Sunday, December 31, 2023

New Year's Day - Where Is Truth?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-r2qqLNETo  

YouTube:  ‘Why I believe The Bible – (20 Minute Brilliancy!)’

By Faith Talks (24 min 25 sec – and worth every second)

 

“In the beginning was the Word, and thee Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.  In His was life, and the life was the Light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:1-5

 

“For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”  Hebrews 4:12-13

 

In the many years I’ve been writing the WeakDay Devotion, I’ve rarely taken a ‘leave of absence’.  However, most of December turned out to be a forced rest for me with various health challenges to deal with.  So, I rested and considered why it is difficult for me to rest and thanked the Lord for the interlude and then for restoring my health. 

 

I offer my apologies and am delighted to continue the ‘God’s Promises Have Conditions Series’ (we are now starting in the New Testament).  But wanted to start the New Year with the foundation of the devotions -- God’s Word.  Please also take a moment to review any prayer requests you have made and update me with any changes.

 

Take care with love, especially His, Darlene (who still prays for you daily)

 

PSS:  Find my statement of faith:  https://especiallyhislove.blogspot.com  (where you will also find a series of beginner Bible studies to share). Find the WeakDay Devotion online by doing a Google search for ‘WeakDay Devotion’.  (Also, there is an android ‘Google Blogger’ app you can download to read them on your phone.  Not sure about Apple.).  For the books, go to Amazon books.  To contact me with prayer requests and updates: darlenerichard@gmail.com 

 

Please update your PRAYER REQUESTS

·      URGENT ISRAEL– it is the 86th day of this horrible and unwanted war.  Pray that Israel forces will locate and save the many hostages still held captive. Pray for those who have lost loved ones, continued protection of the hostages, for the Israeli soldiers and strategists moving through enemy territory to restore peace and purify the land of all terrorists.  Pray also for the Palestinian people – many are helpless captives of the terrorists.

·      NEW Lindsey - the youngest daughter (now all grown up) of my dearest friends, Annette and Lyle.  Lindsey needs your prayers for healing and strengthening.  Pray for her patience and the wisdom of her health care providers.

·      David – was in hospital for observation and special treatment of his congestive heart symptoms and pneumonia.  He is now home and feeling better, but tired.  Pray for his patience and continued wisdom for his health carers.

·      Heidi -- (David’s daughter and home carer) has come down with a serious flu. Please pray for her complete recovery and that she will be strong and healthy.

·      Barbara – the beloved wife of my brother, Tim (who passed away the end of January 2023).  Please pray God places people in her path who will help her with all the things He knows she needs help with.  Pray for Barb’s peace and protection at night.

·      Patti and John – Pray the Lord keeps them safe and healthy and that they are encouraged in the strength of the Lord and never compromise the truth of the Bible for any reason (Joshuah 1:6-9).

·      Jeff and Rachael’s family, Peyton and Carter - Payton, granddaughter, now a senior in university.  Carter, their son, now a freshman in college.  Both are exceptional students and love the Lord.  Pray they are not distracted by worldly things, that the Lord watches over and protects them, that they continue to do well in their studies and that their love of God’s Word increases daily.

·      Sarah and Andrew – he left his job two years ago and she went to work in a new role.  Pray for this precious Christian couple that they focus on family balance to the glory of the Lord.

·      Bettina – continue to pray for her as she grows into a new phase of her life in the Lord.  Pray each of her five married daughters, spouses and 18 grandchildren grow to love and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

·      Ian – continue to pray that his desire to grow his understanding and effectiveness with personal evangelism is fulfilled. 

·      Elina – needs God’s wisdom and the courage of her convictions and resolve to live a life that is Christ-honouring for herself and her young son, Jimmy.

·      Megan (for emotional healing) and Scott, her husband (for patience and wisdom) and wisdom for his sister, Clare, as she seeks to support them through troubled times.

·      Christine – give her strength as she journeys to heart-healing and pray her husband gives his heart to the Lord.

·      Robin – lost her beloved mother (was 93 years old), please pray for strength and healing for her as she navigates through this time of mourning and for her daughter who is comforting her.

·      Pray for true, Christ-centered revival in America.

 

Pray for those in full-time service

Pray the Lord upholds our Christian leaders – that they never compromise God’s Word and remain bold and courageous in the face of evil.  Pray for their wisdom, safety, ingenuity, strength and for their families.

·      Scott and Carolyn Petty – Scott settling in as our new pastor.  Pray he and his wife and family know how welcome they are.  Pray for their wisdom, strength and patience during this time.

·      Elaine and Jim Pounder and their ‘Little Church’ ministry.  They thank you for your prayers.  Continue to pray for their safety, health, strength and time with family as their ministry continues to spread around the world in a model of home churches. Pray for continued growth of their YouTube channel and website:  The Little Church World at https://www.youtube.com/user/thelittlechurchworld

·      Pat and Isobel –as they serve tirelessly in challenging times.  Pray the Lord refreshes and strengthens them with ‘streams in the desert’.

·      Ray and Kathy – Ray has recovered from his surgery.  Pray for plans to move his mom (who is fading into the growing fog of dementia) to Sydney where more of her family can support her.  Pray for their separate ministries to grow through the witness of their love and compassion.

·      Jenny S– Pray Father-God continues to give her robust health, sufficient financial support and winsome wisdom -- and keep praying He provides her with a new car (she would love leather seats).  Help her identify the value of her unique contributions wherever she goes. 

·      Talitha – in full-time children’s ministry needs financial support for her work.  Pray God moves the hearts of those around her to provide ample support for her work.

·      Isaias and Judith Catorce – have faithfully served as key leaders and teachers for Ambassadors for Christ Philippines (AFCP – TMS Global).  Judith still needs your prayers as she recovers from cancer surgery.  I had the privilege of visiting their ministry and encourage you to learn more about their tireless work and consider supporting them by going to www.tms-global.org .  Select the ‘Give’ option at the top of the page.  Select ‘Give to a Worker.’  Type the amount of the gift and the code 6028 (which equals ‘Catorce’), then follow the simple directions. 

·      Andrew M. – national coordinator of (Deaf Ministries Intnl).  Pray for strength and wisdom and for his beloved wife, Toyoko, as she supports him.

·      Simon, Tamara and their children – Simon has moved to a new ministry with new challenges.  Pray for him and his entire family. 

·      John and Sheridan – a most delightful couple.  He is the pastor of a church with a small and faithful congregation, and she supports him in many ways.  Pray God encourages them to not grow weary of their work and that the Lord brings abundant fruit.

·      Patrick - a Bible scholar, who is presently part of an English Translation Review Committee, reviewing a new translation of the New Testament, ‘The Antioch Bible’ (translating from Syriac to English).  Pray for their hoped-for goal of finishing the entire NT this calendar year and that he has increasing skill in the complicated languages he is working with.

·      Audley M – In his 90s, has remarried after his wife passed away.  Pray for their union in Christ, heath and strength.  Pray for his wisdom and the effective growth of his wonderful radio ministry (Florida, Virginia, Alabama, Indianapolis) as America hunger for ‘True meat’ and for sufficient energy to work on his book.

 

Pray Especially for Salvation for:

·      Becky – still in rehab for spinal surgery.  Pray for her patience and for her health care providers to be wise and compassionate, that her family rallies around her to care for her and, most of all, that she finds the Lord in all this.

·      Fred and Barb brother of Patti -- for salvation.

·      Bryan and Julie (Patti’s daughter) Pray for the salvation of at least one of the family and that the others will follow shortly thereafter.  They are parents of Callilah, Adrian, Micah, Kevin and Nate -- lost, damaged and troubled children – all of whom we have prayed for over the years.

·      Sophie– six-year-old daughter of a friend is chronically ill and frail.  Please pray for her, her parents and health carers to find ways to manage her symptoms and heal her and that this will lead them all to God’s saving grace.

·      Paul – please pray for him.  He still has not found a job or work after more than ten years.  Please pray the Lord provides needed work so he can begin to heal and strengthen.

·      Pray for Jeff and Rachael’s family in Louisville to desire and seek a relationship with the Lord.

·      Peggy – a dear friend and colleague of my sister-in-law who has been battling cancer in her neck for years.  Her new oncologist has started a combination of chemo and radiation that seems to be working, but she is miserable.  Please pray for her as she waits for her body to heal and strengthen and that she finds salvation.

·      Sue and Rob – opened their home to support Luke who is angry and lost.  He has been there a long time now and refuses to move out.  Please pray the Lord saves all three and that Luke realises he must take responsibility for his own life.  Pray for continued patience and compassion of Sue and Rob.

·      Demi and John – one evening John went out their backdoor to run an errand and was attacked by someone with a knife who stabbed him several times (one pierced his heart).  He has recovered physically, but pray for him and his wife as they pull their lives together – that they might find the Lord in all the chaos left behind.

·      Jen N – a Jewish woman I’ve met at work, please pray for her that she will find a new role and that she stays safe and healthy.  Please pray for her and her two boys (ages 16 and 17).

 

Pray for those with ongoing health concerns

Many of us have family, friends and loved ones with fragile health.  Pray God takes special care with them and protects them in practical ways and that the Lord will have mercy on them.

·      Wayne B – is slowly losing his precious wife, Lyn, (diagnosed with frontal temporal dementia three and a half years ago).  She has been in care since May of 2020 but recently had a succession of falls and is now in a psycho-geriatric facility. She sometimes knows who he is but is no longer able to respond.  Pray for comfort for Wayne as he deals with this difficult situation. 

·      Jonia long-time friend, wandering through the challenges of cancer treatment.  No results yet from the PET scan, but other tests indicate her cancer is gone.  Nevertheless, she is still recovering from the treatments and needs your prayers as she lives alone.

·      Hans– a dear friend in Germany struggling with lung cancer and financial difficulties.  Pray his new social worker will be able to help him and that he will have patience.  Pray for his healthcare providers and that he is surrounded by faithful and compassionate Christian friends who will remind him of the Lord’s love.  Pray for his Mom (age 84) -- that their time together is filled with extraordinarily good memories and lots of love.

·      Jake – continues his battle with COPD (emphysema) and heart problems (he’s now had five stents put in).  Please pray for his daughter, Tiffany and his other friends and health carers to help him through his health journey.

·      Jenwho lost her only sister and recently had an accident that landed her in a special long-term facility.  She is home now and very tired and grateful to be home.  Please pray for her patience and that she will realise how much the Lord loves her.

·      Philip and Sue – Philip recently had surgery.  Pray for his health carers and for Sue as she supports him through his recovery.

·      Leon – out of intensive care into the high dependency unit.  Pray for his health-care providers that they are wise and compassionate.

·      Patti and John – pray God continues to inspire them with His love and compassion and that He will guard their health.  Pray also for travelling mercies as Patti is now the only one who drives.

·      Dana, daughter of Annette and Lyle just gave birth to their first grandchild.  All healthy.  Pray God watches over this precious, new child throughout her life and that He captures her heart early in her life that she may inspire others by her faith and love.

 

Pray for the World

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