Holy Spirit to speak to you and reveal in your heart how He wants you to respond personally and on behalf of your church or city. This is an opportunity for personal repentance. Ask the Lord to search your heart for thoughts and actions that are sinful. (Psalm 139:23-24) Allow the Lord to examine your life thoroughly.

Use a journal to write down what the Holy Spirit downloads in your heart.

DAY 22 – March 27- “Growing to Please God by Walking in Faith”

Scriptures: Matthew 21: 21-22; Mark 11:22-24; James 5: 14-16

Pray:

  • Pray for God’s healing touch to be upon the sick in the community.
    • Praise God for being trustworthy and that His Word will not return void.
    • Ask God to give you the wisdom and will to increase your faith and to walk by faith.
    • Thank God for His willingness to hear and answer the prayers you bring to Him in faith.
    • Confess any lack of faith you may discover of yourself.
    • For God to rise up men and women of integrity, faith and love to places of spiritual authority throughout the church and the city.
    • Pray for the Youth- For people in their teens to radically commit their lives in Christ; to make wise choices; for older mentor; for solid friendships with their peers who are following Jesus; for open communication with parents; for God’s intentions for their generation to come forth in fullness measure.

DAY 23 – March 28- “Growing to Please God by Walking Together In Unity”

Scriptures: Psalm 133; John 17; Ephesians 4:1-6

Pray:

  • Pray that you, your church and congregations over the city would grow in the unity of the Spirit, love, peace, and purpose so that the world might see the power of God manifested when the church comes together in the love of Christ.
    • Pray that petty differences, ambitions and pride would be laid down for the sake of reflecting the purposes and character of Christ.
    • Pray that all divisions, dissentions and disagreements that keep churches from walking together as the body of Christ cease and that forgiveness occurs.
    • Pray for the heartbroken and lonely.
    • Pray for those who are grieving because of death, divorce or lost.
    • Pray that the Holy Spirit will convict unsaved persons you know (name them), bringing them to repentance and faith and guiding them into all truth.
    • Pray for forgiveness where the body of Christ has failed to walk together. Pray that by the power of the Holy Ghost that the body of Christ will be enabled and empowered to walk in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace.
    • .

DAY 24 – March 29 – “Growing to Please God by Walking Together In the Body”

Scriptures: Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:7-16

Pray:

  • Pray for every member of the body of Christ to discover our place and come into proper relationship with the other members within your church home and in other congregations.
    • Pray for each member to walk faithfully in God’s gifting and calling to build up others.
    • Pray for each member within the body to accept, honor, and work together purposefully and in harmony with various parts of the body at Messiah or where God has joined us through the local congregation.
    • Confess and ask God for forgiveness if you are guilty of withholding fellowship from those that are unlike you in personality, ethnic origin, or gifting within the body of Christ.
    • Pray for those who have suffered calamity or crisis in their families. Pray that peace and unity bind affected families together in love.
    • Pray for missionaries. Pray that God will provide favor, protection, resources and laborers.
    • Pray that family members and friends will be a source of joy and blessing to each other.
    • Pray that Christ’s life might be expressed freely through the body, properly functioning together in love.
    • .

DAY 25 – March 30- Growing to Please God by Pursuing Reconciliation in Truth and Love

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 5:12; Ephesians 2:16-18; Colossians 1:19-23

Pray:

  • Pray for believers throughout our city to be burdened with Christ’s compelling love to be reconciled to one another.
    • Pray that you be reconciled with anyone with whom you have had an argument or disagreement that keeps you separated from in the body of Christ or in the world.
    • Pray for truth and love to cause individuals and congregations throughout the city to pursue reconciliation with those from whom they are separated or with whom they have suffered a break in relationship.
    • Pray that the enemy of unity who works division by accusing brother against brother would be defeated by the power of love permeating throughout the church.
    • Pray that your children and the children of the community will grow up in the training
    and instruction of the Lord and will learn to walk in His ways.
    • Pray for the church leaders. Pray that they will serve faithfully, humbly and with wisdom.
    • Pray for Prisoner
    • Pray that unsaved families, friends, and neighbors will hear the Word, receive it and respond in faith.

DAY 26 – March 31- “Growing to Please God by Pursuing Genuine Relationships through Fellowship”

Scriptures: Acts 2: 42-47; Galatians 2:1-10; Philippians 2:1-4

Pray:

  • Intercede for the body of Christ to continue steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayer.
    • Repent of declaring love for God while not living in love with brothers and sisters in the Lord.
    • Pray that the church have a fresh conviction and commitment that brings them to pursue different relationships with those who are different from us in culture, race, ethnicity, and socio-economics.
    • Praise God that He is a God of fellowship and communion and, as a good Father, He loves to draw His children together.
    • Pray for persons with low self-esteem and those who feel unloved. Pray that they receive help of the Lord to trust in His unfailing love, to accept that love, and to abide in that love.
    • Pray for the unemployed. Pray that God will meet the needs of those without work in a way that they can thank God for the provision; that they will soon find meaningful employment and glorify God for it. Pray for resources, family and social support, and encouragement.
    • Pray that members of Messiah will lovingly bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.
    • Pray for marriages. Pray for those that are strained and that God will bring forgiveness, help and healing; that He will heal broken hearts and restore intimacy.
    • Pray for the City Council. Pray that they will operate in integrity and wisdom.

DAY 27 – April 1- “Growing to Please God by Forgiving”

Scriptures: Mark 11:25-26; Ephesians 4:31-32; Colossians 3:12-17

Pray:

  • Repent of not forgiving those who have sinned against you and of walking in pride, superiority or opposition to others in the body of Christ.
    • Pray that members of your church and yourself practice forgiveness, demonstrating the grace we each have received in Christ Jesus our Lord.
    • Pray that you will grow in the knowledge of God’s Word for every aspect of your life.
    • For God to rise up men and women of integrity, faith and love to places of spiritual authority throughout the church and the city.
    • Pray for persons who feel rejected. Pray that they will know that the Lord will never forsake them and that He loves them.
    • Pray for our nation and its leaders that they my rule with honor and wisdom and that wickedness in the leaders will be hindered so that all may lead quiet and peaceable lives.
    • Pray for elderly persons. Pray that God’s strength and peace would be poured out on every one who is advanced in years. That they may be honored; that they may be cared for; that they may live to see their prayers answered; that loneliness be banished in lasting friendships and family bonds; that meaningful service be found.
    • Pray for Women- that women will be honored in their unique glory as those created by God;that injustice of every kind toward women will cease; for pornography to be stopped; for protection from sexual violence; that single women would lay hold of the hope of great joy and purpose for God’s glory.

By Linda Fegins, The Prayer Leader.

 

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Love on the First Day of Lent

 

Happy Love Day to all. Remember Love Never Takes a Holiday. Remember to Love God, love your neighbor and love one another. John 13:34-35, God is love. Please pray for marriages, relationships and families.

Today is also is Ash Wednesday and the 1st day of Lent. Lent is a time when we should evaluate and reflect on our love for God in how we love Him by obeying His Word, love others and walk in love.

The Lenten Season (February 14 to March 30) is a time of repentance, self-examination, fasting and prayer in preparation for Resurrection Sunday (Easter). “Renewing our sense of who we really are before God is the core of the Lenten experience”. (Pastor Orville K. Littlejohn, my Pastor, “Our Focus for Ash Wednesday”). So today seek God with a repentant heart (See Joel 2: 12-24) and let us honestly search our hearts (Psalm 139:23-24)

Meditate on the scriptures listed below and pray the focus points and what the Holy Ghost places on your heart.

Prayer Focus for February 14, 2018
– February 14- Repentance and Loving God

Scriptures: Deut. 6:1-9 Matt. 22:34-40 Psalm 139:23 Psalm 51 Psalm 66:18-19

Repent: Of not loving God with all of your heart, soul, and mind and of allowing other things to fill and occupy our lives.

Meditate, pray, and write down other areas for which you should repent.

Reflect on what way you want to improve your prayer life and to deepen your friendship with God.

Pray:
• For Christ to bring people near enough to God to experience the Father’s loving delight in His Son for people to love and follow Jesus.
• Pray for forgiveness for what you have done to others and how you have failed to obey God and to forgive others who have wounded you.
• For household salvation for friends and family.
• It is Christ’s eager desire that you know God by drawing near to Him. Open your life to God. Accept His invitation. He’s summoning you to seek His face.
• Pray for MEN – Pray that men will seek God and honor Him with an integrity that unites their lives in faithfulness, wisdom, and truth; that their vision of masculinity would be a Christ-like servant leadership in the family, church and world.
• Pray for God to strengthen your prayer life and deepen your relationship with him.
• Ask God to fill you with joy in his presence.
• Intercede for the church in our community to be filled with fresh love for God and to demonstrate His love to those around us-both in the church and among those who do not yet know Christ.

 

It is important to note that a repentant heart is not limited to a special season or time of the year. If we want to have effective prayer lives which bring forth life transformation and healing of the land, repentance must become a part of our lifestyle. Despite the benefits of repentance, we are resistant to the thought of repentance. Repentance isn’t a popular word. Our culture encourages us to do whatever we want when we want. TV, music videos and movies very rarely show the consequences of our sins.

It is one thing to know that you have done something that is wrong. But it is another to be saddened and sorrowful about your actions and determine that you will turn away from that sin and never do the act again. To repent “I” or “we” must come to terms with and acknowledge that we have sinned and then turn away from such sinful behavior and be reconciled back to our loving Lord. Therefore, repentance is a change of mind that involves both a turning from sin and turning to God. Christ began his ministry with a call to repentance. (Mathew. 4:17). We must examine every attitude, every motive, every action and ever word of evil. Repentance means that you are deeply godly sorrowful and hurt about what you have done unto the Lord and that you are determined to do all that you can not to commit that sin again. “Repentance means we are sorry about our sin to the point of grief, and we have turned and walked away from it”. Stormie Omartian, “The Power of a Praying Woman” p. 40, Harvest House Publishers, (2002).

By Linda Fegins, The Prayer Leader. ldfaygo@gmail.com

 

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Day 40 of 40 Day Prayer Journey :Worship the Lord to Life Transformation

DAY 40– April 9  Seeking to Rise Spiritually  by Worshiping God Together                                  40 Day Prayer Journey to Life Transformation

 

 

This is the last day of the 40 Day Prayer Journey to Life Transformation. Let us worship the Lord with our whole heart. As these 40 days of repentance, fasting and prayer draw to an end, we must make a commitment and set  our minds to press onward to consistently seek the Lord in prayer and worship and to intercede for your city, family , nation and others. Jesus has been with us on this journey through ups and downs, struggles to stay on course, to stretch out of our comfort zone and to grow in the Lord.  Let us give Him the praise He deserves. We must hold fast to the transformation in our lives we have experienced. May we rally together to transform our city with the presence of Christ.

 

The number 40 is a significant number. In the Bible 40 is a specific time period associated with a period of testing, trial, probation or chastisement. “The number 40 is a indication that God is ready to birth something new out of pain or challenge”. Kingdom Principles for Everyday Living by Stewart Perrilliat. It rained 40 days and nights , Moses was on the mountain with God for 40 days and nights,  and the Israelite wandered for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. Believe with great expectation that this 40 Day Prayer Journey will develop a more intimate relationship with the Lord, a casting off of “old garments” and a renewed mind and heart which will result in transformation in your life.

Scriptures:  1 Chronicles 16:7-36; Psalms 95, 96; John 4:21-26

 

Repent:  Of failure to humbly worship the Lord for who He is –Kings of Kings, Holy, Loving, Lord; of not gathering with other believers to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth; of not giving our all to the Lord as an act of worship; of not worshipping Him with your whole heart  but only in form; of not magnifying and lifting high the name and person of Jesus Christ; of not participating in praise and worship of the Lord-personally and corporately; of not giving the Lord the honor that is due His name; of_____________________.

 

Pray:

  • Pray for the church to have a Christ-centered worship experience in spirit and truth that will please the Father.
  • For and receive a heart revived to passionately and completely worship the Lord, simply because He is worthy of our praise, worship and adoration.
  • Pray for sincere and honest exaltation of the name of the Lord, born of the Holy Spirit and the Word.
  • Pray for humility and unity among believers that will give rise to worshiping the Lord in the beauty of His holiness throughout the church.
  • Pray that the people of God will see themselves how God sees them.
  • Pray that you will be able to share an encouraging word today with someone.
  • Pray for people to be saved this day.
  • Pray for believers to be filled with expectant love for Christ and that He would manifest Himself in such a way that rocks the church and the nations.
  • Pray that you and members of the church will worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.
  • Praise God – that He reigns now and forever. Amen!
  • REJOICE!!!——–This is the last day of the 40 Day Prayer Journey. Rejoice that God, the Exalted One, gives us the privilege of celebrating and honoring His rightful place as the Almighty Lord and King of Kings. Praise God that His name is above every name and that at His name every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Hallelujah! Jesus is alive and is our soon coming King.

Spiritual Rise Check Up- Write responses in a journal or notebook

Do you spend time praising God by identifying His attributes?

 

Spiritual Rise Act

Dedicate an extended time to praise this week. Meditate on passages like 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 and Psalm 145: 1-7. Write out your own prayer of praise. Adopt the rule of no asking or supplication for the first five to seven minutes of your prayer time.

Linda Fegins, “The Prayer Leader” has served as prayer leader and teacher/trainer on the “Prayer Boot Camp” with the Global Missions Prayer Force and as a guest intercessor and volunteer for Girlfriends Pray a global prayer ministry. She served as Prayer Coordinator for over 13 years( later Director over the Prayer Ministry) for the Lydia Circle Christian Business and Professional Women. As part of the Lydia Circle she has lead over a dozen prayer boot camps, and has lead prayer services and workshops in the Bahamas and in South Africa and was on the prayer team of a medical missions trips to Jamaica  under the leadership of Rev. Jackie McCullough. She serves as the Prayer Leader of the Intercessory Prayer Ministry of her church.

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Day 2 and 3 of the 40 Day Prayer of Lent

 

As mentioned yesterday on Day 1 of Lent, pursuing God during the Lenten Season in a 40 Day Prayer Journey by Grace for Life Transformation involves fasting and praying and a word we don’t like “repentance. It is His design for healing and restoration, so we cannot view it as optional during this journey.  See Day 1 Repentance and the Lenten Season to see what repentance means. https://ladyofprayer.com/repentance-os/  . I shared that repentance means to change your mind and to be determined not to do the sin again. It means to turn and walk the other way from sinful acts and thoughts. Even if it’s uncomfortable, even painful, if we are honest, continue to take the time to reflect and examine our lives and see how we measure up to His standard of repentance. You may even need to just meditate on and review the scriptures from yesterday posted in the above article.

“Now turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping and with mourning. So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm…”Joel 2:12-14 NKJV

Did you write your prayer of repentance yesterday? Did you take time to be honest before the Lord about your life, your relationship with God through Jesus Christ and your prayer life? Did you confess your sin and ask him to forgive you?

Ask Him to teach you to pray. Ask God to give you strength and discipline to increase your prayer life, to deepen your relationship and friendship with God to enable you to rise in the spiritual things of God. Sit still before the Lord and listen. Let the Lord know you are listening and you are sincerely seeking His face. Psalm 42: 1-2.

Meditate on these scriptures for Day 2 and Day 3 of  the 40 Day Prayer Journey until Resurrection Sunday.

DAY 2- February 11th – Repenting For A Renewed Relationship With God
Scriptures: Job 42:1-6; Isaiah 58:1-6 2 Chronicles 7:12-16; Hebrews 11:6

Repent: Of __________________________________________.
Meditate, pray, and write down areas for which you should repent.

Reflect: On repentance, what you want to release in your life and on what steps you need to take to improve your prayer life and to deepen your relationship with God.

Pray:
• Pray that the message of repentance will penetrate your heart and the members of your church, your community and the world.
• Pray that leaders will walk in true humility and a deep reverence for the Lord.
• Pray for MEN – Pray that men will seek God and honor Him with an integrity that unites their lives in faithfulness, wisdom, and truth; that their vision of masculinity would be a Christ-like servant leadership in the family, church and world.
• Pray for God to strengthen your prayer life and deepen your relationship with Him.
• Pray for the President of the United States, President Obama and his family.
Pray what the Holy Spirit leads you to pray.

DAY 3 – March 3 – Seeking the Lord with a Clean Heart
Scriptures: Deut. 4:39-40; 2 Chron. 7:12-16 ;Heb. 11:6 ;Psalm 66: 18-19 ;Mark 11: 25-26

Repent: Of not consistently seeking after the Lord to know Him, His ways, and His will. Repent of seeking after the ways and approval of man.
Repent: Of failing to forgive another and holding malice in your heart. Or repent if you know that you have offended or hurt someone.

Reflect: Is there any area in your life about which you need to release bitterness, or have refused to forgive someone or sinful areas which you need to release.
Receive: Forgiveness and ask for a sincere and diligent heart to know the Lord, to see His face and to walk like Jesus.
Pray:
• Ask God to search your heart and to reveal to you any sin for which you need to seek forgiveness.
• For a deeper prayer relationship with Christ through prayer.
• Pray for your enemies and ask God to release you from any unforgiveness.
• Confess any sin that the Spirit brings to your attention.
• Forgive and pray for those who have offended you and hurt you
• Thank God for His mercy and grace through repentance.
• Ask God to give you a fresh understanding of His character and His holiness.
• Intercede for family members, friends and neighbors that they may began to seek to know God and have a desire to walk and talk with Him.
• Pray for the community and your city to turn from wicked ways and to seek the Lord.
• Pray for those who are unemployed and those burdened by debt.
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By Linda, The Prayer Leader

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Repentance and the Lenten Season

Charles Spurgeon wrote:
Repentance is a discovery of the evil of sin, a mourning that we have committed it, a resolution to forsake it. It is, in fact, a change of mind of a very deep and practical character, which makes the man love what once he hated, and hate what once he loved

The Lenten Season (March 1 to April 9) is a time of repentance, self-examination, fasting and prayer in preparation for Resurrection Sunday (Easter). Renewing your sense of who you really are before God is the core of the Lenten experience and repenting of your sins. Today seek God with a repentant heart (See Joel 2: 12-24) and honestly search your heart (Psalm 139:23-24). As you pray through the 40 Days of Prayer Journey allow the Lord to examine your life thoroughly. Join us this month.

Resist the tendency to deny the need to repent and be cleansed of the Lord. Be transparent with the Lord. God offers so many wonderful results of repentance, including healing, restoring, freedom, joy and reconciliation. In Acts 3:19 the call to repentance brings hope and renewal: “Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”.

Despite the benefits of repentance, we are resistant to the thought of repentance. Repentance isn’t a popular word. Our culture encourages us to do whatever we want when we want and does not encourage repenting. TV, music videos and movies very rarely show the consequences of our sins.

It is one thing to know that you have done something that is wrong. But it is another to be saddened and sorrowful about your actions and determine that you will turn away from that sin and never do the act again. To repent, “I” or “we” must come to terms with and acknowledge that we have sinned and then turn away from such sinful behavior and be reconciled back to our loving Lord. Therefore, repentance is a change of mind that involves both a turning from sin and turning to God. Christ began his ministry with a call to repentance. (Mathew. 4:17).

We must examine every attitude, every motive, every action and ever word of evil. Repentance means that you are deeply godly sorrowful and hurt about what you have done unto the Lord and that you are determined to do all that you can not to commit that sin again. “Repentance means we are sorry about our sin to the point of grief, and we have turned and walked away from it”. Stormie Omartian, “The Power of a Praying Woman” p. 40, Harvest House Publishers, (2002).

Before we can truly repent we must admit our sins and tell them to God. Confession means we recognize we have done wrong and admit it. We cannot hide from God no matter how we try. God knows what “I” have done and wants “me and you” to know and admit in detail what “I” have done. If we do not confess our sins one consequence is that our prayer life will suffer as God will not hear our prayers if we have iniquity in our hearts (Psalm 66:18).

God offers many wonderful results of repentance, including healing, restoring, freedom, joy and reconciliation. In Acts 3:19 the call to repentance invites you to “repent, then turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”.

Here is an example of a prayer of repentance to help you get started in initiating self-examination , prayer and a spirit of repentance.

Prayer of Repentance

Lord, I come humbly before You and ask you to cleanse my heart of my every sin. “Have mercy on me O, Lord according to your loving kindness and blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly of my iniquity and cleanse me of all of my sin. (Psalm 51:1-2) Lord create in me a clean heart. Please Lord renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10-11). Forgive me for thoughts I have had, words I have spoken and things that I have done that are not pleasing in your sight and do not glorify you. Father, forgive me I pray for my sins of_______(state them)________________________. I confess it is a sin and truly repent of these acts, words and thoughts. ( 1 John 1:9; Psalm 32:5 Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 51:6, 10). Lord search the inwards hidden places of my heart and reveal my sin to me that I may not sin. (Psalm 139: 23-24). I seek to repent of everything that You show me Lord. I confess my sins to you in the full realization that you are faithful and just to forgive me of all my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.( 1John 1:9) I know that my sins are against You and You only. Grant me a broken, willing spirit and a contrite heart so I can offer it to You (Psalm 51:1-4, Psalm. 51:12, Psalm 51:17).

Thank you Father in the name of Jesus

So that you can begin the process of self-examination through prayer, confession, and study of the Word that leads to repentance the following action steps are suggested:

Action Steps:
1. During the Lenten season I want to encourage you to join this or a 40 day Prayer Journey even if you are beginning at day 7 or whatever day. Just begin where you are. Determine to spend quality time with the Lover(God) of your soul every day. Decide to start out with half an hour and increase it slowly. Be diligent, consistent and be faithful. We can never grow or develop an intimate relationship with God unless we spend quality time with Him.
2. Confess any sin you may be guilty of against man and God. Ask God to search you and reveal any unconfessed sin to you daily.
3. Say or write a prayer of repentance out of your heart. Above is an example of a prayer of repentance. Your prayer need not be perfect, but sincere, sorrowful and heartfelt.
4. Have a journal. God has so much to speak into your life. It may not happen overnight if you haven’t been praying on a consistent basis. But remember He is right there. Don’t give up.
5. Leave a prayer request or comment.

Linda Fegins, “The Prayer Leader” has served as Prayer Coordinator for over 13 years( later Director over the Prayer Ministry) for the Lydia Circle Christian Business and Professional Women. As part of the Lydia Circle she has lead over several prayer boot camps, and has lead prayer services and workshops in the Bahamas and in South Africa. Linda served on the prayer team of a medical missions trips to Jamaica under the leadership of  Pastor Jackie McCullough. She is also a member of the National Church Prayer Leaders Network and serves as the Prayer Leader of the Intercessory Prayer Team of her church. Currently the Prayer Leader Linda also serve  as an intercessor/ teacher/trainor with Global Force Prayer Missions on the Live@5AM Prayer call and as a volunteer/intercessor with Girlfriends Pray Ministry

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Day 2 Prayer Journey :Repentance For A Renewed Relationship With God

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repentance images

Yesterday ( See Day 1 Feb.10 and the opening letter blog post)I shared that repentance means to change your mind and to be determined not to do the sin again. It means to turn and walk the other way and that you are sorrowful about your sin to the point of grief. Ask God to open your eyes, ears and heart to feel real sadness and sorrow about your sin and to turn your heart and mind to repent. Thank Him for the gift of repentance.

“Now turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping and with mourning.So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness;And He relents from doing harm…”Joel 2:12-14 NKJV

Did you write your prayer of repentance yesterday? Did you take time to be honest before the Lord about your life , your relationship with God through Jesus Christ and your prayer life? Did you confess your sin and ask him to forgive you?

Ask Him to teach you to pray. Ask God to give you strength and discipline to increase your prayer life, to deepen your relationship and friendship with God to enable you to rise in the spiritual things of God. Sit still before the Lord and listen. Let the Lord know you are listening and you are sincerely seeking His face. Psalm 42: 1-2 .

Throughout Scripture spiritual leaders called God’s people to times of fasting and prayer when the need for transformation was recognized. Fasting demonstrates the desperation and sincerity of our hearts in approaching the Lord our God.

Seek the Lord to instruct you as to how and what He wants you to fast for this season in your life. (see Isaiah 58:6-14). Some possible suggestions are:
1. Juice only
2. Fresh fruits and vegetables only (a Daniel fast)
3. Fast one day per week for the 40 days
4. Fast one meal per day
5. Fast a particular food or activity as a token of your devotion and commitment.
Do not fast if you have medical conditions without discussing this with your doctor.

Pray that this time will be radically used by the Lord to bring life transformation to US all( you are not alone)-personally and corporately-throughout your church and your city.

DAY 2- February 11th – Repenting For A Renewed Relationship With God
Scriptures: Job 42:1-6; Isaiah 58:1-6 2 Chroincles 7:12-16; Hebrews 11:6

Repent: Of __________________________________________.
Meditate, pray, and write down areas for which you should repent.

Reflect on repentance, what you want to release in your life and on what steps you need to take to improve your prayer life and to deepen your relationship with God.

Pray:
• Pray that the message of repentance will penetrate your heart and the members of your church, your community and the world.
• Pray that leaders will walk in true humility and a deep reverence for the Lord.
• Pray for MEN – Pray that men will seek God and honor Him with an integrity that unites their lives in faithfulness, wisdom, and truth; that their vision of masculinity would be a Christ-like servant leadership in the family, church and world.
• Pray for God to strengthen your prayer life and deepen your relationship with Him.
• Pray for the President of the United States, President Obama and his family.
Pray what the Holy Spirt leads you to pray.
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family prayer prayer.jpg__700x460_q95
Linda Fegins , The Prayer Leader

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Rise Spiritually: Days 12-15 of 40 Day Prayer Journey

40Days Fasting 2014 header(

Rise Spiritually: -Days 12-15 of 40 Day Prayer Journey

We have arrived at the 12th Day of the 40 Day Prayer Journey. Hopefully each of you will join me in this 40 Day Prayer Journey to rise spiritually in the ways and will of God. Step into this forty (40) day prayer journey and adventure of repenting and praying toward the desires and promises of God to enable us to grow in our spiritual walk. Let each of us as individuals and as a corporate body grow in grace, in service and deed, in love for God and each other and into a lifestyle of individual and corporate prayer.
The Lenten Season (February 18 to April 4, 2015) is a time of repentance, self-examination, fasting and prayer in preparation for Resurrection Sunday (Easter). As you pray through the 40 Days of Prayer Journey allow the Lord to examine your life thoroughly.

Suggested Guidelines
During the Forty Day Prayer Journey it is suggested that you:
1. Fast at least one day per week,
2. Select a Prayer Partner or two (Triplett) to pray together at least once a week as you determine for your schedule.
3. Daily pray the intercessory daily prayer focus and prayer points for that date. Read the Bible and the scriptures.
4. Read the scriptures listed in the daily prayer focus. Answer the questions in your journal if there are any for that day and write down your reflections. Meditate on the Word each day.
5. Make an entry in your journal each day or as led by the Holy Spirit. Make sure you the complete the “Something to Act On” exercise section where it appears from time to time in the daily prayer focus.
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40 Day Prayer Journey

DAY 12 of 40 Day Prayer Journey – March 1 Follow After the Lord

Scriptures: Psalm 63 ; Luke 9:23-26

Repent: Of pursing worldly, fleshly affections; of following the ways of man and the world rather than the Lord; of inconsistency in pursuing the Lord and His ways.

Pray:
• Pray for the church to become committed to become wholly devoted to the Word and to God’s purpose and will for the Kingdom.
• Pray for the church and you to become committed to following after the Lord.
• Pray that you and the church will replace a complacent attitude and concern for the distractions of the world with a restoration of first love passion for Jesus.
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• Pray for the Lord to add to the church daily those who are being saved. Acts 2:4.
• Pray for ministry leaders to be committed to corporate prayer.
• Pray for those who are unemployed.-Pray that God will meet the needs of those without work in a way that they can thank God for his provision; that they will sound find meaningful employment and glorify God for it.
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 Something to Act On: Meditate on the scripture. Write down what you need to put in the hands of God and wait on the Lord for an answer to enable you to rise to the spiritual ways of the Lord rather than you acting in your flesh.

DAY 13 – March 2 Inquire of the Lord About What He Desires

Scriptures: Judges 20; Psalm 27:4-5

Repent: Of not inquiring of the Lord regarding what He desires, or the direction He would have us to go; and of not inquiring of the Lord regarding instructions and strategies for ministry.

Pray:
• Pray that those with mixed emotions and who stagger between both the world and the Lord would choose whom they will serve and come to know Christ.
• Pray for a desire to know the will of the Lord.
• Ask God the direction He would have you to go or His will for your life in a certain situation.
• Pray for the ministry leaders to seek direction, instruction and empowerment from the Lord first before they plan activities, events and actions.
• Pray for the military: for God to extend the gospel message through the special relationships of military life; for courage and protection in the danger of battle; for wisdom as military personnel are called upon to do the work of governing and enforcing law; for grace upon chaplains and other spiritual leaders; that God will fortify families who have been separated.
• Pray for the political leaders in the City of Detroit or your city.

 Something to Act On: Meditate on the scripture. Inquire of the Lord what action you should take to handle a situation. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray as you should. Pause. Listen.

DAY 14 – March 3 Serve the Lord

Scriptures: Psalm 100; Hebrews 9:11-15

Repent: Of serving without joy or unity of the Spirit with brothers and sisters in the body of Christ; of serving out of law and not of love and of serving with impure intentions, goals, and/or reasons.

Pray:
• Pray that each ministry will develop a team with one spirit and one mind that enjoy their service in the ministry.
• Pray for unity within the church.
• Poor: For God to establish the poor so that their spiritual and physical needs are met with dignity and stability; that God will release them from hidden cycles of oppression and despair; that God will reverse any curse and multiply blessing.
• Pray that believers will witness for Christ through their lives and words.
• Ask God what more can you do to serve our church and community.
• Pray for a fresh anointing to serve with joy, gladness, passion and power.

 Something to Act On: Meditate on the scripture. Examine your conduct in serving the Lord at church and in the community. What action do you need to take to truly show that you are rising in the spiritual in your commitment to serve the Lord with all your heart. Write down your response.

DAY 15 – March 4 Live a Life of Prayer and Intercession

Scriptures: 1 Samuel 12: 20-25; Eph. 6:10-18; Phil 4:4-9

Repent: Repent of failing to cultivate a lifestyle of prayer, and failing to be proactive rather than reactive in prayer.

Reflect: If someone wrote a theme for your life, would prayer be a key theme in it?

Pray:
• Ask the Lord that prayer and intercession will increase in purity, passion and power in you, the church and throughout the city.
• Pray that those who are called to mobilize, lead and encourage others in prayer will be raised up, trained and equipped throughout the church.
• Pray for the Intercessory Prayer Team Ministry. Call them by name.
• Pray that church members will seek to gather together for corporate prayer and that the manifestation of the Holy Spirit would come upon every prayer gathering or meeting in our church and in the city.
• Pray that your city will be transformed as we cry in humble and faith-filled intercession.
• Confess any shortcoming in your prayer life of which you are aware.
• Ask God to teach you to pray with love, power and authority.
• Thank God for the Holy Spirit that helps us when we don’t know what to pray for. Romans 8:26
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 Something to Act On: Examine your prayer life. Ask God to reveal to you the areas of your prayer life you need to rise to the spiritual ways of God.

Linda Fegins, “The Prayer Leader” serves as prayer leader and teacher/trainer on the “Prayer Boot Camp” with the Global Missions Prayer Force and as a guest intercessor and volunteer for Girlfriends Pray a global prayer ministry. She served as Prayer Coordinator for over 13 years( later Director over the Prayer Ministry) for the Lydia Circle Christian Business and Professional Women. As part of the Lydia Circle she has lead over a dozen prayer boot camps, and has lead prayer services and workshops in the Bahamas and in South Africa and was on the prayer team of a medical missions trips to Jamaica under the leadership of Rev. Jackie McCullough. She is also a member of the National Church Prayer Leaders Network and serves as the Prayer Leader of the Intercessory Prayer Ministry of her church.

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40 Day Prayer Journey Seeking to Rise Spirutually

49 days index40 Day Prayer Journey

Hopefully each of you will join me in this 40 Day Prayer Journey. Step into this forty (40) day prayer journey and adventure of repenting and praying toward the desires and promises of God to enable us to grow in our spiritual walk. Let each of us as individuals and as a corporate body grow in grace, in service and deed, in love for God and each other and into a lifestyle of individual and corporate prayer. Know that you won’t be praying alone. God is orchestrating this corporate prayer of which YOU are an important part.

. United prayer can bring powerful results. Pray with purpose, biblical promise and passion. Let’s all continue with one accord in prayer and supplication (Acts 1:14a) during this Lenten season.

Scripture makes prayer a priority of the church. The Lord said “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples”. (Isaiah 56:7 RSV).

Love and pray fervently,
Linda Fegins

Suggested Logistics

What follows is a suggested format for the journey. You may need to modify it to fit your schedule or medical restrictions. You are encouraged to use a journal or notebook to write your reflections, what the Lord is speaking to you, your prayers and/or prayer requests.

During the Forty Day Prayer Journey it is suggested that you:
1. Fast at least one day per week preferably Wednesday (see information on fasting included in this packet). Alternatively, you can fast a food or activity the entire Lenten season. See Fast Guidelines.
2. Select a Prayer Partner or two (Triplett) to pray together at least once a week as you determine for your schedule.
3. Daily pray the intercessory daily prayer focus and prayer points for that date. Read the Bible and the scriptures.
4. Read the scriptures listed in the daily prayer focus. Answer the questions in your journal if there are any for that day and write down your reflections. Meditate on the Word each day.
5. Make an entry in your journal each day or as led by the Holy Spirit. Make sure you the complete the “Something to Act On” exercise section where it appears from time to time in the daily prayer focus.
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repentance

40 Day Prayer Journey

The First 7 Days We Will Focus on Repenting For A Renewed Relationship With God

The Lenten Season (February 18 to April 4, 2015) is a time of repentance, self-examination, fasting and prayer in preparation for Resurrection Sunday (Easter). Today seek God with a repentant heart (See Joel 2: 12-24) and honestly search your heart (Psalm 139:23-24). As you pray through the 40 Days of Prayer Journey allow the Lord to examine your life thoroughly.

DAY 1 – Feb 18, 2015- Ash Wednesday the Beginning of Lent

Scriptures: Psalm 139: 23-24 ; 1 John 1:9 ; Psalm 32:5; Acts 3:19
Psalm 139:23-24 Amplified Bible (AMP)
 23 Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
 24 And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting
1 John 1:9 Amplified Bible (AMP)
 9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]
Psalm 32:5 King James Version (KJV)
 5 I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Acts 3:19Amplified Bible (AMP)
 19 So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of [a]reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord;
(Henceforth only the scripture will be provided.)
No one is perfect. But we all can surrender our lives to God and let Him work through us. It is important that each of us possess a clean heart. This is required as a part of God’s call for you to get right before Him for a closer relationship with Him , to enable you to do the work He has called you to do and to receive the blessings He has in store for you. ( Read post on repentance Feb 18, 2015)

To do that you must examine yourself carefully.You have to confess your sin and repent. You must be brave enough to say “Lord, show me what is in my heart, soul, mind and spirit and life that shouldn’t be there. Convict me where I am missing the mark. Tear down my arrogance, pride, fear and insecurities and help me to see the truth about myself, life and my circumstances. Expose me to myself, Lord and help me to take it. Enable me to correct my ways.” Prayer by Stormie Omartian.

Now, you say the prayer or another for yourself.

Confess: Confess to God any sins of thoughts or actions that He shows you.

Repent: Of all the things that you have confessed.

Meditate, pray, and write down other areas for which you should repent.

Reflect on repentance and on what way you want to improve in your prayer life to deepen your relationship and friendship with God to enable you to rise in the spiritual things of God.

Pray:

• Confess the ways that you have been complacent about sin and not appalled that His Holy name is defiled.
• Confess any sin that the Spirit brings to your attention.
• Ask God to reveal to you a new understanding of repentance and His holiness.
• Express to the Lord your desire to repent for the sake of His holy name.
• Ask God to search your heart and life and to reveal to you any sin you may need to deal with.
• Repentance means to change your mind and be determined not to do the sin again. It means to turn and walk the other way and that we are sorry about our sin to the point of grief. Ask God to open your eyes, ears and heart to feel real sadness and sorrow about your sin and to turn your heart and mind to repent. Thank Him for the gift of repentance.
• Pray for God to strengthen your prayer life and deepen your relationship with Him.
• Pray for your Pastor and His family.

 Something to Act On: Write your own prayer of repentance to the Lord.

DAY 2- February 19 Repenting For A Renewed Relationship With God

Scriptures: Job 42:1-6; Isaiah 58:1-6

Repent: Of _________________________________________________.

Meditate, pray, and write down areas for which you should repent.

Reflect on repentance, what you want to release in your life and on what steps you need to take to improve your prayer life and to deepen your relationship with God.

Pray:

• Pray that the message of repentance will penetrate your heart and the members of Messiah or your church.
• Job learned that there was no room for arrogance or misinterpretation of true repentance. He meekly took back everything he thought he knew and then sat in ashes. Ask God to forgive you for trying to justify your attitudes and mindset. Pray that your life will demonstrate a deeply repentant heart and attitude toward God without excuses or explanations.
• Confess the ways you have taken the message of repentance lightly and tried to soften the reality of your sin.
• Pray that the message of repentance will penetrate the members of your church.
• Pray that leaders at your church will walk in true humility and a deep reverence for the Lord.
• Pray for MEN – Pray that men will seek God and honor Him with an integrity that unites their lives in faithfulness, wisdom, and truth; that their vision of masculinity would be a Christ-like servant leadership in the family, church and world.
• Pray for God to strengthen your prayer life and deepen your relationship with Him.

DAY 3-February 20 – Repenting For A Renewed Relationship With God

Scriptures: Daniel 9:1-5; Jeremiah 6:16-26

Repent: Of ________________________________________________________.

Meditate, pray, and write down areas for which you should repent.

Reflect on repentance, what you want to release in your life and reflect on what steps you need to take to improve your prayer life and to deepen your relationship with God.

Pray:

• For Christ to bring people near enough to God to experience the Father’s loving delight in His Son for people to love and follow Jesus.
• Approach the throne of God humbly and thank Him for forgiveness and His gift of repentance.
• Ask God to stir a continual heart of repentance in you.
• Pray that the message of repentance will be taught and preached at Messiah with grace and mercy-but without compromise.
• Ask the Lord to free people in your life from Satan’s trap and then lead them to repent.
• Pray that your community will be redeemed and restored through an outpouring of God’s gift of repentance.
• Pray that you will lay aside every sin and rise toward the spiritual ways and thoughts of God.

Linda Fegins, “The Prayer Leader” serves as prayer leader and teacher/trainer with the Global Missions Prayer Force and as a guest intercessor and volunteer for Girlfriends Pray, a global prayer ministry. She served as Prayer Coordinator for over 13 years( later Director over the Prayer Ministry) for the Lydia Circle Christian Business and Professional Women. As part of the Lydia Circle she has lead over a dozen prayer boot camps, and has lead prayer services and workshops in the Bahamas and in South Africa and was on the prayer team of a medical missions trips to Jamaica under the leadership of Rev. Jackie McCullough. She is also a member of the National Church Prayer Leaders Network and serves as the Prayer Leader of the Intercessory Prayer Ministry of her church

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Repent to Obtain A Renewed Relationship With God

49 days index

The Lenten Season (February 18 to April 4) is a time to repent, of self-examination, fasting and prayer in preparation for Resurrection Sunday (Easter). Renewing your sense of who you really are before God is the core of the Lenten experience and repenting of your sins. Today seek God with a repentant heart (See Joel 2: 12-24) and honestly search your heart (Psalm 139:23-24). As you pray through the 40 Days of Prayer Journey allow the Lord to examine your life thoroughly (daily post this month).

Resist the tendency to deny the need to repent and be cleansed of the Lord. Be transparent with the Lord. God offers so many wonderful results of repentance, including healing, restoring, freedom, joy and reconciliation. In Acts 3:19 the call to repentance brings hope and renewal: “Repent, then, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”.

repentance

It is important to note that a repentant heart is not limited to a special season or time of the year. If we want to have effective prayer lives which bring forth life transformation and healing of the land, repentance must become a part of our lifestyle.

It is one thing to know that you have done something that is wrong. But it is another to be saddened and sorrowful about your actions and determine that you will turn away from that sin and never do the act again. To repent “I” or “we” must come to terms with and acknowledge that we have sinned and then turn away from such sinful behavior and be reconciled back to our loving Lord. Therefore, repentance is a change of mind that involves both a turning from sin and turning to God. Christ began his ministry with a call to repentance. (Mathew. 4:17).

We must examine every attitude, every motive, every action and ever word of evil. Repentance means that you are deeply godly sorrowful and hurt about what you have done unto the Lord and that you are determined to do all that you can not to commit that sin again. “Repentance means we are sorry about our sin to the point of grief, and we have turned and walked away from it”. Stormie Omartian, “The Power of a Praying Woman” p. 40, Harvest House Publishers, (2002).

Before we can truly repent we must admit our sins and tell them to God. Confession means we recognize we have done wrong and admit it. We cannot hide from God no matter how we try. God knows what “I” have done and wants “me and you” to know and admit in detail what “I” have done. Dick Eastman, in “The Hour That Changes the World”, says, “Confession is a heartfelt recognition of what we are. It is important to God because it indicates that we take seriously our mistakes and failures. Of course, God does not ask us to confess our sins because He needs to know we have sinned, but because He knows that we need to know we have sinned”. Dick Eastman, “The Hour That Changes the World”,p.42 , Baker Book House, (1999). If we do not confess our sins one consequence is that our prayer life will suffer as God will not hear our prayers if we have iniquity in our hearts (Psalm 66:18).

God offers many wonderful results of repentance, including healing, restoring, freedom, joy and reconciliation. In Acts 3:19 the call to repentance invites you to “repent, then turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”.

Here is an example of a prayer of repentance to help you get started in initiating self-examination , prayer and a spirit of repentance.

turn-around

Prayer of Repentance

Lord, I come humbly before You and ask you to cleanse my heart of my every sin. “Have mercy on me O, Lord according to your loving kindness and blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly of my iniquity and cleanse me of all of my sin. (Psalm 51:1-2) Lord create in me a clean heart. Please Lord renew a right spirit within me (Psalm 51:10-11). Forgive me for thoughts I have had, words I have spoken and things that I have done that are not pleasing in your sight and do not glorify you. Father, forgive me I pray for my sins of_______(state them)________________________. I confess it is a sin and truly repent of these acts, words and thoughts. ( 1 John 1:9; Psalm 32:5 Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 51:6, 10). Lord search the inwards hidden places of my heart and reveal my sin to me that I may not see. (Psalm 139: 23-24). I seek to repent of everything that You show me Lord. I confess my sins to you in the full realization that you are faithful and just to forgive me of all my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.( 1John 1:9) I know that my sins are against You and You only. Grant me a broken, willing spirit and a contrite heart so I can offer it to You (Psalm 51:1-4, Psalm. 51:12, Psalm 51:17).

Thank you Father. I desire to obey your commandments and statutes. I choose to stop my sinful ways and to turn to walk upright. Help me, Lord God to bring forth fruits that are worthy of repentance (Luke 3:8). Lord I want to live a righteous, pure and holy life through your power (Colossians 1:11). I am determined to walk in the Spirit and in your ways and walk away from my sins by the power of the Holy Ghost. Grant me a godly sorrow that is not just full of regret because of the consequences of sin but sorrow that leads to true repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-10). Lord give me a tender heart that is sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and the conviction of sin. Holy Spirit, thank You for convicting me of my sin. Forgive me for the ways I’ve ignored Your voice and quenched and grieved You. (John 16:8; Ephesians. 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; Romans. 8:1-2). Lord I praise you, Father, for your goodness that leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). Lord thank you for restoring my soul so that the times of refreshing my come (Acts 3:19). Amen

So that you can begin the process of self-examination through prayer, confession, and study of the Word that leads to repentance the following action steps are suggested:

Action Steps:
1. During the Lenten season I want to encourage you to join this or a 40 day Prayer Journey even if you are beginning at day 7 or whatever day. Just begin where you are. Determine to spend quality time with the Lover(God) of your soul every day. Decide to start out with half an hour and increase it slowly. Be diligent, consistent and be faithful. We can never grow or develop an intimate relationship with God unless we spend quality time with Him.
2. Confess any sin you may be guilty of against man and God. Ask God to search you and reveal any unconfessed sin to you daily.
3. Say or write a prayer of repentance out of your heart. Above is an example of a prayer of repentance. Your prayer need not be perfect, but sincere, sorrowful and heartfelt.
4. Have a journal. God has so much to speak into your life. It may not happen overnight if you haven’t been praying on a consistent basis. But remember He is right there. Don’t give up.
5. Leave a prayer request or comment.

Linda Fegins, “The Prayer Leader” serves as prayer leader and teacher/trainer with the Global Missions Prayer Force and as a guest intercessor and volunteer for Girlfriends Pray a global prayer ministry. She has served as Prayer Coordinator for over 13 years( later Director over the Prayer Ministry) for the Lydia Circle Christian Business and Professional Women. As part of the Lydia Circle she has lead over 8 prayer boot camps, and has lead prayer services and workshops in the Bahamas and in South Africa and was on the prayer team of a medical missions trips to Jamaica under the leadership of Rev.Jackie McCullough. She is also a member of the National Church Prayer Leaders Network and serves as the Prayer Leader of the Intercessory Prayer Team of her church.

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