Forgetting the Past

Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:13b-14 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Another year ends and we leave it behind us, looking back only to be thankful for God's provision and to learn lessons we can use in the future. Our focus is forward, pressing on to fulfill the purposes of God in our lives and in the life of Emmanuel College.

Pray today:

• For a deep and abiding appreciation for how God has been with us in 2017.
• For a determination to continue in 2018 the good work God has called us to.
• For more answers to our prayers for Emmanuel College in 2018, for more good surprises and remarkable miracles, for stamina and energy to complete tasks, solve problems, and make wise decisions.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Opened

For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:8 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• We have been praying for Emmanuel College, some of us for half a century or more, but since December 3, 2014 when this prayer blog began, many of us have prayed more intensely than ever before. Along the way, we have at times received exactly what we asked for, but we have also been surprised by answers we did not expect and by opportunities that required difficult decision-making and hard work. 

Praise God today:

• And give thanks for things we asked for and received: for record-breaking enrollments, for remarkable favor with agencies and authorities, for donations and other financial support, for significant reduction in debt in 2017. 
• And give thanks for the unexpected and miraculous: for estate gifts and other donations we had no idea were coming, for new shingles on all our roofs for about 5% of the cost thanks to a hail storm and good insurance. 
• And give thanks for the opportunities we've had to assess and evaluate, to analyze and strategize, to collaborate and innovate, and to tell our story over and over and watch God's goodness and grace emerge.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Keep On

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Three possible outcomes of prayer? You receive exactly what you ask for or you find an answer perhaps you didn't expect or opportunity opens before you, but it requires stepping through the open door to do the work God ordains. All are outcomes I can live with. You?

Pray today:

• For a renewed passion for prayer for Emmanuel College, for all who are connected to the College to pray now more than ever. 
• For the breakout moment when we leave the past behind, for the breakthrough into the future where the Holy Spirit guides and energizes us around his plans and purposes.
• For those who have been offering prayers for the College, now, to intensify their prayers, for more people to pray in more places, for more prayers to be prayed, especially during the Pray for Emmanuel emphasis in January but also throughout 2018. 

Pray First! Pray Through!

Keep On Asking

If you then, evil (sinful by nature) as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give what is good and advantageous to those who keep on asking Him.  (Matthew 7:11 AMP)

Today's meditation:

• We have given and we have received this Christmas season, and our gifts have brought joy and happiness to sons and daughters, but the Father's good pleasure is to continue giving us what we need all year long from his bountiful hand, if we never cease asking Him.

Pray today:

• For the Emmanuel family to keep on asking the Father for the gifts we need from give, gifts that are good and beneficial to all: 
• For the reduction and elimination of the College's debt and for more resources to expand the mission and reach of our ministry.
• For more students into whom we pour principles for faith, learning, and living.
• For victory over principalities and powers, for wisdom in decision-making and action, for favor with individuals and organizations, with donors and foundations, with authorities and agencies.
• For life-changing, heart-mending revival and renewal on our campus through the person and work of our risen Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Praising God

The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. (Luke 2:20 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Some people feel a Christmas "let-down" the day after Christmas, probably because of all the selfish trappings we've attached to the holiday, but Christians should praise the Lord and be energized to do more than ever in declaring all we have heard and seen while living for Jesus.

Pray today:

• For staff and faculty who will soon be back with their students, for them to be back at their offices and classrooms doing some of the most important work on the planet - guiding and shaping young lives.
• For faith to run strong among us, for us to trust in the Word of God, for us to rest in God's promises and all that he has told us.

Pray First! Pray Through!

This Child

After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. (Luke 2:17-19 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• About this child, well, he changes everything, doesn't he? Certainly, his birth marked a new era for mankind, his death freed us from sin, and his resurrection releases hope for a bright future. Astonishing, isn't it? Think about it today, and let your actions reflect your thoughts.

Pray today:

• For Emmanuel College to be a place where the shepherds' story is told over and over again, a place that prepares and opens the way to the Lord, a place where love abounds, where faith grows, and where hope rises.
• For the students, staff, and faculty to be vocal, telling everyone what Jesus has done for us, the personal story about forgiveness and peace, the family story of rescue and deliverance, such that astonished hearers will bow in submission and awe in his glorious presence.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Let's Go

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. (Luke 2:15-16 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• They didn't have to go. They could have chosen not to get involved, to have enjoyed the moment but remained in their places. Can you imagine the conversation? "What just happened here?" "I don't know." "What are we to do?" "Let's go." "Let's see this." Good decision. Always good to go to the Savior.

Pray today:

• For the people of Emmanuel College to have a willingness to go to the Lord - often, and to see what he is doing in the world and in us - always.
• For the true meaning of Christmas to settle over us, even in the midst of colorfully wrapped presents and hopeful shouts of glee, to remember the greatest gift of all, the babe in the manger wrapped in swaddling clothes, the hope of all mankind.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Glory to God

Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven - praising God and saying, "Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased." (Luke 2:13-14 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Interesting that it is the armies of heaven that show up at Jesus' birth singing about peace on earth. Reminds us of when Jesus said he could call legions of angels to save him from the cross, but instead, he came not to change political world order but to change the human heart, to cover our sin with his blood, and to offer peace. Sing praise to God!

Pray today:

• For the people of Emmanuel College to please God by our firm faith, by our persistent prayer, and by our unwavering obedience.
• For the peace of God to overcome anxiety and fear in every perilous and uncertain circumstance.
• For our praises to rise to heaven and join that of the angel armies in declaring, "Glory to God in highest heaven."

Pray First! Pray Through!

Awe Fell

Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, "What will this child turn out to be?" For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way. (Luke 1:64-66 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• When you're in over your head, when events swirling around you are bigger than you can comprehend, when you are speechless in the wake of miracles beyond imagination, begin by praising God and basking in the holy awe of his presence.

Pray today:

• For the people of Emmanuel College to be people of praise who walk in the wonder of his favor, who live in peace when turbulence comes, who reflect on the living God with us through perplexing times and puzzling events.
• For the hand of God to be upon us, for the news of God with us to spread throughout the Georgian hills and beyond, for awe to fall upon us all because of his miracles among us.
• For steadfast faith to move boldly into what God intends for Emmanuel College to be, both now and in the future, to move forward in confidence with boundless praise upon our lips.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Favored by God

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies and exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has looked [with loving care] on the humble state of His maidservant; For behold, from now on all generations will count me blessed and happy and favored by God!" (Luke 1:46-48 AMP)

Today's meditation:

• Although what lay ahead of her would be difficult, Mary did not let that dampen her rejoicing over what God was doing, and in fact, her long-view perspective of future generations made the present more bearable, eradicating fear and replacing it with pure joy.

Pray today:

• For the proper perspective to see what God is doing in our lives and in the life of Emmanuel College, for the favor of the Lord to rest upon us, for praise and rejoicing to characterize our daily walk.
• For current students to receive from the Lord what they need most, for them to overcome challenges, to succeed in their studies, to achieve their goals, and to develop in spirit, mind and body.
• For those in future generations who belong at Emmanuel to respond to the influence of the Holy Spirit that draws them, whether they fully understand it or not, such that they find themselves at Emmanuel one day to experience all that God has for them here.

Pray First! Pray Through!

The Lord's Servant

Mary responded, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." And then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Mary did not glamorize the path that lay before her, nor should we, because being the Lord's servant sometimes leads through the humanly impossible, which is nearly always stressful but eventually delightful.

Pray today:

• For the people of Emmanuel College to submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, always open to his leadership, always eager to follow.
• For courage to face whatever lies ahead, easy or difficult, comfortable or not.
• For willingness to be the Lord's servant, whatever that may mean and wherever that may lead.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Never Fail

[The angel concluded,]"For the word of God will never fail." [Later, Mary exclaimed,] "For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever." (Luke 1:37, 55 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• We can depend on God's promises, but we cannot advance his timeline nor can we make them conform to our sense of propriety, as Mary discovered, because in the end they are his promises after all. He keeps them; we delight in them!

Pray today:

• For faith to grow in us no matter how unusual the events or how unexpectedly he answers, for a sense of wonder to permeate our thoughts and emotions.
• For the current supporters and caretakers of Emmanuel College to remember all those who came before us to whom God was faithful, for their testimony to encourage us that God is faithful still.
• For weak hearts to be strengthened, for heavy hearts to be lifted because his promise to be with us has not diminished nor has it faded. He is Emmanuel. 

Pray First! Pray Through!

What's more

"What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month." (Luke 1:36 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• People can say all sorts of things about us and our family, they can use words like unfruitful, misguided, or destitute, and they can speak with meanness or pity, but when faithful people pray persistently, God shows up eventually, and careless words are silenced.

Pray today:

• For God's divine plan to unfold for Emmanuel College, for no impediments, either from people or powers, to interfere.
• For the conception and birth of great ideas and actions to lead the people of Emmanuel College into the future with a reinvigorated mission under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• For prayers to be answered, even the impossible ones, for faith to be rewarded, even small faith, for hope to rise, even from the hopeless - that God may be glorified and praised throughout the earth.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Power of the Most High

The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• The Holy Spirit that made Mary's miracle possible is the same Holy Spirit who empowers and births in us miracle upon miracle to do his good pleasure to accomplish his perfect plan.

Pray today:

• For the miracle of selflessness among God's people everywhere, giving of self to others that others may be reached and experience the miracles of forgiveness and salvation.
• For the miracle of peace, peace in the earth, peace within our hearts and minds despite the storms of life, peace resting in Jesus Christ our Lord who said, "My peace I give to you."
• For the miracle of faith embedded deeply in the Emmanuel College family, faith in the Son of God to move mountains and other obstacles to his plan, remembering that he said, "YOU can say to this mountain, 'Be removed.'"

Pray First! Pray Through!

God Has Heard

But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John." (Luke 1:13 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Zechariah's prayer the angel referenced must have been an old one because he resisted, questioned and objected to the miracle the angel foretold, which clearly shows that God answers prayer in his own timing, for his purposes, and for our good. No matter the improbability, keep praying.

Pray today:

• For the many answered prayers for Emmanuel College, we give thanks, whether simple or complex, whether ordinary or remarkable, because God has heard our prayer and answered.
• For the many prayers yet unanswered, not one of which has gone unnoticed by God, to be answered, some with a "yes", others with a "no, and still others with "not now, but one day."
• For answers to some prayers that may surprise us because they were prayed decades, maybe a century, ago by people who are long gone, but their prayers still linger before the Lord waiting for the right time to be answered, and when he does, the angels will say, "Look! The Lord has heard their prayers."

Pray First! Pray Through!

The Lord Will Go Ahead

You will not leave in a hurry, running for your lives. For the Lord will go ahead of you; yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind. (Isaiah 52:12 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• No matter the difficulty, danger, or trial, look ahead and the Lord is there or look behind and he is there, too. Above, below, and all around us, the Lord carries his children through.

Pray today:

• For the pace of the Lord's deliverance from debt to be perfectly timed with his plan for Emmanuel College, for those engaged in the process to be patient when forward progress is slow.
• For what's behind us to be saturated with his miracle-working power, for the present to be imbued with faith-filled actions, for the future to be permeated with God-sized vision.
• For our human weaknesses, whether fear, despair, stress, fatigue or countless others, to be overpowered by the constant and abiding presence of the Lord.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Leave Your Captivity

Get out! Get out and leave your captivity, where everything you touch is unclean. get out of there and purify yourselves, you who carry home the sacred objects of the Lord. (Isaiah 52:11 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• When we are chained to debt or any other form of enslavement, our direction is inhibited and we come under the tyranny of the world's systems. How appropriate to heed the command to leave our captivity behind, seeking freedom and a way of holiness going forward!

Pray today:

• For the ongoing and arduous task of reducing and eliminating the College's debt, for God-appointed people to step up in faith with a unity effort to break the shackles of debt.
• For God's appointees to all be present, not one missing, and may they see what God sees with a clear view of God's purpose for Emmanuel College.
• For the people of Emmanuel College to carry the sacred fire of God's love within them, to become more effective leaders in the Christian higher education movement, to be examples of purity and obedience in the service of the Lord.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Victory

The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God. (Isaiah 52:10 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• The demonstration of God's power always amazes, and while we tend to hope for the sea to part or fire to fall, the manna miracles sustain us day after day and bring us to the promised land.

Pray today:

• For God's holy power to flow through the people of Emmanuel College, through our students as they learn and grow, through our faculty and staff as they teach and guide, through our alumni and friends as they support and pray.
• For words and actions to reveal our growing faith and unwavering obedience, for our prayers to be unceasing.
• For God's victory in us to stand as a testimony to his promise to be with us, revealing that no situation is hopeless and no problem too big.

Pray First! Pray Through!

He Has Redeemed

Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. (Isaiah 52:9 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• The Lord knows how to take what's broken down and build it up, how to exchange ruin for restoration and sadness for song.

Pray today:

• For hard times and lost opportunities to be redeemed as if they had never happened, for Emmanuel College to flourish and prosper in its mission. 
• For comfort and joy to become the companions of those who have suffered, for wounded spirits to find solace and healing.
• For the Lord's deliverance to be mighty, for all who see it to offer praise to God, giving glory and honor where it is due.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Shout and Sing

The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem. (Isaiah 52:8 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• One can't help but be exuberant when shackles fall off and freedom comes, and as Isaiah anticipated deliverance through the Lord Jesus, so should we. 

Pray today:

• For hope that is rooted deep in every believer to sprout and grow to full flower in those who feel bound by circumstances out of their control, who love the Lord but feel chained and discouraged. 
• For the students, employees, and supporters of Emmanuel College to lift their eyes to the Lord, to praise him as never before for the great things he has done, to pray as never before for the great things he is yet to do.
• For the watchmen over Emmanuel College, those who are alert to the dangers, who see what is happening all around, who have been faithful in their tasks, to experience the Lord's deliverance and to shout and sing for joy.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Good News

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! (Isaiah 52:7 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Our God reigns, even when our faith is stretched or circumstances cloud our view. Never lose hope. Our God reigns.

Pray today:

• For all who have been laboring to throw off Emmanuel's burden of debt to not give up, but to trust in God that rescue is close at hand.
• For the Emmanuel family to faithfully work and take their stand in the peace that God brings, peace that is immune to anxiety, peace rooted in the Prince of Peace.
• For the good news of deliverance to come swiftly, for our captivity to end in victory and freedom, for our testimony about his faithful presence and his strong arm to bring glory and honor to our Sovereign Lord.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Great Things

[From Mary's song when she met Elizabeth] For the Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is his name. (Luke 1:49 NIV)

Today's meditation:

• Every day is not lived in high victory. Some days are nothing but calamity, like when Mary tried to explain her pregnancy to Joseph and her parents or when she gave birth to her first child in an unsanitary, smelly stable. But during these times, it helps to remember the great things God has already done for us.

Pray today:

• For the Christmas season to remind us of all God's gifts to humanity, certainly the gift of the Savior, but especially that this Savior reaches all the way to me, forgives my sins, and makes me whole.
• For overwhelming joy because God has adopted us into his family, for the indescribable privilege to partner in our Father's business of advancing his kingdom on earth.
• For keen awareness of the great things the Mighty One has already done for us, for these remembrances to make us strong in the hard places and to remind us that he is with us even on those days we feel alone.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Victory

For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. (1 John 5:4 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Everybody gets excited about achieving victory, but the path to victory, not so much. Hard to get excited about determination, persistence, stamina, fatigue, weariness, fortitude - but they do make the winner's circle a sweeter victory.

Pray today:

• For Emmanuel College to achieve enrollment victories each semester, especially the upcoming Spring Semester that begins in January, for the students to enroll who need the Emmanuel academic and spiritual experiences, who need to discover purpose and direction in life.
• For the College to achieve revenue victories each fiscal year, for financial goals to be met, for fundraising to be successful, for revenues from tuition and auxiliary services to exceed expectations.
• For the College to achieve the goal of eliminating its debt in the next five years, for each stage of debt reduction to be successful, for abundant resources to come from God's vast supply to overcome each financial challenge.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Eager to Serve

And now a word to you elders in the churches. . .Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly - not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. (1 Peter 5:1a-2 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Eagerness to serve God should characterize all Christians, especially those who are assigned authority and have responsibility for any segment of Christ's church here on earth.

Pray today:

• For the Emmanuel College Board of Trustees who provide spiritual and financial oversight, who give willingly of their time and talents to support and advance the mission of the College.
• For the officers of the Board and the committee chairpersons to have special insight and discernment in leading, advising, and decision-making.
• For the Board and the leadership team of the College to continue to support and challenge one another to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, finding the best solutions and clear pathways forward. 

Pray First! Pray Through!

I Find Joy

As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. (Psalm 119:143 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• The key to leading is to be a good follower as in closely following Jesus and obeying his every command from which joy flows even when dark clouds gather and difficulties abound.

Pray today:

• For the leaders of Emmanuel College to bear the burden of leadership lightly, to remember that Jesus invited us to be yoked with him which makes the load easy to pull and the burden light.
• For all campus leaders including the President and his staff, the Vice Presidents and their Directors, the Deans of the Schools and their Department Chairs, the Athletic Director and his leadership team, the Student Senate and other student leaders.
• For all campus leaders to be wise and discerning, for them to be strong and courageous, for them to plan well and make good decisions, for them to be effective leaders.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Purpose in Every Step

Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! I run with purpose in every step. (1 Corinthians 9:24, 26a NLT)

Today's meditation:

• To win we must work with commitment and purpose in every effort which brings us back to the old adage: "Work like it's all up to us, but pray like it's all up to him." The former statement is not license to do as we please, and the latter is no excuse for laziness. Find purpose in every step.

Pray today:

• For our Athletic Department, for our leaders, coaches, and athletes, for our sports teams and the opportunities they have to compete and serve. 
• For athletics to be a vibrant community of people who are examples of Christian living in their actions and who inspire others to strive for greatness, both in sport and in life.
• For successful completion of the NCAA membership process such that Emmanuel College becomes a full member in the summer of 2017.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Sent Out

So after they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them out.  (Acts 13:3 NCV)

Today's meditation:

• Jesus came to save people from their sins, and we are blessed to be able to partner with him in evangelism, renewal, and service.

Pray today:

• For the personnel who lead and manage Student Outreach ministries: the Emmanuel Singers, the Emmanuel Players, and Revive Dance Team. 
• For them to be successful in planning, preparing, and implementing ministry outreach programs, for abundant financial and human resources to maintain and expand our ministries.
• For EC Serve to continue to grow and expand in providing service opportunities for students and employees, for those who lead and participate the EC Serve program, for our actions to speak louder than our words.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Declare

My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection. That is why I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day long.  (Psalm 71:7-8 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Obeying the Lord and allowing him to work in us opens the floodgate of his power and protection, making us a testimony of his great love and glory.

Pray today:

• For the personnel who manage and assist in the Public Relations department of the College, for clear and vibrant communications that reveal the work of the Lord through Emmanuel College.
• For Forward magazine and other publications to inform and inspire our constituents and supporters.
• For the work of public relations to assist the many departments and people of the College to tell their stories, to draw thousands into our circle of influence, to engage them in telling others about Emmanuel, in giving time and money for our support, and in praying for our many needs.

Pray First! Pray Through!

The Lord Has Spoken

In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 40:3-5 NIV)

Advent meditation:

• We praise God for sending Jesus over 2000 years ago, and the world celebrates still.

Pray today:

• For the glory of the Lord to be revealed through his work at Emmanuel College that people may know our God who loves endlessly and works wonderfully among his children.
• For us at Emmanuel College to prepare our hearts and minds for the day rough ground and rugged places are smoothed out, a day when God's power dramatically changes everything..
• For a clear pathway through barren landscape, for the elimination of valleys of despair and mountains of debt along the way.

Pray First. Pray Through.

Give Me Strength

Give me strength, as you promised, and I shall live; don't let me be disappointed in my hope! Hold me, and I will be safe, and I will always pay attention to your commands. (Psalm 119:116-117 GNB)

Today's meditation:

• When God promises, he delivers, even when our energy is depleted and our faith is small - especially then.

Pray today:

• For the personnel in Campus Operations: for the Facilities Management staff to be effective and to find strength to keep up with repairs and improvements, for the Auxiliary Operations staff to efficiently manage events and services that provide community service and draw additional revenues to the College, for the Food Services staff to provide nutritious and abundant meal options for the campus.
• For the personnel in Campus Information Systems and Technology to have wisdom and understanding in managing complex IT systems and in maintaining and improving services, for financial resources to keep up with advancements in technology and with increasing demands.

Pray First! Pray Through!

Sustain Me

You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope. Get out of my life, you evil-minded people, for I intend to obey the commands of my God. Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live! Do not let my hope be crushed. (Psalm 119:114-116 NLT)

Today's meditation:

• Like a dry sponge, may we soak up the Word of God until hope abounds in us to drive away all despair and dread, leaving the promises of God in their place.

Pray today:

• For the College's employees to find favor and be blessed, for them to receive financial increase, for Human Resources to be guided by the Holy Spirit and able to provide care and services to meet needs, for all job searches to end with the right people hired. 
• For the personnel in Accounting Services to manage the College's money well, to find more ways to save on expenses and to increase revenues, to guide the improvement of its financial statements and position. 
• For the College's students and employees to be safe on and off campus, for Campus Safety to provide personnel and systems that provide protection, for evil to be thwarted and repelled, for God to be our refuge.

Pray First! Pray Through!