“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2:14-18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because the writer of Hebrews says, “and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” Do we fear death? Why? If there is fear, what is the actual fear? Sadness for family left on earth? May not see certain loved ones in eternity? Please pray that we and our friends ask Jesus to comfort those who fear death so they know what He has already done for them. Please pray for our Christian leaders to prioritize a relationship with Jesus over all other.

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:1-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth”. I don’t see how we aren’t in that time now and the yeast has been growing for centuries. However, God isn’t wringing His hands wondering what will happen. He sees exactly how all this turns out and we can read about it in Revelation. Please pray that we and our friends follow Paul’s charge at the beginning of this passage to be a part of God’s purpose today. Please pray for the Harp family. I will forever be grateful for Don Harp!

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:12-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness”. Do we believe all “Scripture is breathed out by God”? We must be certain in our belief because not believing this has always hurt the church. Some Christian leaders believe you can take out parts of the Bible and basically create their own god. Jesus showed through the resurrection that we are new creations because of Him. If we take out the parts of the Bible that challenge us, we can rely on our own power and not His. Please pray that we and our friends acknowledge our sin and thank Him for His forgiveness. Please pray for Christian leaders to teach truth.

“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:22-26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” Do unbelievers see most Christians like this? Do people see you like this? Are we tempted to keep quiet about Jesus so we aren’t perceived as judgemental or augmentative? Paul doesn’t assume we will be quiet, but “able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” Our country needs Christians to strike this balance in our society and that is only done if empowered by the Holy Spirit. Please pray that we and our friends speak truth in love today when we hear falsehoods being spread like critical race theory, etc. Please pray for Christian leaders to be the good shepherd and not the bad.

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,”
‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1:6-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Do we fear anything today? It could be a worry, a person or a outcome. If so, it may reveal a idol in our life and be thankful that God exposes it so we can make God our priority and not it. I also love what Paul says that God gives us: power, love and self-control. This is a promise and we can rely on this! It’s up to us to believe and use it though. Please pray that we and our friends notice any fear today and replace it with God’s promise. Please pray for FCS ministry as they help bring God’s love to challenged communities.

“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭6:17-21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” If you are reading this email, you are rich in the eyes of 90% of the world. Maybe even 95%. We always think someone else is rich though. God knows that if we put hope in anything above Him, we are doomed for heartache. Only He is steadfast and true. He “richly provides us with everything to enjoy”. These are easy words to write and very difficult to obey. Please pray that we and our friends pause today when we notice we are putting our hope and faith in something other than God. Please pray for Promise 686 ministry for foster children.

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2:1-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” Are we praying for our leaders or just criticizing them? I’m very quick to do the latter, however Paul encourages us to pray for all of them. It seems that most leaders have a bulls eye on their back and are tormented by spiritual warfare towards more secular thoughts. Please pray that we and our friends pray for all our leaders, whether they are spiritual leaders or worldly leaders. Please pray for my niece, Wesley-Neal, to have a wonderful wedding this weekend.

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.”
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭1:12-16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” Do we see Jesus as someone who is pointing out our sin or as our Savior Who alone can transform us away from sin? Jesus is never ok with sin, but he knows we are human and wants to transform us so that we do not sin. Galatians 2:20. Please pray that we and our friends trust Jesus today in every moment where we are tempted to trust our flesh. Please pray for the Beloved house who takes care of women that have left sex trafficking.

“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.”
‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:6-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.” I wouldn’t think idleness would be something in which Paul would be this stern. However, he commands in the name of Jesus, so we must pay attention. He also points out that busybodies are not working either. We live in a culture now where people can spend of lifetime of idleness and busyness and never actually work. Please pray that we and our friends are about God’s purpose today. Please pray for all the kids who deal with mental issues due to being in lockdown for the past year.

“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭2:8-12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”. What is truth? How do we know truth? Jesus says the truth will set us free. To use the old example of counterfeit money. Unless someone knows real money extremely well, they will not be able to detect counterfeit money. Please pray that we and our friends read and study the Bible so we know truth. Please pray for all Christians to seek truth from the Bible.