Ephesians

I am blessed to bask in Your love and peace that surpasses all understanding.

I am confounded by the way the enemy distorts our language and defines the idea of real love. Our public debate has be defiled by coarse and vile language.

Volume has replaced reason and personal attacks have replaced facts and logic. It is called “hate speech” to insist there are only two genders…to define promiscuity as counterproductive and counterfeit “love”…to understand that compassion sets healthy boundaries. The truth…a loving mother does not subsidize her child’s drug addiction. A loving parent does not submit their preschool child to gender-altering surgery. True love trains and restrains and YES disciplines the object of its love. Unleash Your Spirit among us and teach us how to truly love one another.

AMEN

Scripture: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

When I see the immorality and degradation of our culture on display in our headlines: shared on our social networks and mainstreamed in our educational institutions, I’m sickened at what we’ve become.

Then I see my own fallen state and how much You have forgiven me and I am deeply ashamed by how I am complicit in our fall by choosing to remain comfortably remote rather than risk backlash by speaking truth to this madness.

Violence…grooming…hedonism…corruption are NOT okay…yet I haven’t engaged the enemy from my knees as I should.

Help me remember our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the prince of darkness. My best strategy is to put on Your spiritual armor; drop to my knees; seek Your help; forgive those lost in this darkness and stay faithful to Your call.

AMEN

Scripture: “When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father…” Ephesians 3:14

Your word says it is possible to be angry without sinning. I lift this prayer to You angry in my soul for the injustice and corruption overtaking America.

Injustice surrounds me. We have endorsed child mutilation as a solution to gender issues. The AMA has been corrupted by big money to the detriment of patient care. We have chosen violence as our first option to resolve our differences. We have become no better than worshipers of Baal…only our idol is money.

All of this and more has created an unjust society and the resulting pain and heartbreak anger me.

Please temper my anger with wisdom that I might bring solutions not simply hot rhetoric to the public debate. May I learn to speak lovingly at the moment of my greatest anger.

AMEN

Scripture: “Be angry, yet do not sin. Do not let the sun set while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:26-27

You have destroyed every tool in the enemy’s arsenal to intimidate me to silence.

When Christ conquered the grave, His kids were set free from the tyranny of fear’s greatest weapon.

Why am I so reticent to boldly respond to the lies and deception that are spreading darkness and evil across America? Don’t I know that the silencing of God’s children in the face of the direct assault on the throne of heaven we are experiencing today in America represents a key pillar in the spiritual battle we face?

Do I not know that if I cower in fear before the bullies; the bullies win?

Teach me to be a spiritual warrior filled with Your grace and unmoved by the threats of the servants of darkness. Empower my heart to stand unafraid.

AMEN

Scripture: “So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm.” Ephesians 6:13

Thank You for loving and caring for me. I come today with a deep concern about the condition of my heart. With the issues surrounding us today in America, I find it too easy to become cynical and unloving.

The divisions we face, the distrust between us, the unbelievable loss of our humanity makes it more difficult…and more imperative I look to You every day for purpose, hope and security.

The problem is I find it all too easy to lose sight of this truth. You have said, “…we struggle not against flesh and blood..” our enemies are the spiritual forces of darkness in this world.

Help me have the heart of Jesus…help me remember the everyday people around me are lost and deceived. Correct me when I forget!

AMEN

Scripture: “We struggle not against flesh and blood but…against the world forces of darkness…” Ephesians 6:12

I have fallen short so many times…but You are always there to lift me up and put my feet on solid ground. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me.

The rich and powerful of our country have walked away from You and have led so many astray. My heart breaks at the path many Americans have chosen. It is the easy way…go along to get along…but it leads to destruction and ruin.

Our coarse and selfish culture has hardened us to one another and created deep divisions among us. We are acting as if we no longer need You. We walk in darkness and hopelessness. We need You desperately. Reveal the way back into Your presence.

This very moment, cleanse me and make me part of Your solution.

AMEN

Scripture: “Though you were once far away from God, now you have been brought near to Him because of the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13b

You wisely established families with an internal authority structure designed to provide physical, spiritual and educational wellbeing of children.

Today’s “woke” elites have attacked the family structure, abandoned basic education for social indoctrination and are attempting to remove parental authority from the nurture and development of children. As a result, we have created a demographic of young adults confused, hopeless and increasingly suicidal.

Nowhere is this effort more evident than in the fruit of Silicon Valley’s efforts to isolate, groom and to normalize sick, evil behavior.

I’m thankful that there are signs parents are awakening to the deranged attacks that scream from our streets, “We’re coming for your kids”.

Thank You for giving them courage in the face of vicious attacks from teachers, the FBI and the media.

AMEN

Scripture: “Parents, don’t be hard on your children. Raise them properly. Teach them and instruct them about the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4

Scripture explains our hope of escaping the penalty for our careless approach to You is not based on our merit.

Merit is specifically rejected. We are guilty. We cannot earn an “innocent” verdict.

Here I’m obsessed with merit, but You are focused on grace. I’m obsessed with equal opportunity, but You stress equal respect.

“All men are created equal” does not mean we all have equal assets or abilities. It means we’re given equal respect by You when we come to the cross of Christ.

No matter how good or bad…how rich or poor…how powerful our earthly connections…no matter how disdained by mankind…we’re all invited to the King’s eternal feast.

You teach we’re gifted differently but we all have equal access to heaven.

Help me share this Good News.

AMEN

Scripture: “You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.” Ephesians 2:8-9

How can one found guilty of failing to keep the law be found innocent before the court of law?

Is it possible that I, guilty of violating God’s just standard, can escape the death penalty and be found by the Creator of the law; innocent?

The answer is a resounding, “YES!” …IF…I acknowledge both my guilt and my inability to repair my breach of the law.

Then, God, Himself will step down from heaven and in response to my confession, pay the death penalty Himself; declare my innocence, and set me free to spend eternity…not under the curse of death; but in the joyous presence of the one who paid my debt…Messiah, only begotten Son of God.

“Thank You,” is totally insufficient for this forgiveness.

AMEN

Scripture: “so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift and not from works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:7-9

I am committed to praying daily the prayer for America I receive…but what more am I called to do in this spiritual battle for the soul of America?

The 2 minutes daily I commit to calling out for your help with fellow Prayer Warriors is critical, but I believe there is more required of me is this struggle against the prince of darkness. Show me Your will.  Am I called to battle for the unborn…for the children in our schools…the darkness in my community?  How can I serve…volunteering, giving, organizing a prayer warrior round table…how can You use me?

Joining this battle against the evil which at every hand seems to be gaining strength against Your truth…I cannot do everything…I can do more…show me, I am willing!

AMEN

Scripture: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” Ephesians 6:10