1. Maundy Thursday, April 2 — Today we remember Jesus celebrating the Last Supper with his disciples. During this meal, Jesus set two important precedents that, as His followers, we still live out today.

First of all, as they were preparing to eat the meal, Jesus, the Teacher, took on the role of servant. He wrapped a towel around His waist and filled a basin with water; then he went around and lovingly washed each of his disciple’s feet. Peter, especially, was uncomfortable with this and protested, but Jesus explained the reason for his actions. He was setting an example for them:  As He had done for them, so they needed to do for others. On this special day, Holy Thursday, Jesus introduced the Christian virtue of service.

Secondly, Jesus shares the evening meal with his disciples. It, however, was not quite an ordinary supper. He foretold of His upcoming sacrifice on the cross by using the metaphor of the bread as his body and the wine as His blood. His disciples would not understand the significance of this until later after His death and resurrection. Today we celebrate communion at church in memory of the Last Supper.

Resources:

• Amazing Grace

Verse:  “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:14-15 NIV

Prayer: Dear Lord, You never ask us to do anything that You have not done Yourself. Thank You for setting the example of serving others. Help us to carry on that mission in our own lives. Give us opportunities daily to serve others, as well as regular acts of service. May we also realize the importance of meeting regularly with believers, encouraging and communing with each other. Amen.

2. Good Friday, April 3 — Today is the darkest day of the Christian calendar, for it was on this day that Jesus was crucified and buried. It is so very tempting to want to skip over this day and go straight to the celebration of Easter, but it would also be so very wrong. We need to reflect on the pain and sacrifice that Jesus endured when He took our sins upon Himself. We need to follow his path to the cross so that we can more fully appreciate the mercy, grace, and righteousness that God gives us for His sake. Please spend a few minutes on the following resources and/or participate in a Good Friday service at your church today.

Resources:

• Following Jesus to the Cross by Mary Kane
• Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?

Verse: “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:30 NIV

Prayer: Dear Jesus, we offer You our deepest thanks for taking the punishment of our sins on the cross. We can never repay You for Your suffering; we accept this gift with a humble spirit. The greatest gift we can give back is to share the gospel with others. Help us to overcome any reticence in sharing about the eternal life that waits for them also. Amen.

3. Easter Sunday, April 5 — The most joyous event on the Christian calendar, Easter, is a day for celebrating The Resurrection. I never tire of imagining the look on the faces of the women who went to Jesus’ tomb, only to find the stone blocking the entrance rolled away and the tomb empty. It is this miracle that makes Christianity different from every other religion, because that same power of God that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us, His followers, (Ephesians 1:18-19) in our own ministries! God does not want us living in weakness, but in the resurrection power of Jesus. Imagine what we could do for Him if we truly believed this.

Resources:

• He Is Risen
• Youth Group Easter Drama

Verse: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” Luke 24:5-6 NIV

Prayer: Dear Jesus, Our hearts are filled with joy this morning. You have triumphed over evil and death. Because of this victory, we have the certainty of eternal life in heaven. And we also have many promises for our life on earth. May we spend our lives filled with Your Holy Spirit, equipped to live an abundant life. We praise You that You have broken the power of death. Amen.

4. Tax Day, April 15 — This many seem a silly thing to pray about, but when you consider the stress that finances put on families, states, and countries, we need to focus some prayer power on this issue. Tax Day is a day that people dread because of the many hassles involved in the preparation and filing of taxes. Money itself is a cause for concern in America with our ballooning national debt. Just watching the National Debt Clock rise is enough to make your blood pressure rise along with it. Along with national debt, many people are drowning in personal debt. With maxed-out credit cards, expensive cars, home mortgages, and college bills, too many of us are overextended and underfunded. Learning to budget and live within our means is a skill to be learned and practiced. As Dave Ramsey always says, “Act your wage!”

We also need to pray for those who are enduring financial stress because of circumstances beyond their control. Job loss, illness, and fraud are just a few of the reasons for an unexpected financial crisis. Let’s pray for all circumstances today.

Resources:

• Dave Ramsey
• Tax Questions Answered

Verse: “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” Matthew 6:24 NIV

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to give You first place in our hearts. It’s easy to want all the trappings the world has to give, but may we manage our money with wisdom and discernment. Help us not to make emotional, quick spending decisions. We pray for our government that the authorities would work on a balanced budget and stop spending more than we have. For those innocent victims suffering financial stress, we ask for wisdom and resources to help them recover from the loss. In Jesus name. Amen.

5. Iran Talks – Talks drag on in Switzerland, albeit without the foreign ministers of China, France, and Russia, who left earlier this week for home. “The negotiators’ intention is to produce a joint statement outlining general political commitments to resolving concerns about the Iranians’ nuclear program in exchange for relief of economic sanctions against Iran. In addition, they are trying to fashion other documents that would lay out in more detail the steps they must take by June 30 to meet those goals,” FoxNews.com said in an article published on April 2 on their website. Let’s pray for wisdom for our leaders that they make the right decision regarding these negotiations.

Resources:

• Iran Talks News Story

Verse: “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of the age?Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” 1 Corinthians 1:20 NIV

Prayer: Lord, we need Your wisdom and discernment to make the right decision. We pray that what is hidden will be brought to light and that our leaders will make a decision based on truth and facts; we pray for Your protection. Amen.

Thank you for praying with us today. Feel free to use this as a reminder throughout the month, and please add any of your prayer suggestions in the comment section below.

Pray on!

Day 9: Bread of Life

 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35

bread. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bread (accessed: March 08, 2015).

The shortest month of the year, February is still a busy time. At Only By Prayer, we think this world could use more love and prayers, and this month gives us the perfect excuse to start showing it! Whether you have a sweetheart or not, Valentine’s Day can be a bright spot in the winter and an inspiration for our prayers.  Keep reading for five ways to focus your prayers over the next few weeks.

1. National Shut-In Visitation Day, February 11 — Every community, church, or neighborhood has shut-ins: people who aren’t able to leave their homes due to physical limitations, illness, psychological problems, age, or other issues. Regrettably, I never thought much about this until I experienced it in my own family. My mom has Alzheimer’s and has mobility issues, so during the winter months my parents are quite often housebound. I also have a friend who is ill with a chronic disease, unable to leave her condo on her own. Seeing the world through their eyes makes me realize how difficult it can be to lose the ability to come and go as you please. This month, let’s make the effort to visit someone who is a shut-in. If possible, assist the person with a trip away from her home, even if it’s just to a grocery store or a park. A change of scenery always perks each one of us up, so imagine how much good it will do for someone who hasn’t been out of the house in weeks or months.

Resources:

• Focus on the Family Resource
• God’s Shut-ins, a poem by  Annie Johnson Flint

Verse:  “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1 KJV

Prayer: Lord, we pray for those whose lives have been interrupted by circumstances beyond their control. We ask for their peace and comfort. We pray for healing. We ask that you would restore hope where it has been snuffed out. We pray that shut-ins would not be forgotten and invisible but would continue to live vital, vibrant lives where they can contribute in a way that fuels their passion and honors you. We ask that you would help others to reach out to them, offering friendship and fellowship. Make us sensitive to your Holy Spirit’s leading. In Jesus’ name, amen.

2. Valentine’s Day, February 14 — This day has its roots in both Christian and Roman culture. History notes a Roman priest by the name of Valentine who was martyred for marrying young couples, going against an edict of Emperor Claudius. Claudius thought young men would make better soldiers for his military if they were single. Legend also says this  day is tied to a Roman fertility festival called Lupercalia. Wherever the truth lies, today we celebrate this holiday by showing love to our sweethearts and other family and friends. With evil being so visible in our world right now, let’s focus on being loving to those in our lives, and most importantly, being an example of the selfless love Jesus demonstrated for each one of us.

Resources:

• The History Channel
• Blue Mountain E-cards, send a free Valentine’s e-card

Verse: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NIV

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your great love for us that is an example of how we are to love each other. Help us to shower that love on those around us. May we see our families and friends with a fresh set of eyes, not taking them for granted, but celebrating their lives. Help us to overcome any reticence, enabling us to show and tell them of our love. In Jesus’ name, amen.

3. Ash Wednesday, February 18 — According to Dennis Bratcher in “A Service of Worship,” an adaptation from The Book of Common Prayer, “The season of Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, self-examination, and penitence for all Christians as we prepare to celebrate Easter. Through this forty-day journey, we are reminded that we are totally unworthy before God, that we have nothing with which we can obtain salvation, and that our best efforts at being righteous fall far short. This season reminds us how much we need grace in our lives in order to live a transformed life that reflects God’s love. We are called to renew our commitments and our faith as we continually acknowledge our need of God’s transforming presence with us.”

Friends, let us pray for ourselves and each other as we prepare for the celebration of Easter Sunday during this time of Lent. Over the next six weeks, try at least one of the spiritual disciplines mentioned in the above list. Take the time to do a spiritual evaluation. Confess what needs to be confessed; release what needs to go; welcome what needs to be received; pray what needs to be birthed. And wait for God to work.

Resources:

• Ash Wednesday — The First Step to Easter
• True Lenten Discipline Podcast
• See the Spiritual Disciplines tab at OnlyByPrayer.com
• A Service of Worship

 Verse: “For dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:19b NIV

Prayer: Lord, tune our hearts to your Spirit. May we unclog our airwaves of earthly noise and distractions so that we can receive what you have for us.  Make us alert to what you want us to learn, confess, and live. Give us humble, contrite spirits. Amen.

4. President’s Day, February 16 — President’s Day was originally set aside to recognize our first president, George Washington, but is designated to honor all presidents. No matter whether you agree with President Obama’s policies or not, I think we can all agree on how important it is for us to pray for him. He is facing many challenging situations in our own country and abroad that would benefit from concentrated prayer.

Resources: 

• President’s Day

Verse: “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2 NIV

Prayer:  Lord, we pray for President Obama. We pray that he will humble himself before you and seek your wisdom as he leads our country. May he unite Congress and our country; may he be wise in his dealings with foreign nations; establish his priorities. We ask a hedge of protection around him, first lady Michelle, and his daughters Malia and Sasha. Amen.

 5. Hostages — Unfortunately, too many times over the last few months the headlines have been filled with stories of hostages who have been murdered by extremists. Let’s fervently pray for those who have been kidnapped  by extremists around the world and lift up the families of those hostages who have already been murdered. We can also pray for Christians in foreign countries who are also being tortured and murdered for their beliefs.

Resources:

• News Story
• Iraqi Crisis

Verse: “Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; protect me from men of violence, who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day.” Psalm 140:1-2 NIV

Thank you for joining Only By Prayer in praying this month. Please add any prayers or comments below.

Jane VanOsdol

As a teacher, I know the value of repeated readings. Repeated readings help my students retain facts and increase comprehension of the text. Not only school-age children benefit from repeated readings; adults do as well. When I run into a heady portion of scripture, I read through once, go back, slow down and read again. If I still have trouble comprehending what God is saying to me, I will carefully read the text out loud.

Repeated readings are similar to slow-motion replays in sporting events. When the referees are not sure what happened, they go back, slow down the film, and watch the play-action again. The replay allows the field judges to focus on facts and details until finally the truth is revealed. The same is true of God’s word. One reading will never be enough. Repeated readings will reveal facts, and details missed the first time through.

God has been teaching me to linger over His Holy Word; to Read, Read and settle-in at the feet of Jesus.