God has chosen us to be his people

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;” Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV).


Our blood is precious in God’s sight. Have you ever thought about that? Out of everyone on earth, He has chosen us to be His people and we are His treasured possession. We are the people of His inheritance. It doesn’t get any better than that.


We are in the mighty hand and outstretched arm of God. He and His spirit do not sleep. He is always with you and He leans forward waiting for you to come to Him. Usher in His presence with prayer. Feel the warmth of Jesus around you as you live for Him.


Walk in His ways and revere to Him. You will lack nothing. He is a God of mercy. He will not abandon or destroy you. He turns darkness into light and makes rough places smooth.


Shout out from the mountain tops telling others of His greatness. With the King of the Universe we will triumph over our enemies as they fall before us.


“For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” Deuteronomy 20:4 (NIV).


Shalom,


Rick Hawbaker

Praying 4 U Ministries

The hurt that never stops...

Losing a love one to suicide is a life changing experience. The confusion, loss and emptiness in your heart goes on. Friends and family comfort you offering up prayers to the Lord on your behalf. But sooner than later your venture on down life’s road is alone.

Our mighty maker binds us together with the holy spirit being the glue. Through the power of prayer we must lift each other up and not stop praying for one another a day or two after the funeral. The hurt goes on and so we must continue to pray.

Show the love of Christ wearing Jesus on your sleeve. You are the outstretched arms of God. Wrap those arms around your hurting brothers and sisters. Love them and pray for them just like you would like to be prayed for.

Suicide is final. When it is completed and the victim is dead and buried, your life must go on. The prayer cover from others stops but your tears don’t. Suicide is the hurt that does not stop if you are a friend or family of the victim.

Reach out to the LORD as he will comfort you and give you strength. You are a dearly loved child of God. Put your hope in Him because He alone is your refuge. The flesh is weak, but He is strong. Friends and family will let you down, but the Lord will not forsake you.

God’s holy word tells us, “The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31 (NLT)

Brothers and Sisters - Your help is in the LORD!

Shalom,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries

Working for the King every night and day

I am working for the King every night and day. Hallelujah! O what a joy serving the maker of all things. I am the King’s kid and He is on the throne. Blessed be His Holy name!

Holy, holy, holy. LORD God Almighty. Sing praises to the King. He has saved me from my oppressors, has given me the way to salvation, and He has saved me from myself.

I am only a drop of water in a deep and wide ocean. I am just a speck of dust in a mountain of dirt. But He knows me and has forgiven the wretched sinner I am.

May I glorify Him in all I do. He is mighty and my adoration continues to grow for Him. He is the one I seek. To God goes all glory, honor and praise. He lives in us and I live for Him. Release the presence of God to all the corners of the earth.

“For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.” Romans 11:36 (NLT)

Serving a living God,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries

Praise The Lord, O my soul...

Dear God in heaven,

We praise you for you are holy. You are the king of glory and your glory surrounds us. You are gracious and you smother us with your everlasting perfect love.

May we be bold in spreading your word to everyone and may we show your love to all.

We will not fear the unknown anymore for you are always with us. In you, O LORD, we put our trust. You are the light that guides us. You are a fresh breath of air in a stale world. Thank you for all you are. You are more than a savior, more than a king. You are our great provider and great healer.

We love how you love us. Wash our slates clean and continue to sanctify us. We are the sheep of your pasture and we are forever grateful for you, the king of the Universe. May all the hearts that seek the LORD rejoice.

In the good and great name of Jesus, Amen and Amen!

“Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. (Psalm 104:1 NIV).

Shalom,

Rick Hawbaker
Born to Love

Jesus came to fix broken lives...

I got together with friends this week to pray. Praying for a suicide is tough and it sure seems like we have had a more of them this year.

This time we prayed for a 13 year-old boy who failed at an attempt to take his own life and for the friends and families of two men who were recently successful at suicide.

Working for Global Scope Ministries I have helped and prayed with a dozen people in the past seven months that were ready to give it all up. I know the other volunteers have prayed with and kept in contact with that many suicidal people or more.

Jesus came to fix broken lives. He died to heal us. It is hard to understand how and why people think things are so bad that they can't take it any longer. You can turn to Jesus for help that is unmatchable in the universe. He is the ultimate power source that can save you from yourself.

Suicides are sad for all the families and friends. The questions keep coming up of why, why and why. This haunts those left behind for years. I know because I have witnessed suicides in family, friends and co-workers.

If the thought of taking your own life has ever crossed your mind, know that the Lord God is there for you. The great power that raised Jesus from the dead is living in us as the Holy Spirit. Pray to God in the name of Jesus. He can pull you up out of the muck you are in.

For His holy word says in 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV), “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Serving a living God,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries

Editor's Note...If you are currently in a crisis or someone you care about is, I encourage you to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-Talk 1-800-273-Talk . It is a free 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Your call will be routed to the nearest crisis center to you.

Remember when people use to get cancer?

Cancer is getting out of hand. I have had it, my dad had it, and my brother and sister have had it. My sister-in-law had cancer and right now my niece is going through a bout with it. I praise God Almighty that all of the above people have been healed and did not die from cancer. But not all families are so lucky.

Enough is enough. I work with a lady that in the past seven months, she has lost her mother, her sister, her brother and now her father is battling it. Please join with me in praying that cancer will come to an end.

Father God ~ We know that nothing is impossible for you as you are the mighty maker of all things. You are in control of everything and even tell the water where to stop on the sand. You are amazing!

LORD, I come to you this day and ask that you heal the multitude of love ones suffering from cancer. Way too many people have already been lost and too many people have suffered from losing ones. It is a dreadful disease.

Cancer is huge, but LORD you are bigger and greater. You and only you can rebuke all forms of cancer. Please take cancer away from us. Blot it out of our lives. Heal those presently suffering and don't let this terrible disease take more lives.

By your stripes we are healed. You paid the price dying innocently nailed on the tree many years ago. With the power that raised Jesus from the dead, teach us to pray and show us how to ask that cancer will mysteriously disappear. I want to say in my lifetime, "remember when people use to get cancer?"

You are the almighty. May your very presence be released as we get a glimpse of heaven as cancer leaves and you are glorified. Take cancer and throw it all in a lake of fire. Destroy it forever. Wipe it off the face of the earth. Now LORD! Right Now!

I ask this all in the good and great name of Jesus Christ, the risen and coming king of the universe. Amen and Amen!

Thank you King Jesus. Thank you dear God in heaven.

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries

May He Know You...

Beloved…

Summarizing the concerns I have been running into in the past month as I get together and pray with others, I would say we are all filled with conflicts on the outside and have fears within.

That is not earth shaking news. That is pretty much how people have felt since the beginning. That’s why Jesus appeared on the scene…to save us from ourselves, fix our broken lives and offer us the way to eternal life.

God has made us and he will not abandon us. We are surrounded by troubles, but we can pray to Him and He answers prayers. He encourages us and gives us strength. Surrender to Him and put your trust in Him.

I praise His holy name and give thanks to the LORD with all my heart for His unfailing love and faithfulness. God’s holy word tells us that His promises are backed by all the honor in His name.

God’s faithful love endures forever. Stay connected to the greatest power source in the universe. May you know Him and more importantly may He know you!

“But you, O LORD, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.” Psalm 3:3 (NLT).

Shalom,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries

We live close to death, but we are still alive

Being a prayer warrior for brothers and sisters in Christ has opened the eyes of my heart. We are called to be Christ-like and with that we must pay the price. Sometimes you can feel the pain of the person you are praying for.

Troubles, hardships and calamities of all kinds are attacking people. We are currently witnessing wild fires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, poor economies, poor jobs, loss of jobs, loss of homes, and broken families . Cancer, heart disease and alcohol attacks family after family. This is just a short list of what’s happening.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6 about facing hardships. He told us that being true ministers of God, we must patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We must live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us.

Open your heart to others. Be the extended hands and feet of Jesus and do not withhold your love. “We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed...Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.” 2 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NLT)

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries

Create in me a clean heart...

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 (King James).

Some pray this scripture during communion and others have it highlighted in their bibles. Some read it daily and some bodies of believers have it as their theme. This is part of the prayer David prayed to God after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

Being human like us, David had many faults. But he worked hard at having a relationship with God and he knew the importance of having a repenting heart.
The things that separate us from God are always before us and our flesh is weak. We fall to sin daily. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23 (King James)

God is alive and he is full of mercy, great compassion, and unfailing love. He will blot out our transgressions, wash away all our iniquity and cleanse us from our sin. He is a mighty fortress that can restore us.

But like David, a man after God’s own heart, we must ask for repentance and learn to repent. God’s holy word tells us in Mark 1:15 (NLT) “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!"

Father God ~ Thank you for sending your son, Jesus, to fix our broken lives. You and only you can send your Holy Spirit down on us. Please do. Drench us with your loving spirit. Make us more like your son and may others see you in us. In the good and great name of Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen!

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries