National Day of Prayer - March 15, 2020

In response to the coronavirus, President Trump has declared March 15, 2020, as a National Day of Prayer.
"It is my great honor to declare Sunday, March 15th as a National Day of Prayer. We are a Country that, throughout our history, has looked to God for protection and strength in times like these...
No matter where you may be, I encourage you to turn towards prayer in an act of faith. Together, we will easily PREVAIL!" President Donald J. Trump 

God has gotten the attention of the whole world through this virus. The whole world is reacting in fear. Stores are being looted at night, shelves are being emptied, people are fighting over toilet paper, people are being quarantined, the world-wide economy is being affected.

Here in our state, a mandate from the Governor has closed schools, colleges, preschools. It has cancelled any events over 250 people. Sporting events have been canceled, tournaments, and extra-curricular school functions have been postponed. Churches are being forced to cancel onsite attendance and only offer church sermons online. The place of refuge - the church - has now been denied to a scared and lost people.

God is calling us to STOP, be still, be quiet, and look up. Last night while I lay in my bed unable to sleep...again...A stop sign kept appearing in my mind. Why has God called us to STOP and be still?
In the book of Revelation, chapter 8, there is silence in heaven for 30 minutes. Heaven stops, is still, and is quiet while an angel, some say Jesus because He is performing priestly duties, "having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand (Revelation 8:3-4 NKJV).

It's as if God says, "Quiet! Shush! My people are praying and I want to hear the prayers of my people! Their prayers are a sweet aroma to Me."

Sometimes, we know as Christians that we are supposed to STOP and be still but there is too much to do. We have work, school, our kid sporting events, vacation plans, concert and movie dates, etc. etc.  As parents, we often see our children, spinning out of control, hyped up, getting cranky and grumpy, and we say, "It's time to take a rest time!"  I think God said, "My children need to take a spiritual rest time."  But, just like cranky toddlers will fight and cry, and moan and groan being forced to their beds, so we as God's children will fight going to rest.

God is a Good Father, a loving parent. This Sunday, He is bringing us back to the book of Acts. In the book of Acts, persecution was happening against Christians and the people of God would meet in small houses to have church. That is what will be happening this Sunday.

Our "church" where we worship the god of professional sports has been cancelled.
Our "church" where we worship the god of musicians and celebrity has been cancelled.
Our "church" where we worship the god of our children's sports has been cancelled.
Our "church" where we worship the god of academia has been cancelled.
Our "church" where we worship the god of money has been threatened.
Our "church" where we worship the god of self has lost control and we are being governed by others.
Even our churches where we can go to find refuge in the security of the church building has been taken away for a time.

Now, it's just us and God and a time to stop, be still, quiet our souls, and find rest in Him alone.

Every time there is a need for national prayer, we quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
... if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Yet, this morning was the first time I saw it quoted with verse 13 which actually makes it a complete sentence and puts it in context.
13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or SEND PESTILENCE AMONG MY PEOPLE, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Reading the whole sentence stopped me in my tracks this morning!!!! What has been devouring farms in minutes in the Middle East??? LOCUSTS
What has brought the world to a stand still? PESTILENCE!

I think God is speaking loud and clear:
"STOP! Be still! You want the pestilence to stop? Then Christians, "people who are called by My Name" humble yourselves. Pray. Seek my face. Turn from your wicked ways and repent! THEN, I will silence heaven so I can hear your prayers, and I will forgive your sin and heal your land."

God has spoken through HIS Word. He has given us the answer to this world-wide problem.
Our President who has been appointed by God for such a time as this, has responded like Queen Esther calling for her people to stop and pray so that God would move to save her people from utter destruction. The Jews responded to Queen Esther's plea and fasted and prayed and God saved her people. The question today is will we? Will we respond to the "Esther" of our times and our nation and STOP and pray?

Tomorrow, Sunday 15th, let us respond to the Word of God, to the call for prayer. Gather in your homes with fellow Believers. All it takes is 2-3 people to gather in Jesus' Name and Jesus promises to be in your midst (Matthew 18:20). And pray! It does not take fancy words and long prayers. It just takes humility, reverence to God, repentance, sincere hearts, and crying out to God for his mercy and intervention.

We have been called for such a time as this, let's heed God's warning and respond.

God bless,
Yolanda

Has God's Arm Lost It's Power? Prayer For Your Children

Have you ever found yourself whining to God about His manna? His daily provision he graciously provides us without having to think or ask for it. It just arrives every morning: our breath in our body, our comfy beds, roof over our heads, coffee waiting to be brewed...

This manna is small and pale. We have to go gather it, grind it, boil it, and bake it. Ugh….so much effort, LORD. In our daily grind of life, this heavenly provision can feel small, boring, insignificant. We become desensitized to the miracle delivery because it just shows up every morning.

We find ourselves wanting more!

Sometimes for earthly food and, even at times, for spiritual food.

I want God to speak to me with thunder and lighting from Mount Sinai. I get tired of waiting for the still small voice I hear confirmed in His Word. 

I start to grumble and complain.

I start to cry out, "LORD, I want MEAT!"

In my heart of hearts, what I'm really crying out for is the world's food. I want a taste of the world because I'm not content or satisfied with God's food.

While reading my morning Bible reading, I read in Numbers 11 how the Israelites felt exactly how I felt yesterday: grumpy, whiny, discouraged, disappointed and ungrateful. 

They were tired of the manna and they started cry out for meat.

God responded, "I've heard your grumbling. You want the world's food? I will give you so much meat you will gag!"

Moses, who was leading this group of whiners, tells God, "I can't handle this burden anymore. I didn't ask for it or want it. How can you possibly supply enough meat for all of these people?"

God responds to Moses, "Has My arm lost it's power? Now you will see whether My Word comes true."

You see, yesterday I had gone to the mountaintop expecting thunder and lightening. I wanted God to speak to me through a powerful cloud. I needed direction for my daughter's future since she is transitioning into adulthood, college, and career. There are so many choices to make in these last few months that I wanted God to speak in grand Exodus style.

Yet, what I got was scripture verses spoken calmly and quietly by two sweet sisters in the LORD.  I walked away feeling very disappointed. Thinking to myself, "Is that all, God?"
Until I decided to put those scriptures together and pray them:

Dear God,
I pray that you would draw my daughter with unfailing kindness and help her to feel your everlasting love.
I pray you would give her a Cyrus anointing. That you would empower her right hand. That you would open up doors for her that no man can shut. That you would go before her and level the mountains and make crooked places straight. I pray you would smash down gates that the enemy puts before her. Give her treasures hidden in the darkness, secret riches.
I pray you do this, LORD, so that she will know that you are the LORD, the God of Israel, who calls her by name.
LORD, I pray that every plant, whether it be relationships, friendships, school and career choices, decisions, that the Heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted by the root. Surround her with godly friendships, relationships, and opportunities where she will grow in her faith, grow deep roots in the Word, and bear good fruit.
I pray this in Jesus' powerful name.
Amen.

So I will pray this prayer, this Manna given to me yesterday morning, lovingly carried down on dew from my Heavenly Father, that I almost left outside discarded to rot in the afternoon sun.
Because I can almost hear God's voice say, "Yolanda, has My arm lost its power? Pray My Word and see whether it comes true."

The fervent prayers of the righteous mom avails much! Do you have a child, teen, or adult child who needs a Cyrus anointing, then start to pray Manna. Jesus is the Bread of Life. He will nourish your child with the only spiritual food that will satisfy.

Love,
Yolanda

My new favorite song: https://youtu.be/4BpirBRWGUs