God's Love Never Fails

Thank God for always loving, never leaving and being our Rock.

Sing Your Song & Rejoice

It's All About Knowing God

Reaching Out to the One who Made You

We Never Leave God's Hands

God is Everything

Blessed be the Name of the Lord

Songs Only This Week

We are praying for Adam, this week, but our posts will be limited to worship songs. We celebrated the life of my father, Bennie Mortensen, on Tuesday. After an emotional day, we are worn out. 

We will return to regular posting, next week. Thank you for your understanding.

Doug

I Will Rise

Night: How Big is Your God?

Luke 1:26-33

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Wow, imagine being Mary! Women, imagine that an angel appears and tells you that you will give birth to the Son of the Most High! There are several problems to overcome...the shock of the appearance of an angel, being told of the greatness of the baby you will give birth to, and one very important detail — you are a virgin.

I have two observations: First, Luke wrote these verses after a careful investigation (see last night's Eve of Fasting post), and they are similar to other accounts, so I believe them to be true. Second, God can work in whatever way He chooses, often in ways that are contrary to our human understanding.

Do you believe that is impossible, or at least, highly unlikely that Adam will be restored? Are there other challenges in your life that seem impossible to overcome? Put yourself in Mary's place. How impossible would it seem that events would unfold the way the angel Gabriel had said they would?

J.B. Phillips authored the classic book entitled Your God is Too Small. I must confess that I have never read it, but the title alone is tells me something very important. During those times when I get discouraged, my God shrinks. Obviously, God does not change, but my view of Him does. In moments of discouragement, my lack of faith has me thinking that God does not have the ability to work wonders here on earth.

Yet, if I believe this often-read passage from Luke (I do), I have to realize that God is BIG. He is much larger than any problem I bring to Him. He is large enough, strong enough, powerful enough, and caring enough to restore Adam.



The God who became man in the form of Jesus Christ, whose birthday we celebrate this week, is a big God. He is big enough to hear our prayers, and He is big enough to restore Adam.

Tonight, thank God for sending His Son, Jesus Christ, into this world to save us from our sins. Ask God to forgive us of our sins. Pray for Adam's caregivers, therapists, doctors, and all responsible for Adam's care, including Amy. Ask that God would direct them, provide them with wisdom, and instill in them a burning desire to rehabilitate Adam.

Ask God that Adam's ability to communicate would continue improving and that he would soon speak.

Good night, and God bless.

Dinner: My Heart Aches — Hold Me Jesus

by Hillary Mortensen

I learned one hour prior to writing my lunch-time post that my Mortensen grandfather passed away. I’m not sure why I am telling you this except to say that it hurts. My heart aches as I grieve the loss, even if my spirit rejoices that my grandpa is now with the Lord and free from the restraints of his ailing physical body. Tears well as I replay memories with him in my mind. Sobs resound as I think of my own father’s loss. I am reminded of my total weakness and vulnerability.

Just minutes ago, I received this verse in my inbox:

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Wow. Amazing, isn’t it? We are celebrating a season in which we give praise and thanks for Jesus who comes to us as our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Let us pray that we would all, especially Amy and the rest of Adam’s family, experience Jesus in these roles. When we need counsel, when we need might, when we need a father, when we need peace, Jesus is.

In our weakness, let Jesus show His strength: “Jesus, please hold me. Please hold Adam and his family members, as well. You have been King of our glory; come be our Prince of Peace.”

And for a very appropriate Old School song:



Pray that Jesus would hold Adam's family close during the Christmas weekend.

Lunch: Is God with Us?

by Hillary Mortensen

While studying the story of Joseph, I had a nagging question: Is God with me like he was with Joseph?

Genesis 39:2-3

The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. ³His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.

Genesis 39:21-23

²¹But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. ²²And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. ²³The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed.

I give credit to my pastor Mark Pickerill for his sermon The God Who is on Every Page for bringing up my very question about God being with Joseph. He then addressed how we can experience “God with you” like Joseph did. Here are a few highlights I drew from the talk:

• Our God is in relentless pursuit of us! However, it is possible for God to be with someone without that person realizing it.
• Becoming aware of the presence of God is an acquired skill.
• When you’re aware of the presence of God, you will start seeing Him all over the place.
• God wants to be with people so badly that He came to Earth to dwell with them. (Jesus is Emmanuel, meaning God With Us.)
•  To practice experiencing the presence of God, we need to keep our attention on God, not allowing anything to distract us. (This goes back to  a “Look Up” phrase in a blog entry months ago.)
  Psalm 16:7-8
  I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
     even at night my heart instructs me.
  I keep my eyes always on the LORD.
     With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
•            God comes with reassurances. He is not a performance evaluator.
        Joshua 1:9
  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. 
• God is with you when you get counsel and instruction.
• You will know God’s presence by the convicting work of the Holy Spirit.
• JOY. God is with you when you experience joy.
  Psalm 16:11
  
        You make known to me the path of life;
        you will fill me with joy in your presence,
        with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
  
  
  After hearing this sermon and considering whether God is with me like He was with Joseph, I understood that the answer is YES! I need only to work on acquiring the skill of experiencing His presence.
  
  
  Let’s pray that we would improve in experiencing the presence of God in our lives, that we would feel His reassurances as we read the Bible, that we would confess part of our lives that we’re hiding and know the Holy Spirit has convicted us, that we would experience joy and know it comes from God. Thank God for coming to be with us. As we celebrate Christmas, let’s stand amazed at what God has done and who He is. May Adam, Amy, Mackenzie, Jack, Cookie, Ben, Brad, and Tristan experience the joy of the season.
  
  
  
  
  
  In spite of the circumstances, may this be the merriest of Christmases.

Ps

Breakfast: While We're Waiting

by Hillary Mortensen

My church life group recently finished a study on the person of Joseph, the Old Testament character known for his coat of many colors and eventual rise to power as leader of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh.

Throughout our study, I admit, I was distracted by the details of the story—his dreams, his genealogy, the chronological timeline of events, etc. As it came time to wrap up the study, I prayed, “Lord, help this become real to me and my life group members. Allow it to matter. I don’t want to finish and have people walk away feeling like they got nothing from this.”

Lo and behold, God in His goodness and faithfulness answered my prayer, and I feel compelled to share it with you.

[If you are not familiar with Joseph’s story, or even if you are, I encourage you to read Genesis 37-50. If you’re not up for that, you can read a summary here. The rest of this will make even more sense.]

In retrospect, we can take a look at Joseph’s life and see how he was favored by his father and adorned with the greatest gifts. We can see that he earned favor with Potiphar and was able to rule over his home. Eventually, he became second to Pharaoh and protected Egypt from seven years of famine due to his ability to interpret dreams. What a happily-ever-after sort of story.

What God ended up showing me was how I have neglected to take into account Joseph’s darkest years, which I also consider his years of preparation. Sure, Joseph may have received a beautiful coat from his dad, but his brothers hated him to the point that they would sell him into slavery and make even his father believe that he is dead. Then, he was a slave!...in a land that was not his own, with a people who were not his people, speaking a language that was not his language. Can you even consider how alone, uncomfortable, and abandoned he felt? His master Potiphar, who entrusted Joseph with everything and kept nothing from Joseph except his own wife, ended up throwing Joseph in prison after Potiphar’s wife falsely accused Joseph of sexual assault. Can you imagine how frustrating it would be to be falsely accused, to know that you are receiving punishment for a crime you didn’t commit when you were trying so hard to live righteously? He stayed in prison for two years, having been forgotten by a cupbearer he helped and therefore not receiving his expected pardon.

Eventually Joseph became a well-respected leader to whom Pharaoh gave everything he desired. His story was recorded for all humankind to know for thousands of years and generations to come. He is, by definition, an epic hero. From him we learn lessons about pride, arrogance, family, obedience, and patience. Still, we must consider what Joseph’s story teaches us about God Himself:

Romans 8:28
“God works all things together for good for those who love Him who have been called according to His purpose."

Although Joseph’s brothers intended to harm him, he was purchased by the people who would eventually lead him to Potiphar’s household, where Joseph matured, developed management skills, and excelled in his work. While the false accusation by Potiphar’s wife sent Joseph to prison, it was here that he met Pharaoh’s cupbearer who would later recommend Joseph to Pharaoh as an interpreter of dreams. Joseph’s interpretation and his foresight allowed him to implement a plan to provide for the Egyptians during seven years of famine. Egypt’s resources would ultimately reunite Joseph’s family and save them from starving. It all worked out!...and not only to tie up the loose ends of a nice little story, but to show us that God is orchestrating our lives to bring Him glory, even when we cannot see it in the season we’re in.

At lunch we will review a second lesson we learn through the story of Joseph. For now, spend some time praying about your current season of life, Adam’s current season. Pray that at all times, you, Adam, and his family are able to praise God even in the darkest times. Pray for the strength to remain obedient and upright even when things don’t make sense.

I’ve posted this song before, but I hope it would be the cry of all our hearts. May we be people who move ahead, bold and confident, taking every step in obedience, while we’re in waiting seasons of life.



Though it’s painful, let’s wait patiently and faithfully.

Special Post: I love you, Dad!

My Dad went home to be with Jesus, late Sunday night. He got to spend 88 years on this earth. Despite his "ripe old age," I miss him.

It's Christmas week, with all the busy-ness generally associated with it. Plus, this is one of, if not the busiest weeks of the year for the business that Gretchen and I own. And, my sisters and I are planning Dad's funeral next Tuesday. I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.

My niece, Brooklynne, put on a concert this past Saturday night. She is a wonderful singer. I spoke with Adam's father, Jack, who attended her performance. He offered his condolences to me as my Dad was nearing death. I told him that it was time, my Dad had lived a full life.

Then I told Jack that that it was not Adam's time. I told Jack that we would keep praying for that day when he would be able to carry on a conversation with Adam. Oh, how I hope that day brings glory and honor to Jesus!

I apologize if I don't appear to be coherent. I am tired and emotional, but still thankful for God's provision. And, I am still looking forward to praying for Adam, tomorrow.

Dad, I don't really know how things work in Heaven. But, if you can put in a good word for Adam, his family would really appreciate it. Thanks!

I love you,
Doug

Eve of Fasting

A Careful Investigation

It's Christmas week, which means a three things: First, many of us are busy getting ready for parties, family gatherings, and the exchange of gifts. Second, it will be especially difficult for Adam's family as they grieve his absence at holiday gatherings. Third, despite the hustle and bustle, despite the grief, we can rejoice in the certainty of the birth of Christ.

Luke 1:1-4

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

I take great comfort that Luke provided us with an account of Jesus' life, death, and ressurection. I take even greater comfort that he "carefully investigated everything from the beginning." So, as we pray for Adam, this week, we can all be comforted knowing that Jesus is the Christ.

Thank you, Luke, for your careful investigation. Thank you for writing to Theophilus, so that we all may know the certainty of things. With so many uncertainties in our lives, isn't it great to rely on the certainty of Jesus?



I look forward to praying with you, tomorrow. This evening, thank God for Luke's careful investigation that provided us with an accurate account of Jesus' life, beginning with His birth that we celebrate this week. Thank God for all of the scriptures.

Breaking the Fast: Morning Has Broken

Psalm 33:22

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,

       even as we put our hope in you.

Until we unite together, next week:

• Continue to pray for Adam. 
• Pray for Adam's family
• Fast anytime the Holy Spirit leads you.
• Spend time in God's word.
• Attend church on Sunday.

Evening: Comfort

As Bill LaPiana stated in his comment to the Mid Afternoon post, I have felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. Not constantly, but especially at those times when I am praying and meditating, I have felt His strong presence.

As I was returning from my "lunch" break in the park, I had a longing to be with all of you. I wished that we could all come together for a group prayer. Yet, I still feel connected to all of you. Receiving a phone call, a text message, an email, or viewing a blog comment confirmed what I already knew. You have all been there for Adam, today. Together, we have petitioned God to heal Adam.

Our work is not over, but the day is beginning to wind down for many of us. I don't know about you, but it seems to be going by so quickly. Last night, I was wondering if I could make it through the day without eating. Now, I don't want the day to end. I am going to make at least one more post before the day is done. There will be more in the morning, which you can read before or after eating.

I am going to take some time to meditate on my experiences over the past 24 hours. I will think about the emotions that I felt, including those times when I could not stop the flow of tears. I will praise God for blessing me with all that has happened. He has been faithful to me. Join me in this song about God's faithfulness.



Scripture Reference

Psalm 145: 1-5
 1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
 2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
 3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
 4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.
 5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
       and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

Of course, I will suggest that you pray again. Refer to the words of Paul in Chapter 5 (verses 16-18) of his first letter to Thessalonians:

16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Be joyful — I am very joyful that God blessed us with this day.

Pray continually — I will continue to ask God to bless Adam with the healing power of the Holy Spirit.

Give Thanks — I am thankful that our Lord is a loving God, a merciful God, a forgiving God and that He hears our prayers.

Dinner: Why?

Why?

Have you thought this? Have you asked God this question?

During your "dinner time," I would encourage you wrestle with the questions of, "Why, Adam? Why, now?" and others like it. Go ahead, ask God. Then, be still. Remain still for what may seem to be an uncomfortable period of time. After that time has elapsed, read these verses:

John 9:1-11

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

6Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7"Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

8His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9Some claimed that he was.

Others said, "No, he only looks like him."

But he himself insisted, "I am the man."

10"How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded.

11He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."

As I have mentioned previously, I am neither preacher nor Bible scholar. I am not an expert, nor do I have special insights. I invite comments if I am misreading this, but what verse 3 of this passage tells me is that bad things happen to bring glory to God. This short passage provides both an answer to "Why?" and more evidence of Jesus' healing power by bringing sight to a blind man.

Why so long?

We move onto the next question. I think to myself, "Many of us have been praying fervently since the day of Adam's accident. A number of us have fasted and united together in prayer. Where's the results? Why so long? Don't You want to bring glory to Yourself?"

I must remember that God is God, and I am not! I cannot know His plans for Adam, me, or you. Yet, maybe I can find a bit of an answer in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 12: 7-10

7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

If God's grace (see What is God's Grace?) is enough for Paul, it surely is enough for me.

 

During your "dinner time" prayer, consider:

• Thanking God for His grace
• Asking that Adam's accident would be used to bring glory to God
• Asking God difficult questions, but be willing to be still and listen for answers
• Passionately asking for God to provide His healing grace to Adam

Lunch: Pressing Onward

Philippians 3:12-16

  12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

  15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Living up to what we have already obtained. That is another tall order! I can spend the rest of my life attempting it, but I will fall (very) short.

I watched the first episode of the new season's Biggest Loser on Monday evening. In one scene, a very overweight person is recounting his past weight battles to Bob Harper. It was interesting that Bob told him to forget about the past, and to move forward. The words he used sounded like they could have been Paul's, talking to me about my past sins. Wether it's our weight, or our sins, we need to forget about the past, and move forward. We need to press onward toward the goal.

"I am reaching for the highest goal

That I might receive the prize

Pressing onward, pushing every hindrance aside

Out of my way

Cause I want to know you more"

~I Want To Know You (More)

Hillsong

If we are moving forward, striving to live up to what we have already obtained, we should be better equipped to deal with the challenges that life throws at us. Even so, it is difficult for me to imagine myself in the same situation that Adam's loved ones have been facing every day since May 15th. Please pray for them during your lunch break. Pray that God will provide each of them with His peace and comfort.

Breakfast: Great Is Thy Faithfulness

by Hillary Mortensen

I will say it again: Great is God's faithfulness!

I have seen abounding evidence of His faithfulness as of late:

• God has carried Adam through this season, and he continues to heal.
• Amy continues to stand firm in her faith, demonstrating a life devoted to the pursuit of God
• God continues to be with Kathleen and Cale Darling in their journey through brain injury recovery.
• I have seen a positive priority shift in the lives of many family members...and in mine, as well.
• Relatives have recently reconnected through the circumstances regarding the accident.
• I will be making a cross-country move soon, and I am thrilled to know that I am doing so a changed person.
• God demonstrated in His perfect timing for financial provision in my life this week.
• God continues to be God of the past, God of the future, and God of the present.

Take a moment to ponder the evidence of God's faithfulness in your life and in Adam's. Praise God for His faithfulness. Thank Him that even when you are faithless, He remains faithful. Ask that he would increase your faith and make you a more and more faithful follower of Christ.

In praise and with thanksgiving, sing along with this hymn:

Eve of Fasting: Come As You Are

Please join us, tomorrow, in our weekly day of united prayer and fasting. If you feel that you cannot fast, that's fine. Join us as we lift Adam up in prayer. Feel like you are not "religious" enough to join us? Feel like you don't know how to pray, or what to say? Feel like your life is in shambles? We don't care where you are, or what condition your life is in. Join us, anyway.

Romans 3:23

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

"There's no such thing as a perfect life,

so come as you are! Broken and scarred!

Lift up your hearts,

be amazed and be changed

by a perfect God!"

~Natalie Grant

Perfect People

We are all in the same boat. Well, kind of. Yes, it's true that as Paul stated in his letter to the Romans, we do all fall short of the glory of God. We are all sinners. None of us is perfect. In that regard, we are all the same. Doesn't matter how old we are. Doesn't matter what our jobs are, or if we are unemployed. It doesn't matter how many times we have or have not attended church.

What makes you and I different from Adam, right now, is that we can read these words. We can pray. Adam cannot. I want to thank each of you who have joined us as we prayed for Adam, Amy, Mackenzie, Jack, Cookie, Ben, Brad, Tristan, and the rest of his family and close friends. If you haven't yet joined us, it's not too late! The great thing about a "virtual prayer circle" is that there is always room for more! If you've been away for awhile, feel welcome to rejoin us!

Regardless of how messed up my life may be; regardless of my sins; regardless of my disobedience; I want to join with you, tomorrow, to please God with our prayers, meditations, and fasting. I pray that God would find favor with us, hear our prayers, and answer them. And, I pray that we would be receptive to hearing His answers.

This evening, let's get ready to meet with God.

Encore Day of Fasting and Prayer

My father has been in the the hospital the past week. As a result, I do not have time to create posts for this week's day of fasting and prayer. I will be fasting and praying, but willl be posting "reruns" for our devotionals.

My request is that you would include my dad in your prayers. He is suffering from Pneumonia, congestive heart failure, and other ailments. Ask that God would ease his suffering.

Thank you.

Blessings,
Doug

Thursday Morning: My Refuge

As I have stated, before, I pray for Adam daily, but more so on Wednesdays. It is inspiring and comforting to know that others are praying with me. Thank you for praying with me, yesterday. It is also comforting to know that God is my rock and fortress. As we go our separate ways until next week, let's all depend on God as our rock and fortress. Let's take refuge in Jesus.



Psalm 31:1-5
1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.

This week was great — Adam made outstanding progress! Keep praying for his full recovery, and for incremental improvements along the way. This week, be sure to pray for continued improvement in Adam's ability to communicate. Today, pray that Adam would get over his upset stomach.

I look forward to praying with you, next week.

Evening: There will be a day

    There will be a day
    with no more tears,
    no more pain,
    and no more fears
~There Will be a Day, Jeremy Camp

I love this song. It is a song of great hope. It speaks to me about my life as a believer. And, it reminds me that the tears shed for Adam will one day be no more. No more pain for Amy, Mackenzie, Jack, Cookie, Ben, Brad, Tristan, and all the others who love Adam.



Until that day arrives, pray that God would ease the pain of Adam's family. Pray that He would comfort them.

A Prayer

Dear Jesus,
Please hear the requests of your humble servants.
As believers, we come to You in faith.
We speak to You in reverance and fear,
Yet we speak to You in confidence —
the confidence inspired by the promise of Your scriptures.
Lord, just as you honored the faith of the centurion
by healing his servant,
we ask that You honor our faith by healing Adam.
Restore his brain. Restore his body.
Allow Adam to hear and speak.
Allow Adam to walk and laugh.
Restore Adam so that he would praise Your name.
Heal Adam so that the praise, honor, and glory
would by Yours, O Lord.
Lord, Jesus, we pray that there will be a day
with no more pain, and no more tears.
We pray these things in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Numbers 6:24-26

   24 “‘“The LORD bless you
    and keep you;
  25 the LORD make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
  26 the LORD turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’

We will pray, again, in the morning. Good night, and God bless.

Dinner: Worthy is the Lamb

Revelation 5:11-14

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

    “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

    “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
    be praise and honor and glory and power,
    for ever and ever!”

14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

I must confess that there is much written by John in the book of Revelation that I simply don't get. In fact, it would be even more accurate to say that most of it does not make sense to me. But the verses above speak to me loud and clear. Imagine it — ten thousand times ten thousand angels saying, "Worthy is the Lamb..." Then, every creature in heaven and earth saying, "...to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"

How amazing it must have been for John to have this vision. What should our response be? I would think the same as the elders in verse 14 — fall down and worship. I encourage you to find a quiet place, right now, to fall down and worship Jesus, the Lamb of God. As we are reminded in this song, the Lamb is worthy of our worship.



During our dinner-time worship, praise God for Adam's amazing progress, yesterday (see Amy's post Giving God So Much Glory). Again, God's timing is not my timing...nor mine, His. I prayed that Adam would wow his parents over the weekend. It did not happen until Tuesday, but "Wow!" is what I have to say about his progress, yesterday.

After praising God for Adam's progress, go ahead and ask, once again, for Adam's complete healing. We are not ten thousand angels, but we are a group of believers, lifting our voices to God. Like the centurion, we are faithfully asking for a miraculous healing.

I will be breaking my fast, now, as I am going to attend a Christmas dinner at my father's rehab center. I will return for one more prayer time, this evening. Talk with you, then.

Lunch: Be Still

Psalm 46:10

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

Last night, and this morning, my posts were entitled Hear My Cry and Hear Our Prayers. Now it's time to quit yapping and be still. What does it mean to "be still?" Just the sound of it sounds like something most Americans are not inclined to do. Consider this excerpt from Jason Jackson:

"This command — “be still” — forces us to think on two things: that we are finite, and that God is infinite. That being the case, we need to drop our hands, go limp, relax, and “chill out.” Christian people ought to “come, behold the works of Jehovah,” (v. 8) that we may enjoy a calm confidence in him who gave us his Son."
~from Be Still and Know that I am God by Jason Jackson, ChristianCourier.com

I encourage you to read Mr. Jacksons' entire article. After all, it is lunch time, and we are not eating. Let's be still and think about reliance on God, rather than trying to do it all, ourselves. After reading, meditate on this Psalm 46 worship video from the Applegate Psalms Project:



Work at being still awhile longer. It is my opinion that it should feel uncomfortably long. Give up control to God.

I will be providing no suggestions for prayer. Rather, after being still, pray for Adam and/or his family, as the Holy Spirit moves you.

We'll meet, again, at dinner time.

Breakfast: Hear My Cry

Psalm 5:3

1 Listen to my words, LORD,
  consider my lament.
2 Hear my cry for help,
  my King and my God,
  for to you I pray.
3 In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;
  in the morning I lay my requests before you
  and wait expectantly.

It is morning, and like David, let us lay our requests before God.

According to the notes in my Quest Study Bible, David's reference to morning prayers most likely stresses the urgency of a particular matter. He cannot do anything else in the day until he pleads for God to resolve a troubling problem. I would like to be more like David — not able to do anything else until lifting my prayers up to God.

We will be lifting up our prayers througout the day, yet starting our day with prayer sets the tone with our daily walk with the Lord.



Here are some praises and requests to consider including in your prayers, this morning:

  • Thank God for His grace and mercy
  • Thank God for watching over Adam since his accident
  • Thank God for providing for Amy and Mackenzie
  • Pray for Adam's upcoming surgery, and that he would be comfortable until then
  • Pray that Adam would get good rest at night and not be sleepy during the day
  • Pray that Adam would continue to emerge from his coma
  • Pray that Amy's faith would continue to remain strong

We will meet, again, at lunch time. However, see if you can stop whatever you are doing, at least once between now and lunch, to spend just a few minutes talking with God, reading from the Bible, or meditating on His love for us.

Eve of Fasting: Hear Our Prayers

Psalm 4:1

  Answer me when I call to you,
    my righteous God.
  Give me relief from my distress;
    have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

When David wrote this Psalm, he expected God to answer him. Do you? Like David, I expect answers to my prayers. I also know that God's answer may not be exactly the answer that I want, in the time frame that I want. During the journey of Adam's recovery, many of us are discovering this simple truth. However, I don't believe that means we should give up or lose faith.

Psalm 4:3

  Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself;
    the LORD hears when I call to him.

The Lord hears when we call to him. Let's all call on him, tomorrow, for Adam's continued recovery. This evening, pray that God would hear our prayers, that He would find favor with our requests, and bestow His grace on Adam.



I look forward to fasting and praying with you. As usual, we will unite together at breakfast, lunch, dinner, in the evening, and on Thursday morning.

Good night.

Breaking the Fast: I stand in awe of your deeds

Habakkuk 3:2

  LORD, I have heard of your fame;

    I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD.

  Repeat them in our day,

    in our time make them known;

    in wrath remember mercy.

O Lord, have mercy on Adam, and his family.

We heard these words sung by Elvis, last night. They are worth repeating...

  He is always there

  hearing every prayer

  faithful and true

  Walking by our side

  in His love we hide,

  all the day through.

  When you get discouraged

  just remember what to do,

  Reach out to Jesus,

  He's reaching out to you.

  ~Reach Out to Jesus, Elvis Presley

This morning, in a quiet place, reach out to Jesus. And, I mean that literally. Reach out to Him. Lift your arms to the Heavens. Allow Him to reach out to you. Ask God for forgiveness. Ask Him to hear our prayers. Prayers of grace. Prayers of mercy. Prayers of healing. Pray that Adam will not be sleepy, this weekend. As I mentioned, last night, pray that he will wow his parents and brother, this weekend. And, pray that his upcoming surgery will go well.

This was the first song, back on May 18th. It is time to play it, again.

Next week, we plan to return to a full schedule of devotional messages. Until then...

..."May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."

~2 Corinthians:14

Evening: Mom and Dad to Visit

Adam's parents, Jack and Cookie, are leaving for Boston, tomorrow (Thursday) to visit Adam. Spend some time praying for their trip and visit. As we wind down our day of fasting and prayer, here are some things that I will be praying for:

  • Safe travel for Jack and Cookie
  • Improvement in Jack's health
  • Good, restful sleep for Adam, tonight
  • Improvement in Adam's ability to communicate — praying for his first words.
  • Continued progress in physical therapy
  • That Adam would "wow" his parents while they are visiting!

Whatever your prayer requests, reach out to Jesus.



Let's meet up in the morning for one more unified prayer. We want to bathe Adam in prayer, both for his parents' arrival, and to get him to the next level of his recovery — speaking.

Jude 1:24-25

24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Dinner: Light Up The Sky

Prayer Request

In addition to praying for Adam, please pray for his father, Jack. "Doc," as we often call him, has been suffering from the symptoms of Myasthenia Gravis. He was recently hospitalized, and continues to struggle. As he told me, last night, :"I feel lousy, but lousy is now my normal." Pray for Jack's health. Pray for a healing for him. Also, pray for his wife Cookie, who is enduring the stress of Adam's recovery process and Jack's illness. It is a very challenging time for her as a wife and mother.

Lunch: All I Ever Needed is God's Love

Your love is enough to
light up the darkness
It's Your love, Your love
All I ever needed is Your love
~Your Love, Brandon Heath



Prayer Request

During your prayer time, please pray for Adam's muscle tone. Pray that his muscles would relax and allow for his body to more easily perform during physical rehab.

Breakfast: Make a Joyful Noise

A Big Ball of Twine



After months of a recovery that has left many quite impatient, this week's news should prevent all of us from being silent about God's grace. Adam is making progress on his way to a full recovery. It may not be at the speed any of us would choose, but it is happening. Make a joyful noise!

Ever go on a long road trip, with the goal to reach family, friends, a vacation resort, or osther desirable destination? You could loathe the trip getting there, or you could have fun along the way. You know, make it fun to stop at Wall Drug and Mt. Rushmore. Make the journey as fun as the destination. Metaphorically speaking, this week we stopped at the world's largest twine ball.

Why do I use this analogy? I am confident that most would not schedule a stop at the worlds' largest ball of twine. However, if you happened to be passing by Darwin, Minnesota, and took the time to see the ball, you would say, "That is a big ball of twine!" Likewise, the phone lines may not be lighting up with Adam's progress this week, but if you took time to stop and think about it, you would say, "That is major progress!"

Read Amy's post, (Speech Is Just A Matter Of Time!!!!). Think about it for a few minutes. Meditate on God's healing power. Meditate on His gift of hope for Adam, and for all of us. Enjoy the journey to Adam's full recovery.

1 Kings 8:66

"On the following day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the LORD had done for his servant David and his people Israel."

Let's pray together, again, at lunch time.

Eve of Fasting: Let Them Pray

"Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties."
~Charles Spurgeon

Adam and his family are facing tremendous difficulties. Let's continue our support for them. We will be uniting in prayer and fasting, tomorrow (Wednesday, December 1st). There is much to pray about, beginning with our "breakfast" post at 6:00 a.m. (Eastern). We will start the morning with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

As always, we would love for you to pray with us. Although encouraged, there is no requirement to fast. This week's posts may be somewhat abbreviated because of our family reunion, but we will be praying.

This evening, pray that the Holy Spirit would move many people to set aside time to pray for Adam, tomorrow.

James 5:13-16

13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Talk with you in the morning.

Thanksgiving: Thank You, Lord

Evening: Thank You

Dinner: Thank You for Loving Me

As a word of warning: This video contains graphic images and may not be suitable for young children, but they can still listen to the song and sing along.

Lunch: Thank You For My Life, A Prayer

Breakfast: I Just Want to Say Thank You

Breaking the Fast: You're Everything

1 Chronicles 29:13-14

13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise your glorious name.

14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

Yes, God is our everything, and everything comes from God. Even our calls to minister. Even though we unite together one day a week, let's be diligent in our prayers for Adam's healing.

As verse 13 states, let's give God our thanks and praise His name — all week long.

Give thanks to God for the encouragement that Adam gave Amy, yesterday. And, pray for Mackenzie's back (which provided her with a lot of pain, yesterday). She will be getting further medical examination, today. Let's pray for a quick healing of that pain.

Remember, next week (Thanksgiving Eve), we will be praying, and posting songs of thanks. And, we might even get a photo of Adrienne and Hillary on the blog.

Have a blessed week!

Evening: Laugh, Think and Cry

I am very excited about the coming week. Tomorrow night, my daughter, Adrienne will be arriving from out of state with her husband and my two adorable grandkids. Then, Hillary arrives from Los Angeles, this weekend. God willing, all six of my kids will be here for Thanksgiving!

As many of you know, Adrienne and Hillary have posted to this blog (Hillary posted the lunch and dinner devotionals, today). This will be the first time that the three of us have been together since Adam's accident. We plan to fast and pray together, next Wednesday (Thanksgivng Eve). Most likely, it will be a 24-hour fast that ends on Wednesday evening. Because many of you will be busy spending time with your families, we will simply be posting songs of thanks next Wednesday. We don't expect a day-long commitment, but do hope that you can join us for some prayer.

I am ending our day of fasting a bit differently, this week As excited as I am for my wife and myself as we anticipate family together, my heart aches for the Root family. I pray that God would comfort them during the next week.

I encourage you to take a few minutes to assess your life, and your priorities. Tonight, I will not be turning to scripture, nor a worship song. Rather, I invite you to watch the Jimmy Valvano 1983 ESPY Awards speech. He delivered this inspiring speech shortly before dying from cancer. Thank you, Jerry Davis, for reminding of this with your Facebook post, this week.

A Full Day...

...Laugh

...Think

...Cry

...and pray. Pray for Adam and his family. Pray that all of Adam's family would keep their dreams alive.

Don't ever give up! Keep praying for Adam's full restoration!

(talk with you in the morning)

Dinner: His Love Never Fails

by Hillary Mortensen

I think this song, Your Love Never Fails by Jesus Culture, says it better than I can right now:

Nothing can separate
Even if I run away
Your love never fails
I know I still make mistakes
But You have new mercies for me everyday
Your love never fails

You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There maybe pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage
I don't have to be afraid
Beause I know that You love me
Your love never fails

The wind is strong and the water's deep
But I'm not alone in these open seas
Cause Your love never fails

The chasm is far too wide
I never thought I'd reach the other side
But Your love never fails

You make all things
Work together for my good



No matter what is going on in our lives, we can rest confidently knowing that God's love never fails. He is always good. All the time. Let's spend time this evening thanking Him for His unfailing love and goodness.

Lunch: Consecrate.

by Hillary Mortensen

As I think on what it means, I am overcome with a desire to live a life that is consecrated—dedicated, set apart, made holy, perfected, devoted, separated, made new, prepared—for God. Then, I consider how I'm not at that place. And that realization brings with it a deep sadness, but I have to wonder: Am I sad because I haven't been at that place, because I'm not willing to consecrate every area of my life to get there, or because I am already grieving the loss of letting go of the things that stand in the way? Or is it all three?

----------------

I spent this last weekend on a church retreat with “Consecrate” as the theme. Over the course of the weekend, I received a challenge to go “all in,” giving everything over to God, setting it all apart for Him. I sense God challenging me to surrender to Him a number of things, including work/career, a relationship, ideals of the world (like success) that I have unfortunately embraced, and my life as a whole.

Romans 12:1-2 was the theme passage. I particularly like this paraphrase from The Message:

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

I began to consider how we can consecrate ourselves in regard to Adam and his condition. As the passage above describes, we can place ourselves—our lives, our bodies, our members—before God. We can embrace what God has done in and through all of us in this situation. We can avoid what the world might have us think, such as dependence on medicine or a spirit of defeat and hopelessness. We must fix our attention on God and allow Him to change us. If God would have us respond, as we are doing now in prayer and fasting, respond. Allowing a transformation of thought and mind allows us to discern the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. This, friends, is our “living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is [our] spiritual worship.” (See Romans 12:1-2, ESV)

Let us pray that we would present ourselves, our entire beings, before God. Ask him to reshape and rewire our thinking, that we would be transformed and develop the mind of Christ. Thank God for the work He has already done in growing us in maturity. Commit your life to the Lord as an act of worship.