James 1:2-4 ESV Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
What were some of your challenges these past 28 days on this Lenten Season Journey.. Leave me a comment and let’s start a discussion right here on this post, and share some of your challenges as we walk into greatness on April 8, 2012 Resurrection Sunday…
Today as enter into day 28 of the Lenten season and say that I no longer can say that I am challenged by the telephone… I’ve given it up minus one call to check on a friend that’s been ill, and I felt compelled to do so deeming the call necessary… Otherwise, I have not entertained by telephone in the past 27 days, which would have been a challenge without some help from the master..
Today we will articulate on ‘Challenges” – Yes, we are faced with all types of challenges.. My challenge may not be your challenge, and your challenge may not be my challenge…
In the world we live in, you will find all different walks of life, people that are all different in nationality, mindset, physical appearances, ideals so on and so on… What I like is God made us all different, yet unique with the least of his servants having something to give back regardless of their challenges they face…
I personally have many challenges in life… I could go on and on about my challenges, but my challenges that I am aware of, I’ve taken them to God and he has dealt with them one by one… As the days go by and become older, I tend to become more-less challenged than I was when I was younger….. It’s something about age that naturally alters some challenges we face in our lives… Ok, that’s enough about me, because I realized one major challenge I faced and that was “It really is not all about me” but it’s about God and all of us as a people trying to strive to be better as we face these challenges of the world… As I said, your challenge may not be my challenge, but yet and still we are challenged and it’s up to you how you deal with your challenges…
I’ve noticed that some of us tend to take the long way around, such as my son Justin that has Autism Spectrum, which means he possess a delay that don’t correspond with his age nor his weight or his height…. People tend to expect a whole lot from him because of his stature… Well, I’ve learned that dealing with a child with a disability, you just have to be patient in knowing that they will get there and learn the same things their peers know but possibly just at a later date… Although, they have their own area of expertise that we may not have… My son is capable of manipulating any electronic device you give him, but he is yet to learn to tie his shoe… What are you saying? He is superb in one area, but challenged in the area of self help… We will get there, and the other kids at school will have to keep tying his shoe until the light comes on in his head and he is no longer challenged with a particular modality.
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Let’s see what the good old dictionary say about Challenges…. It has a lot to say on today enclosed below and information cited and provided by: www.dictionary.com
1. A call or summons to engage in any contest,as of skill, strength, etc.
Space exploration offers a challengeto humankind.
| to expurgate (a written work) by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable. |
| to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about. |
adjective
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Bible Verses about Challenges
reference material and scriptures from open bible info
http://www.openbible.info/topics/challenges
James 1:2-4 ESV / 18 helpful votes
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV / 7 helpful votes
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
1 John 4:18 ESV / 6 helpful votes
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
Hebrews 13:5 ESV / 5 helpful votes
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Philippians 4:6 ESV / 5 helpful votes
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Romans 8:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
John 3:16 ESV / 3 helpful votes
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Luke 12:33 ESV / 3 helpful votes
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
Isaiah 40:1-31 ESV / 3 helpful votes
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” …
1 Peter 2:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
2 Timothy 3:16 ESV / 2 helpful votes
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
1 Timothy 6:10 ESV / 2 helpful votes
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Romans 5:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
Romans 5:8 ESV / 2 helpful votes
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
John 16:13 ESV / 2 helpful votes
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Mark 12:30 ESV / 2 helpful votes
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
Matthew 5:1-7:29 ESV / 2 helpful votes
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. …
Genesis 2:16-17 ESV / 2 helpful votes
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Genesis 1:31 ESV / 2 helpful votes
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Genesis 1:1-31 ESV / 2 helpful votes
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. …
Genesis 1:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
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Lenten Season:
Lent is a special sacred season of separation/consecration between Ash Wednesday
and Easter Sunday (this year Feb 22 – April 8). The 40 days of Lent are symbolic and
strategically significant in the Bible. The number 40 is used by God to represent a period
of testing, trial, probation, or judgment and ends with a period of restoration, revival
or renewal. The rain in Noah’s day fell for 40 days and 40 nights, Moses was on the
mountain 40 days and 40 nights, the spies searched Canaan for 40 days, the Israelites
wandered 40 years, Elijah ate one meal for 40 days, Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40
days and was seen on the earth for 40 days after His crucifixion.
By observing Lent, we follow Jesus into the wilderness, resist temptation, pray,
and proceed to Jerusalem and the cross on Good Friday which then culminates in
resurrection on Easter Sunday. This most sacred season on the Church calendar is marked
by repentance, intercession, service, giving and self denial. For so many, Lent is a
moment to give up things we cherish in exchange for prayer, fasting, acts of mercy, and
meditation on the Word of God.
Power of Prayer:
When nations needed healing they prayed. When families needed reconciliation they
prayed. When churches needed revival they prayed. Everything we do as individuals,
church, or nation should be birthed in prayer. Jesus the Son of God was devoted to prayer
and He put priority to prayer than anything else. “One of those days Jesus went out to
a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” Luke 6:12. He frequently
withdrew to the wilderness and mountain sides to pray. Prayer was not just Jesus’ habit
but in times of emergency, He resorted to prayer. When tempted, he prayed. When lied
upon, He prayed. During his most trying hour when he was about to be crucified, He
found time to pray. Before He gave up the ghost, He prayed. Today, He seats at the
right hand of God the Father still praying for you. His prayer life was so powerful and
impactful that the disciples said, “Teach us how to pray.” Nations need our prayers,
Individuals need our prayers, families need our prayers, the sick need our prayers,
governments needs our prayers, the lost need our prayers and the needy need our prayers.
Practical Ways to Help:
• Choose to fast from a particular pleasure: Food or TV or Social Media or Internet
or People.
• Join our daily Church-wide Online Blogs expounding on Prayer Items at
www.empowermenttemple.org
• Corporate Prayer every Sunday Morning from 7:00am – 7:30am.
• Attend Intercessors 1 hour of Power / Prayer Clinic every Saturday from 10am –
11am at the Family Life Center (1505 Eutaw Pl, Baltimore MD)
• Read through the Gospels between now and Easter.
• If you don’t already journal, begin now. Reflect on your readings, prayers and
questions.
• Make a list of people with whom you need to be reconciled. Pray for them and let
Jesus guide you in your thinking and feeling toward them.
40 Days of Lent Intercessory Prayer Guide (Empowerment Temple)
DATE: PRAYER ITEM:
February 22, 2012 Sacrifice
February 23, 2012 Sanctification
February 24, 2012 Success
February 25, 2012 Strength
February 26, 2012 Society
February 27, 2012 Economy
February 28, 2012 Environment/ Ecology
February 29, 2012 Evangelism
March 1, 2012 Enlightenment
March 2, 2012 Entertainment Industry (Movies, TV)
March 3, 2012 Integrity
March 4, 2012 Ideas
March 5, 2012 Anointing
March 6, 2012 Opportunity
March 7, 2012 Election
March 8, 2012 HIV/AIDS
March 9, 2012 Entrepreneurship
March 10, 2012 Home ownership (Mortgages)
March 11, 2012 Marriages
March 12, 2012 Ministry (Find your ministry)
March 13, 2012 Medical Issues
March 14, 2012 Mental Health
March 15, 2012 Armed Services (Active & Reserve)
March 16, 2012 Mentorship (God send someone to mentor you vice versa)
March 17, 2012 Middle East (Israel, Syria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yemen)
March 18, 2012 Motivation
March 19, 2012 Miracles
March 20, 2012 Children
March 21, 2012 Challenges
March 22, 2012 Churches (All houses of Worship that lift up Name of God)
March 23, 2012 Pastors (Leaders in Ministry)
March 24, 2012 Charities (Red Cross, World Vision, UNICEF, Cancer Society etc)
March 25, 2012 Influence
March 26, 2012 Individuals (Pray specifically for 3 people outside of yourself)
March 27, 2012 Encouragement (Pray against spirit of discouragement, depression, stress)
March 28, 2012 Order (No Confusion, Chaos
March 29, 2012 Incarcerated
March 30, 2012 Pray against Injustice
March 31, 2012 Employment (Find Jobs)
April 1, 2012 Forgiveness (Forgive others and God will forgive you)
April 2, 2012 Education (Teachers, Students, Charter Schools, HBCUs)
April 3, 2012 Intervention (Resolve family, financial, and personal issues)
April 4, 2012 Salvation (People to get saved)
April 5, 2012 Discipline
April 6, 2012 Maturity
April 7, 2012 Closure
April 8, 2012 New BeginningsPrinciple of Lent:
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