YouTube – Joy Unto The World (Official Lyric Video)
By – The Afters (4 min 14 sec)
“Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said
to them, ‘Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little
while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’?
“’Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and
lament, but the world will rejoice; you will; you will grieve, but your grief will
be turned into joy.
“’Whenever a woman is in labour, she has pain, because
her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer
remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the
world.
“’Therefore, you too have grief now; but I will see you
again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from
you. In that day you will not question
Me about anything.’” John 16:19-24
The contrast between joy and sorrow seems vast – on opposite
ends of a straight line. Yet, when sorrow
ends, the resulting joy seems to make the sorrow just drift away into ‘a memory’.
Knowing God sent His only, beloved Son, Jesus, into this
troubled and sorrowful world is truly a miracle we can celebrate with exceeding
joy. And He did this for you and
me.
What joy to know God is always, and sovereignly, working in
our lives to grow us into the image of His beloved Son (II Corinthians 3:18,
Colossians 3:5-11, Romans 8:28-30).
Take care with love, especially His, Darlene (who still
prays for you daily)
PS: Find my statement
of faith: https://especiallyhislove.blogspot.com
(where you will also find a series of
Bible studies). You can also find the devotions online, just search for
‘WeakDay Devotion’.
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. For prayer requests and
updates email me: darlene@weakdaydevotion.com
Please update your PRAYER REQUESTS
·
ISRAEL OVERVIEW of Issues of
Al-Aqsa Mosque – 136 days have passed of this horrible and unwanted
war. Thank the Lord two more hostages were freed. Pray Israeli forces locate
and save the remaining hostages. Pray for the wisdom and safety of the Israeli
soldiers, for those who have lost loved ones and for those moving through enemy
territory as they risk their lives to restore peace and purify the land of all terrorists. Pray also for the Palestinian people – many are
helpless captives of war.
·
URGENT - Barbara – the beloved widow of my brother,
Tim, sprained her ankle and needs time to rest and
heal. She returned to the
doctor and must take another week for the healing to be complete. As one of
God’s faithful widows, pray God always protects her, especially at night. Pray He guards the structure and integrity of
the house and places willing people in her path to help her as she faces a life
without Tim.
·
Junko –
that she would have a calm heart as she applies herself to her studies. Help her through each day and that she gets
enough rest.
·
Michael C
– please pray for him and his family for comfort, as they grieve the loss of
his father.
·
Yoshimi – has
started to attend church and read her Bible.
Pray she grows into a deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ and that
she finds work she can enjoy and benefit from.
·
Jenny S–
in full-time ministry. Please pray for her because she will have hip-replacement
surgery 4th of April –
pray there will be friends who will support her through the long and slow
healing process. Pray Father-God
continues to provide sufficient financial support and winsome wisdom.
·
Lindsey - the youngest daughter
of my dearest friends, Annette and Lyle, needs your prayers for healing and
strengthening. Pray for her patience and
the wisdom of her health care providers.
·
Andrew M – head of Deaf Ministries Intnl., has begun an
international tour starting in Japan.
Please pray for travelling mercies, robust health and rest and for
abundant harvest of those who need a creative way to ‘hear’ the Gospel.
·
Jeff and
Rachael’s family: - Peyton, granddaughter, graduated from college Dec
2023. Carter, grandson, is doing great
in his first year 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 as their lives develop under God’s
loving hand and that their love of God’s Word increases daily.
·
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. (Joshuah 1:6-9).
·
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.
·
Nerida –
that her living situation is resolved with grace, and she finds a place to live
that is more peaceful and supportive.
·
Bettina –
is retiring after a lifetime of service to her company. Pray each of her five married daughters, spouses
and 18 grandchildren support her as she enters this new phase of her life, and
they all continue to grow in their love of the Lord Jesus Christ.
·
Ian and Jenny–
continue to pray that his desire to grow his understanding and effectiveness
with personal evangelism is fulfilled and that their two grown children would turn
back to their relationship with Christ.
·
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, pray for traveling mercies
as he is in Europe and pray most of all that her husband gives his life to the
Lord.
·
Robin –
continue to pray for her strength and healing as she continues her journey
after the loss her beloved mother (was 93 years old) and pray for the strength
of 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.
Pray
Especially for Salvation for:
·
Louisville family
of Jeff and Rachael – that a desire grows in their heart for a
relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
·
R & B
– exploring the Truth for themselves. Please place true believers in their
paths to disciple them.
·
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.
·
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).
· Don Yockey - lost his fight with cancer. Please pray the Lord uses this time to open the family’s hearts to His love and salvation.
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.
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