40 Days of Prayer and Fasting 2006 - Day 9

Focus: Your Kingdom Come - In My Life
By Anne L. Barker, IOC

Scripture Reference:

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised (Job 1:21b).

Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? (Job 2:10b).

Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).

Devotional:

I once heard a preacher say that if you’re not going through a Job experience at the moment, then most likely you have recently done so or you soon will! Steve Saint maintains that suffering is God’s covert strategy for our growth towards maturity. However, none of us enjoy the hard times and difficult tests that often come our way.

God does not promise to protect and shield us from suffering and disaster. But He does promise that He will always be right there with us, in the good times and in the bad. Turn to Him, recognize Him and invite Him to share in your joys and your trials; He makes all the difference with His eternal perspective, faithfulness, enduring love and compassion for us.
Share your joys and trials with the Lord.

Without the battle there is no victory;
Without suffering there is no maturity;
Without dying there is no rising to eternal life.

Prayer Points:

* Pray for God’s eternal perspective as we walk through good times and troubled times.
Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.

* Pray for opportunities to share God’s comfort, love and compassion with those who do not recognize Him.