Burdened
I woke up in tears early in the morning. Overwhelmed with sadness, I was heavily burdened for my family and close friends who do not know Christ or walk with Him.
People I have prayed for and brought to the throne of God, interceding for them. Are there people in your life that you are burdened for? Are there people you should be burdened for?
Scripture talks about this. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost,” Luke 19:10. “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who Himself as a ransom for all people,” 1 Timothy 2:3-6a. 2 Peter 3:9,” The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Mark 8:36 asks, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, but lose his own soul?”
Join me in praying for our loved ones, and close friends:
That they will know God. My biggest concern is that all of us have had bad experiences with people who call themselves Christians. None of us are perfect, but we could use their behavior as an excuse not to come to Christ, when He Himself was tortured and put to death by the religious.
Pray that God will turn their stubborn hearts to Him. All of us at one time or another have been set in our own ways and unwilling to let Him in or even to listen. I pray for soft hearts and open minds.
Pray that God will remove the enemy’s influence. Sometimes people are held in a mind trap by outside influences, and one of the biggest influences is friends. Friends that lead you astray and are not speaking the truth. I pray for these people to either come to Christ themselves or be removed from my loved one’s life.
Pray that God will move His Spirit through them. Only God can change hearts and minds, so I call on the Lord to move.
Pray for opportunities to minister to them. Sometimes the greatest testimony to someone is the chance to demonstrate that love in the flesh. Be alert for those times and act on them with love, grace, and mercy.
Pray for God to extend His mercy to them. He says in Scripture that He is waiting for people to come to repentance.
Paul states in Philippians 1:3-6, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy, because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
My prayers do not stop when I pass, but His work He has started will continue long after I am gone. Just as my mother’s prayers have continued to be answered, so will mine.
Let’s be faithful in prayers and faithful in belief.
