Jesus intercedes for us...

“And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”” ~ Luke 22:31-32 (NKJV).

Knowing that Jesus is praying for us and interceding on our behalf to the LORD God Almighty blows me over, but yet it encourages and comforts me, and makes me strong.

This scripture refers to the fact that there is a spiritual battle going on for us. Evil is out to destroy us, but Jesus is the Savior of the world and He intercedes for us. “And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” ~ 1 John 2:1

Jesus knew Peter was going to fail and was going to deny Him, just like he knows we are sinners and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 8:34 tells us, “He is at the right hand of God and makes intercession for us.”

Surrounded by evil in this dark world, we must stand firm and draw on the strength of the LORD. When we have fallen, be encouraged to know that God is waiting to restore anyone who repents.

Jesus will strengthen us with His prayers and like God's word says we are to “strengthen your brethren”. When we deny Jesus in any way, return to Him immediately, ask for forgiveness, be restored, and reach out to strengthen your brothers and sisters.

Our mighty Savior has the power to defeat all things known and unknown. He can rescue you from outer darkness. Come to know Him and walk daily in His presence.

“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them”. Hebrews 7:25 (NKJV).

 

Go JESUS!

 

Rick Hawbaker

Praying 4 U Ministries

Carrying the breathe of God…

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” ~ Genesis 2:7 - (NKJV).

We are all carriers of the breathe of God. Are you building up others daily so that they can face and overcome the mountains that are before them? Or are you running everyone down around you as you nag and complain about everything. Maybe you don’t see the mighty works of our creator around you.

My life is full of the LORD as I see him in every blade of grass, on mountain tops and in dry valleys. I hear him as children play on the swings and splash in water. I feel him as I reach out to others and when others reach out to me.

In God’s Holy Word in the Book of Job, Elihu, one of Job’s friends tells Job, “The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” ~ Job 33:4 (NKJV).

The breathe of life that Elihu is telling Job about is the very same spirit that was breathed by God into man as He formed him from dust in Genesis 2:7.

Take a deep breathe of the living God and get out and help others as that is the greatest way to obey God. Build each other up and join together in furthering the kingdom.

JESUS told the apostles as He commissioned them, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” ~ John 20:21-22 (NKJV).

May you so be filled with the love of Christ that you roll over people daily as you bring heaven to earth. No matter how much or how little you have, give to someone with less. Become the very hands and feet of JESUS!

 

Rick Hawbaker

Praying 4 U Ministries

Wait on the LORD...

“Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” ~ Psalm 27:14 (NKJV).

You have probably heard this bible verse quoted many times. I know I have. But have you ever considered that the “wait” in the thought ‘wait on the LORD’, may mean to actually wait as a waiter or waitress on the LORD? Like you actually serve him?

I love my friends and all they bring to the table for us all to ponder. We certainly do sharpen one another. A friend tossed out this idea the other day. Does ‘wait on the LORD’ mean to serve the LORD while you wait for something to happen?

I am thinking that as God told us to ‘wait’, that he didn’t mean for us to literally wait, like just lay around in the weeds and wait for him to do something.  No, he probably did mean exactly what my friend suggested. We are to wait on the LORD as a servant of his.

As we wait on the LORD, we can do a lot of helping others and loving on each other. God likes this idea and the angels are dancing for sure. This serving others may prepare us to get our answer we are waiting for sooner.

It is not so easy for us to wait for anything. It is one of the hardest things to do. There are many examples in the bible of those who waited on the LORD and those who didn’t.  Being able to wait on the LORD is a great quality of a man of God.

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope.” ~Psalm 130:5 (NKJV).

Soldier of the LORD,

Rick Hawbaker

Praying 4-U Ministries

Get alone with God...

“So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” ~ Luke 5:16 (NKJV).

What a great example Jesus gave us in the story in Luke 5 about the man that was full of leprosy. As the stories of Jesus and the great things he was doing spread throughout the land, the crowds pressed in on Him. The bible tells us that He often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

I am thinking that is exactly what we are supposed to be doing when the everyday pressures of life become overwhelming.  Before are work, families, friends, and neighbors press us to the edge, we need to go off by ourselves and pray to our father.

If Jesus needed to spend time alone with God praising Him, talking things over, and listening to Him, then we certainly need to follow in His footsteps.

We need to spend time with God on a regular basis. Don’t let the demands of life push you away from spending time with Him in prayer.

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;” ~ Colossians 4:2 (NKJV).

Soldier of the LORD,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4-U Ministries

Prayers can go anywhere and can’t be stopped

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” ~ Mark 11:24 (NKJV).

Prayer is so powerful that it can’t be stopped. You can pray for those you have never spoken to, or for those you have never met. Prayers can enter schools, businesses, other countries, and can go behind bars.  Prayers can even enter crack houses.  

If you pray in the name of JESUS to our God Almighty, you are hooked up to the greatest power source in the universe. Your prayers can go anywhere and can’t be stopped.

E.M. Bounds wrote in his book Power through Prayer, “Prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them.” I thank all of the  people who had prayed for me for generations.

I am so grateful for the intercessory prayers spoken and thankful for those who stepped in and prayed for me long before I was born.

Spend some time today in prayer for your children, for your children’s children and for the generations that follow them.   Be a world changer and know that our prayers will outlive us.

“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:8 (NKJV).

Soldier of the LORD,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4-U Ministries

Work is a gift of God

“I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.” ~ Ecclesiastes 3:13 (NKJV).

Way to often I come across people who are very unhappy with the jobs God has given them. Listening to their workplace stories it is hard not to side with them as yes, they are being greatly oppressed. I feel their pain as I often am in the same boat as they are.

We must focus on the LORD and do our best gratefully doing what the LORD has given us to do. If we are working to earn the almighty dollar, or working to please a boss, we have missed the point of being on earth and will never be happy.

The sooner we live for the Holy King of Heaven and His kingdom the better it will be for us. It is He that you are really working for and not the person who signs your paycheck.

We must do the best we can at work and respect the people in authority that God has put us under. Work is your mission field as you visit here in the fallen world. Bloom where you are planted.

We are told in Ephesians 6:5-8, ^“Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.” ~ (NKJV).

Some days when we take our eyes off of King JESUS it may seem like we are working in the pits of hell. Know that those days number nothing compared to the many more days ahead in eternity. Yes, we will be living with the king of glory in our home in heaven soon.  

Thank you Holy Spirit. I needed to hear that today!

Soldier of the LORD,

Rick Hawbaker

Praying 4-U Ministries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Here am I. Send me!"

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?⁾” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” ~ Isaiah 6:8 (NIV).

It was prophesied over me that I was seen stepping forward from a military line as a volunteer when a task needed to be done. I was told the LORD has some assignments that others are not stepping forward to do. God sees me stepping forward, like Isaiah, saying, “Here am I. Send me!”

There is no fear attached to this. I am not going alone. It is an adventure that has been assigned to me. My commander has said he will not leave me and He will never forsake me. I hold on to that truth. The commander is going before me and He is my rear guard as well. Thank you Holy Spirit!

It was said I am called for such a time like this to war. I am to fight against darkness like a mighty warrior. God knows my heart and He has chosen me to be a vessel for Him. God is excited to partner with me.

I was told I need to spend some time in the scriptures to continue to prepare myself for war. The word is the sword and that is what is needed to win against evil. I prayed for more direction over these visions that three different people had. Within two weeks I landed in two different bible studies.

I thank the LORD for calling on me to help in this adventure of furthering the Kingdom. I am believing that He will unfold more of what I am to do as I study on His Holy word. I am believing I will indeed rise up to become a mighty soldier of the cross.

The King's Kid,

Rick Hawbaker

Praying 4 U Ministries