Update and Letter to Calvary Family

After a lot of prayer, I have decided that I need to go to ATL and help KK with her parents.  Since I had not planned to be away this Sunday, I have written this letter to be read in the morning services.

——————

Calvary Family:

Many of you are aware that KK’s parents are aging, in bad health, and have many problems, which were recently accelerated by her mother’s advancing Alzheimer’s and a broken hip.

Last weekend, her dad fell and fractured his back.   So, the care for KK’s parents has multiplied and is getting even more complicated.

KK spent most of the week taking her parents to doctors’ appointments; and, she still needs to arrange for around-the-clock care since her parents are trying to live in their home.

After talking with KK about her parents and the challenges she is facing with their care, I decided I needed to join her in Atlanta and spend a few days helping her sort things out.

I trust you know how much I love you and how much I wanted to be with you today.  I will be praying for you as the morning unfolds.  Thank you for praying for KK and parents.

…I can do NOTHING!

Jesus said, “…apart from Me you can do nothing!

Here’s the verse (John 15:5)

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

 On Sunday we looked at Jesus Demand:  “ABIDE IN ME”  and it led me to pray this prayer….will you pray it with me?

Father,                                                                                                                                                                                     I came to Jesus and You gave me life.      

I trust in Jesus as the source of real life.   

I trust Your love for me — I  run to Your love.  

I delight in Your Word and Your ways are right.

Live Your Life through me. 

Again I ask: “LORD, teach me to pray!”

The disciples were moved to make this request:

 “Lord, teach us to pray…”

There have been a few occasions when we have sensed God’s leading to set aside a special season for prayer.  Different things have moved me there—

• Sometimes I have moved to unusual prayer because things seemed bad—and I desperately needed God’s comfort and direction for relief!
• Sometimes I have moved because God seemed to be stirring the nest (making normal things-uncomfortable) and moving me to learn to fly (jumping into His plan by faith)

He watches over His nest like an eagle
and hovers over His young;
He spreads His wings, catches him,
and lifts him up on His pinions.

(Deut. 32:11)

This month is one of those special seasons in my life…and it is a combination of things that brings me here—bringing me to desperate prayer: 

• Pressures that need relief (KK’s parents’ health and her challenges to care from them living 300 miles away).
• Stirrings that cause me to cry out, asking God to not let me settle for less in my walk and ministry–a sense of stewardship moves me to pray!

Some things on the prayer list are clear…and other things quite foggy!  This desperate state of seeking is quite encouraging as God is feeding my hungry soul with Himself!  He keeps calling me with the simple invitation…. COME TO ME!

So again I stop and sit before Him and I find myself praying:

“here I am Lord. I come to You because there is no place else to really go—You alone have the words of life!

I seek Your face—not Your hand. 

As I cry out to You—all I can say is, Lord—teach me to pray!”

Prayer Requests

As this month of Extraordinary Prayer continues, I thought I’d share some specific prayer requests from my prayer list:

1.  Rest:  Not a physical rest—but rest in my soul (Matt 11:29-30).

2.  Family:  KK’s parents and their needs–and KK’s need to be in ATL to serve them.

3.  Yoke:  completely  submitted—aligned with Christ in the unfolding of His Kingdom (Matt. 11:29)

4.  Stewardship:   Searching my heart to understand the specific stewardship entrusted to me (2 Tim. 1:14, 2 Tim. 2:2)

5.  Vision:  Looking ahead to understand my walk and the path for God’s church.

 

What does every Christian mother want for her child?

Simply put:   she wants them to turn and go to Jesus!

Jesus gave a strong rebuke to those listening and said:

“…and you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”  (John 5:40)

Although I have gone to Him for eternal life, there are plenty of times I resist going to Him.  Makes no sense…but I resist depending on Him and trust in my flesh. 

I must daily (hourly, minute-by-minute) come to the end of my resources and turn to Christ.   

Desperation is a part of true salvation…no one turns to Christ as long as he has confidence in himself. 

Desperation is present in true service of Christ—constantly turning to and trusting in Christ—with no confidence in myself.

Why do I resist?  Because as long as I am in this earthly body—I will be tempted to have confidence in my flesh—but it will never work!  There’s no rest in me—but there is total rest when I run to Jesus!

Getting ready for Sunday?  

Pray for Christian mothers to find purpose and rest in being “yoked” to Jesus.

Pray for every child to turn and run to Jesus!

Here’s how we will end the service…. Click here