1 Timothy 1 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read 1 Timothy 1.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/1ti/1/1/s_1120001

Meditate on verse 12.

 

I thank Christ Jesus our LORD, who has strengthened me

because He considered me faithful, putting me into service.

 

Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to teach the believers how to function as a church (vs. 3-4).  Before giving guidelines for church administration, Paul thanked Jesus for strengthening him and putting him into service despite his past life as a blasphemer, persecutor, and violent aggressor—the foremost of sinners (vs. 12-15).  If Jesus Christ saved Paul and let him serve the church, then no one in Ephesus was hopeless for eternal life and serving the LORD.

This letter is for you and those you love.  Are you praying for someone who appears will never follow Christ?  Be encouraged by blasphemous, violently aggressive Paul, who because of the LORD, became a faithful servant to eternal, immortal King Jesus. If God can save Paul, He can save anyone!

Pray 1 Timothy 1:12-17 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 “LORD Jesus Christ, strengthen _________ and me.  

Please consider us faithful and put us into service.

 Show us Your mercy, grace, faith, and love, which

are only found in You.
Thank You for

coming into the world to save sinners.

 Please demonstrate Your perfect patience

and let _________ believe in You for eternal life. 

Now to You, Jesus, the King eternal, immortal, invisible,

the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luke 21 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Luke 21.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/luk/21/1/s_994001

Meditate on verses 25-26.

 

There will be signs in sun and moon

and stars, and on the earth dismay

among nations, in perplexity at

the roaring of the sea and the waves,

men fainting from fear and the

 expectation of the things which are

coming upon the world; for the

powers of the heavens will be shaken.

 

This chapter is full of end time prophecies declared by Jesus.  Some of them have been fulfilled, like verse 6 when the temple was destroyed in 70 AD.   Others are happening even as you read this, like the meditation verses describe (vs. 25-26).

 

This chapter is also filled with commands from Jesus, like verse 28: “Straighten up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near.” 

 

Ask God to show you areas in your life where you need to straighten up.  Time on earth is short.  It is time to lift our heads and fix our eyes on Jesus.

 

Pray Luke 21:8a, 28, 34, and 36 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, do not let _________ and me be misled. 

Help us to straighten up, lift up our

heads, and recognize our redemption is drawing near.

 Let us be on guard, so our hearts

 will not be weighed down with dissipation,

drunkenness, and the worries of life.  Do not

let the day come upon us suddenly like a trap.  

Let us keep on the alert at all times, praying

that we may have strength to escape all

these things that are about to take place.

In order to stand before You, Jesus~”

 

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark 13 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Mark 13.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/mar/13/1/s_970001

Meditate on verses 4-5.

 

Tell us, when will these things be, and

what will be the sign when

 all these things are going to be fulfilled? 

And Jesus began to say to them,

"See to it that no one misleads you.”

 

Mark 13 is a treasure chest of end-time prophecies as revealed by Jesus.  Observe His Words carefully, so no one misleads you.

 

·      Many will come claiming to be Jesus (v. 6).

·      Wars and rumors of wars must first take place (v. 7).

·      There will be earthquakes and famines in various places—these are the beginning of the birth pangs (v. 8).

·      You will be delivered to the courts and stand before authorities to testify for Christ’s sake (v. 9).

·      The Gospel must first be preached to all the nations (v. 10).

·      Family members will betray each other to death, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death (v. 12).

·      You will be hated because of the name of Jesus (v. 13).

 

Do you think we are in the labor pains of Christ’s return? 

 

Even so, you too, when you see these things happening,

recognize that He is near, right at the door.

—Mark 13:29

 

Jesus is coming soon.  As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), pray to be on the alert, using the words from Mark 13:33-37.

 

“LORD, let ________ and me take heed

 and keep on the alert, for we do not

 know when the appointed time will come. 

Help us stay on the alert as

Your doorkeepers, doing Your assigned tasks.

 Let us be on the alert, for we do not know when

You will return, Master.  If You come suddenly, do

not find us asleep.  May we all be on the alert!

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

 

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Malachi 4 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Malachi 4.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/mal/4/1/s_929001

Meditate on verse 2.

 

But for you who fear My name, the sun

of righteousness will rise with healing

 in its wings, and you will go forth

and skip about like calves from the stall.

 

God’s final recorded words in the Old Testament are the closing verses of Malachi, describing the coming day of the LORD (vs. 1, 5).  It is a day of health, youthful vitality, and restoration for those who fear God’s name (vs. 2, 6).  But for the arrogant and wicked, it is a day of consuming fire (v. 1).

 

What does the day hold for you and those you love?

 

Pray God’s final Old Testament message from Malachi 4:1-6 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, do not let ________ and me be arrogant evildoers

 for whom the day is coming burning like a furnace.  

Please save us from the chaff; do not set us ablaze!  

Do not leave us without root or branch!  

Let us fear Your name, so the sun of righteousness

will rise on us with healing in its wings. 

Let us go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. 

Save ________ from being the wicked who will be ashes

under the soles of our feet on the day which

 You are preparing, LORD of hosts.  

Let us remember Your law of Moses, Your

servant, even the statutes and ordinances which

You commanded.  Thank You for sending Elijah

 the prophet before the coming of Your

great and terrible day, LORD. 

Restore the hearts of the fathers to their

children and the hearts of the children to

their fathers, so that You will not come

and smite the land with a curse.

In Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

 

 

Malachi 3 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Malachi 3.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/mal/3/1/s_928001

Meditate on verses 13 and 16.

 

“Your words have been arrogant

 against Me,” says the LORD. 

“Yet you say, ‘What have we

spoken against You?’” 

 

Then those who feared the LORD spoke

 to one another, and the LORD

 gave attention and heard it, and a book

of remembrance was written

 before Him for those who fear the

LORD and who esteem His name.

 

The questions continue in Malachi 3.  “How shall we return?” and “What have we spoken against You?” spill from the mouths of those unwilling to take responsibility for their actions (vs. 7, 13). 

Then suddenly the questions cease, and the LORD turns His attention from the arrogant God-questioners to the humble God-fearers (vs. 16-18).  As God listens to this quite different conversation, He is so touched He has a book of remembrance written about them, making those who esteem His name His own precious possession, promising to spare them from His judgment (vs. 16-17).

With whom do you most identify from Malachi: God-questioner or God- fearer?  Pray Malachi 3:16-18 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, may ___________ and I fear You!   As we

speak to one another, please give

 attention and hear our words.  Write about

us in Your book of remembrance, as

 those who fear You and esteem Your name.

 LORD, make us Yours, preparing us as

 Your own possession and sparing us as a man

spares his own son who serves him. 

LORD, You distinguish between the righteous

and the wicked, between one who serves

 God and one who does not serve You. 

Make us Your righteous ones who serve You always.

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

Malachi 2 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Malachi 2.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/mal/2/1/s_927001

Meditate on verses 7-8.

 

“For the lips of a priest should preserve

 knowledge, and men should seek instruction

from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD

 of hosts.  But as for you, you have turned aside from

 the way; you have caused many to stumble by the

 instruction; you have corrupted the

covenant of Levi," says the LORD of hosts.

 

God was not pleased 2,400 years ago.  The priests caused many to stumble because they refused to truthfully teach God’s Word (vs. 6-8).  People wanted God’s favor without seeking His forgiveness (v. 13).   Divorce was rampant (vs. 14-16).  People called evil “good,” and they questioned, “Where is God?” as their lives crumbled under unchecked sin (v. 17).  Wow!  This chapter sounds like it was written today.

God and His Word do not change with the times.  Times change when impacted by God and His Word. 

As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), pray to uphold God’s Word, using the words from Malachi 2:5-7.

 

“LORD, thank You for Your covenant of life

and peace with _________ and me. 

Your Words are an object of reverence to

us, so we revere You and stand in

 awe of Your name.  May true instruction

 be in our mouths, and unrighteousness

 not be found on our lips.  May we walk with

You in peace and uprightness and

 turn many back from iniquity.  May our

lips preserve knowledge; let people

seek instruction from our mouths.  Let us

be Your messengers, LORD of hosts.

 For the sake of Your name, LORD Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

 

 

 

 

Malachi 1 - Praying God's Word

 

Please read Malachi 1.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/mal/1/1/s_926001

Meditate on verse 6.

 

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. 

Then if I am a father, where is My honor? 

And if I am a master, where is My respect?”

says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name.  

But you say, “How have we despised Your name?”

 

Four hundred years before coming to earth in human flesh, God spoke one more time to His people through the prophet Malachi.  His message begins with, “I have loved you” (v. 2).  The people responded like spoiled, disrespectful children: “How have You loved us?” (v. 2).   As the book continues, God the Father patiently answers the children’s questions.

As you read Malachi, think about how you talk to God.  Do you ever sound like an insolent child, questioning God’s motives and actions?  Amazingly, God lets us ask Him anything.  Consider asking Him what He notices about your heart and attitude when you talk to Him.  Ask Him to shape your attitudes toward Him and what He is doing in your life.

Use the words from Malachi 1:5-6 and 11a to give respectful honor to the LORD, as His faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

 

“LORD, be magnified beyond the border of Israel! 

Father, I honor You.  Master, I respect You.

 LORD of hosts, may I never despise Your name. 

From the rising of the sun even to its setting,

Your name will be great among the nations. 

Because Your name is Jesus~”

 

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 4 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell