When I was first diagnosed with cancer in April of 2012, I began to write this journal, in part to document my journey, but also as a platform from which I and anyone who reads it can stop and pray, become a part of a corporate prayer for others on a similar journey. At my church's Wednesday night Bible Study, we always end with a corporate prayer for individuals needing help from God and the results are astounding.
I've written often about the phrase at the end of Job when, after having lost everything and suffered unspeakable pain and sorrow, only "after he prayed for his friends" did God restore back to him everything he had lost and even twice as much as had lost. It is such a profound message of the importance of praying for others.
This morning when I opened my computer, the topic of today's devotional in the Daily Word was praying for others. As I read through, I was moved by the beauty of the author's words and I want to share them here with you.
"In praying for others, I give them a personal and powerful gift - an expression of my faith in them, in the spirit of God within them, and in the enduring power of prayer."
Isn't that an amazing description of truth? I wish I had said that. The Bible speaks over and over of giving first and then receiving. Most of the time, we think in terms of giving tithe, or talent, or time and the blessings that are received in return. Now, as I think more about this, giving of our prayers for others not only blesses them but blesses us in return. God said it in Job. Only when Job had prayed for his friends did his blessings come.
When I first started to write this journal, often readers would share names of friends and family who are fighting the enemy, cancer, asking us to pray for them. I encourage you to continue that. I, along with everyone who follows this journal, am honored and blessed in return to share the gift of praying for these brave warriors.
Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
Thank You for the privilege of praying for others. Let these prayers carry Your healing word and healing power to each of them. Let our prayers instill in everyone we pray for the miracle of Your spirit moving mightily within them. Bless, Lord, each one who stops today to pray for these warriors and let our prayers shore them up in the battle they are fighting against cancer.
Father, we ask special healing for Wylie who is fighting stage 4 lung cancer. We know the miracle you performed in Frank and we are believing for the same miracle for Wylie.
We thank You this morning for the huge progress in healing made by our friends Lisa and Bryce and Tony. Father, we give You all the praise, honor, and glory for each step forward they are able to take, no matter how small it might seem at the time.
Thank You for loving us. Thank You for being our God, our one true God who never leaves or forsakes us.
We pray these things in the name of Your son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen
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