We don't like hearing this but it has to be said over and over again - God has to prepare us for the promises. If not, we'll get our inheritance and squander it just like the prodigal son did. We'll spend every last dime only to then need to eat from a pig's trough in order to keep from starving as was the case for the Biblical character.
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However, God doesn't want that for us. He doesn't want us to squander what He gives. And so, just as He did with the Israelites when they were ushered out of Egypt, He takes us through a series of experiences to build our trust in Him. These encounters can be bitter, as was the case of the Israelites facing bitter water at Mara, or sweet, as is what happened when He led the Israelites to Elim - a beautiful place of abundant water and palm trees in the wilderness.
In each situation, how the people reacted was crucial and an indication of what they'd learned in their journey with God. At Mara, the people grumbled and complained (Exodus 15:23-24). They forgot how God had created a highway in the Red Sea not long before.
At Elim, which is where they went right after Mara, they enjoyed the land but there is no record of collective or even individual thanksgiving to God for His provision (Exodus 15:27). And so, in a time of largesse and blessing, the people forgot God.
And the events of the Israelites journey continued in a similar pattern - complaints when they couldn't see how God would bring something out of nothing as well as failure to praise and trust that He'll make a way when there is no way.
We have to choose to be different. We've got to remember our Jericho Moments - those times where God showed up and showed out on our behalf. We've got to hold on to them in the face of trials and tribulations, knowing that the same God who showed up back then will show up today and tomorrow. We've got to look at our lives as a series of encounters with His grace. Experiences - good and bad - to remember and rely upon what the Lord has taught us in each season of life.
He is building us up for His glory. He is preparing us not just for the blessings He has in store but for what comes with those blessings. If we are not well-trained in the season prior, it will be difficult to enjoy what we receive and even more difficult to remain the sort of person whom He continues to bless.
The Lord Almighty will help us in this journey of preparation. His grace will see us through whereby we don't repeat the mistakes of those Israelites of old but instead learn each lesson and put it into application for His glory, IJMN, Amen.
As you wait for fellowship, consider reading the following previous P&P messages:
Trust God - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) June 30, 2020
Wait on God - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) May 18, 2021
Patience: A Fruit of The Spirit - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) July 6, 2021
Faith vs Trust - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) September 10, 2021
Patience - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) October 5, 2021
Hold On - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) November 16, 2021
But, can you wait? - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) June 17, 2022
Waiting on the Lord's Solution - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) April 21, 2023
CLOSING PRAYER
Lord, we have come to the end of another fellowship hour. Thank You for guiding us and being present in our midst. Thank You for holding us and hearing us. To You be all the glory!
Dear Father, as Your children worshipped and interceded for others, I pray that You will remember them for giving in praise to You and prayer to others. Bless them for honoring You in this way.
Please meet them at their points of need and bless them as only You can, IJMN, Amen.
LAST 10 MINUTES
We've discussed this issue of waiting on the Lord multiple times in the past. The issue never goes away because we are all waiting on the Lord for something. And so, today's post should act as a reminder to once again entrench yourself in God's 'waiting room.' There is nothing easy about waiting on the Lord to bring about His promises and/or answer our desperate prayer points.
But as we learned today, the waiting is part of the preparation. It is for our good so we'll be ready for the blessings, the promises and all that come with them.
So, let's re-orientate ourselves and lift our eyes to God. I say this because when we're hoping for something, it is easy to take our eyes off the Lord and instead train them on the problem we want gone. We have to remember that we need God - and not man or satan - to solve our issues. Let us pray about this together -
Lord, thank You for all the experiences I have had. I thank You because You have been with me each step of the way. Thank You for the good and not so good moments. Thank You for the many things You have brought my way as well as the many issues You've kept from me. All glory belongs to You.
I pray for Your grace and the fruit of patience, as I wait on You to perfect that which You have started in my life. I look forward to You being the Omega over all that You Alpha-d. Glory be to You, IJMN, Amen.
God I pray for those Your children who are being led astray.
The Bible says: no one can come unto the Father unless He has first called them unto Himself. Abba, if You call them Your children, then that means You have a good plan (Jer 29:11) for them.
Lord, I ask that in Your mercy, You will not fully abandom them to the devil. Instead let the veil be torn from their eyes. Let Your grace pull them out of the pit, and put them back in Your marvelous light. Let them be saved in Jesus name, amen.
Lion that guards the universe! I hail You. Almighty One, All-knowing One, Ever-present One. Father, let Your justice prevail as it concerns Your children.
"Wrath to Your adversaries, retribution to Your foes" (Isiah 58:19). Arise Abba! Remember the things Your children have gone through by the hand of the wicked, enduring patiently only because of your name's sake. Your word promises that You will "never forget their labors of love". Give Your children double for their shame. In return, let Psalm 129:6 be true for their enemies: "May they be like grass on the roof, which withers before it can grow;"
Amen in Jesus name.
From AC - Adonai I continue to plead the blood of The Lamb over MD and others that are falling further and further into witchcraft. Please call her back to you and break the wicked influence and stronghold that occultism has on her life. Turn her heart away from the darkness and into one that thirsts and hungers for You alone (Jeremiah 24:7). Please see to it that she leaves that place, and returns home now. In Jesus' mighty Name, I pray Amen.
Sovereign Lord, thank You for this gathering. It is with gratitude that I acknowledge that we fellowship under Your authority.
In the name of Jesus, I hereby declare that every weapon of the enemy fashioned against this fellowship shall not ever prosper, Amen. I come against every principality that thinks it can cement its presence in our midst. Lord, silence the wicked in the darkness. I decree Deuteronomy 28:28 against all who would dare stand against Your plan and purpose for this fellowship and those whom You have brought to it.
Your will alone be done, for the word states that Your purpose shall always prevail.
Thank You for this assurance, dear God. I give You praise, Lord, for wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Therefore, IJN, there is freedom from the works of satan in this gathering. Your purpose and plan cannot be thwarted and to You be all the glory, Amen.
Take Your place, Father. We welcome You in our midst as He who has complete authority and dominion. Hallelujah!
From AC - Abba a million tongues of thanks will never suffice for what You have done for me. Thank You for the breakthroughs, miracles, and healing before they even appear. Thank You for establishing Your plans for my life and for giving me hope and a future. Thank You Lord, for breaking strongholds, and what the enemy meant for evil, You turned it around for good! May Your almighty will be magnified. In Jesus' Name, Amen
Great and Mighty God. You are Yahweh! The God who we lift high and exalt. You are amazing, now and always. Praise be to Your Holy name.
Father, I lift up those waiting on You for one thing or the other. Your word is clear in Isaiah 64:4 - No one has ever heard, no one has paid attention, and no one has seen any god except you. You help those who wait for you. (GWT).
Thank You Father for being the God who does not ignore the prisoners of hope. For their waiting, You have promised to give them double restoration. So, while the devil wants to convince them that You will not come through or that they didn't hear the promise You made, I know You are the God who will not only do what is being waited for but will do exceedingly and abundantly more!
Lord, I call on You to move on behalf of those waiting on You. Their expectation will not be cut short because You promised in Proverbs 23:18 - There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Remember them for their faith, albeit a mustard seed level. Reassure and encourage them. Help them build up their faith, making them Your witnesses of Your might, IJMN, Amen.
PRAYER TIME
We now turn our attention to praying for other people. To do so, we have to put our own prayer needs to the side and focus on others.
Call on the Lord to help the people in your life. Ask Him to meet the needs of strangers. Plead with Him to have mercy on the world.
1 Timothy 2:1 - I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—
From AC - Thank You @FFJ for sharing another Holy Spirit-filled message that many of us need today. Glory Hallelujah!!! All I could do was praise our Father while reading it.
It also reminds me of something I told someone recently - that are times when God seeks to change your heart before he will change your circumstances. This is something I learned a few years ago. He is not saying "no" to the promises. He is saying "not yet, trust my timing and my ways which are hight than your ways" because he has to prepare us first before we receive the blessing, as you so eloquently explained.
Thank You for this reminder today, because although I offered this advice to someone else just the other day, I also needed to receive it today and it has really blessed me. God bless you sis
God, I place MU before You. You know the task You have placed ahead of her. I want to thank You for going ahead of her and laying the foundation.
Thank You because Your will be done and You will be glorified.
Hallelujah to You, dear Lord.
You are He who sits upon the throne. And so to You as well as the Lamb, be praise and honor, glory and power. Now and forever and ever!
Thank You, oh Lord!
God thank You for:
success/progress on my art
how this morning went
a newfound discipline
for good health, and solutions to minor issues
From AC - Mighty Abba, God of all compassion, thank You for fighting for me, for loving me despite of me, for healing me, for saving me, for never ever forsaking me, for being my protector and comforter. I am so humbled by Your love, grace, and mercy. You are all that sustains me and I give You all glory. The victory is Yours. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Glorious God, Your children are here again to worship Your Holy Name!
As we gather before You, please enter into the atmosphere. Please be pleased by our offerings of praise.
May they rise as a sweet incense to You, oh Lord.
Thank You God for choosing to prepare us first so we can fully benefit from what You'll give to us
PRAISE TIME
Hallelujah!
Let's join hands to honor the Lord with our praise and worship.
He is great and greatly to be praised!
From M22 - Heavenly Father I pray over everyone of us in a season of waiting. I pray 2 Timothy 1 vs 7 over everyone of us. I pray that we continue to praise and worship as we wait. I pray God gives us the patience to wait irrespective of what is going on around us and information we are hearing. The Lord is our strength IJMN amen.
From CD - Good Morning Family ❤️
From AW - Happy Friday Peppers!
And thank you @FFJ for another fine word today. ❤️❤️❤️
I love You Lord
Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
Oh I will sing of the goodness of God
Cause all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh I will sing of the goodness of God
I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In darkest night You are close like no other
I've known You as a Father
I've known You as a Friend
And I have lived in the goodness of God (yeah)
And all my life You have been faithful (oh yes You have)
And all my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh I will sing of the goodness of God
Your goodness is running after it's running after me
Your goodness is running after it's running after me
With my life laid down I surrender now
I give You everything
Your goodness is running after it's running after me
Your goodness is running after (oh yeah) it's running after me (oh yeah)
Your goodness is running after it's running after me
With my life laid down I'm surrendered now
I give You everything
Your goodness is running after it running after me
And all my life You have been faithful
And all my life You have been so so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh I'm gonna sing of the goodness of God
I'm gonna sing
All my life You have been faithful
(All my life you’ve been faithful)
And all my life You have been so so good
(So good with every breath)
With every breath that I am able
(Every breath I am able)
I'm gonna sing (I’m gonna sing)
Of the goodness of God
(Of the goodness of God yes I am)
I'm gonna sing of the goodness of God
Oh I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God