Author: pastorkevinschuessler

Day 22 of 40 Days of Prayer for America

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Bible verse:

“And he will be called: Everlasting Father.”  Isaiah 9:6 (NLT)

Do you find it interesting that Jesus (“for a child is born to us…”) is also named “everlasting Father”?  Is this because the Father and his Son, Jesus, are one?  In John 14:9-10, Jesus says to his disciples, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…the words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.  Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me”.  If we want to see who the Father is, how he feels about you and me, and how he treats us, we can look at Jesus in the narratives of Scripture!  And notice how “fatherly” Jesus is with his disciples.  He calls them “children”, and loves them as a good father would love his children.  He doesn’t blast them or expel them, but lovingly calls them upward, as though he believes they will eventually get it!  This is how he treats you and me, lovingly calling us upward, to believe and trust in him more and more.  

In a country undergoing a “crisis of fatherlessness,” we long for good fathers, fathers who will stand for truth, who are wise, who self-sacrificially protect and care for their children.  No matter how old you are, will you let the Lord Jesus, father you today?  Will you allow him to love you, protect you, speak words of wisdom and direction into you and care for you?  Will you let your guard down, and let him speak life into the dead places in your heart?  I believe he so longs to do this, even more than we crave it ourselves.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, father us, as you fathered your disciples and followers of your day.  Help us overcome our distrust, reluctance and even rebellious tendencies.  And then, allow us to serve your people around us, that we may carry on Jesus’ ministry of fathering in your winsome, kind way.  And one by one, may we see a revival of people changed from the inside out, and full to overflowing with your love!  In Jesus’ name.

By Pastor Kevin Schuessler

Day 21 of 40 Days of Prayer for America

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Bible verse:

“And he will be called: Mighty God.”  Isaiah 9:6

We all know powerful people – in business, government, military, even in entertainment, etc.  But often we fear those people and what they might do, because we have seen how power often corrupts.  We crave Someone strong and powerful who will protect us from the bullies.  Humans let us down, but God never does.

The people in Jesus’ day recognized him as a “prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people” (Luke 24:19).  And the only ones who feared Jesus were those who opposed him.  He used his power to save the lost, heal the sick, raise the dead, forgive the sinner, defend the weak, etc.  He is completely trustworthy and faithful.  He will do what he did then for you today.  As you place your life in his hands, you will experience his might in the most wonderful ways.  His power to overcome your biggest bully, the evil one, will change your life.  Will you let him?  

And someday soon, when Jesus returns through the clouds, with a “loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16), all the world will see his might with our own eyes.  Will you acknowledge Christ Jesus today as your mighty God?

Prayer:  I acknowledge you, Jesus, as my mighty God.  I come under your authority, and give you permission to lead me.  I pray for the people of our nation, that more and more people would place their allegiance in You alone. Work through me to help accomplish this!  In Jesus’ name.

By Pastor Kevin Schuessler

Day 20 of 40 Days of Prayer for America

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Bible verse:

“And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor.”  Isaiah 9:6

Each society has people considered to be experts, people who are smart and gifted.  Yet we discover how their wisdom often falls short, and that they too are flawed people.  We need a Counselor, someone who is all wise, who knows us best, who understands our situation and gives us brilliant counsel.  The Apostle Paul wrote, “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:25).  Paul points to Jesus Christ as the “wisdom of God” (:30)

We can get angry at our governmental leaders, or the experts in their respective fields.  But really what we need is to acknowledge Jesus as our “wonderful Counselor”, and to take direction from him.  In confessing him as your Lord and Savior, you are doing just that.  His wisdom doesn’t play by our world’s rules, but brings heaven’s brilliance to your problems and issues.  Will you listen to him?  Will you heed his advice?  Will you step out in faith and do what he suggests?  I promise the more you do, the more you’ll recognize how wonderful a counselor he actually is!

Prayer:  Lord God, you are brilliant, I acknowledge that.  Help me trust you and take one small step at a time as you direct.  I pray for a nation full of people who acknowledge Jesus as their Wonderful Counselor and walk in his ways.  May your infectious wisdom in me draw others to you, Lord!  In Jesus’ name.

By Pastor Kevin Schuessler

Day 19 of 40 Days of Prayer for America

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Bible verse:

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders.”  Isaiah 9:6 NLT

The prophet Isaiah predicted the Messiah would come as a child, that he would save the world and that he would have God’s kingdom authority behind him.  The angel of God said to Mary, “you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David” (Luke 1:31-32).

Since we couldn’t save ourselves, God sent his only Son, to save us, and to usher God’s Kingdom into our world. Jesus came to show us, in a personal way, what God was like, how he thinks, how he treats people, his character and kingdom values.  By reading the pages of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) we see how this baby became a man and radically changed the world, one person at a time.

What is your citizenship?  Through faith in Jesus, you are first and foremost a citizen of God’s Kingdom.  We are only temporarily citizens of countries of this world.  As you spend more time with Jesus in prayer and reading his Word, you will experience yourself reflecting God’s Kingdom in every aspect of your life.  Will you let him transform you?  

Prayer:  Lord, we can see that this messed up world needs Kingdom-minded people.  Will you change me and work through me to help the people around me?  Through me, would you bring others to encounter the Lord Jesus Christ personally?  In Jesus’ name.

By Pastor Kevin Schuessler

Day 16 of 40 Days of Prayer for America

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Bible verse:

“Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time (it)…will be filled with glory. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.”  Isaiah 9:1-2 NLT

What a great promise!  Jesus was, is and will be the fulfillment, and we will witness and experience His glory and light.  The people of Isaiah’s day had messed up and brought on the consequences, of darkness.  Are we any different?  And that’s the very reason for Christ coming, suffering, dying and then rising from the dead.  He took on our punishment, so that we, by repenting and placing our faith in Jesus, could experience his glory and light.  

What is that?  It’s everything we yearn for – his unconditional love and kindness.  It’s joy that’s not circumstance-based.  It’s a hope that looks forward to what God has promised you.  It’s a peace that stills you in the midst of turmoil.  When Jesus’ three disciples witnessed Jesus’ radiance, brilliance and glory on the mountain (Mark 9), they wanted to stay there forever!  That’s what you and I are going to see very soon, when Jesus returns through the clouds.  And FOREVER is His promise to you!

Prayer:  Lord, we stand on your promise that you are bringing your glory and light to this dark world of ours.  And not just for ourselves, but for those around us – our family, co-workers, classmates, neighbors and friends.  Even now, shine your brilliant light into the hearts of all who live in darkness.  And start a movement of Light seekers, Lord, in Jesus’ name.

By Pastor Kevin Schuessler

Day 3 of 40 Days of Prayer for America

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Bible Text Isaiah 6:5 (NLT)

Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

“I’m sure glad I’m not like THAT guy”… “he’s got real problems”… “I’ve got troubles, but that guy’s a MESS…!” How natural it is for us to compare ourselves to others and come out smelling sweet! We can always find someone “worse off” and think that by that standard, we are “good” with God. But the prophet Isaiah had no such illusions. He saw a vision God showed him.  In it, angelic beings were worshipping the living God with the words, “Holy, holy holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah instantly recognized he’s in the presence of a holy God, and he is undone! 

What convicts Isaiah?  His mouth. He says, ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’ He recognizes just how serious the problem is, both for himself and his people!

Are we any different in America? Are we even shocked anymore when someone uses Jesus Christ’s name, God’s most precious name, as a swear word? Or when we joke about sexual things, describing private, intimate things that belong in couples’ bedrooms? Has it become perfectly acceptable to tear apart a person’s reputation by gossip, by calling it ‘being honest?’ When we carelessly get sarcastic or insult a person, are those meaningless words, or have we done real damage? Do words actually have the power to kill, or give life?

We, too, need to confess our personal and national sin of “unclean lips” before our Father in heaven. As Isaiah came clean before God, look what God did. One of God’s angelic beings brought a live coal and touched Isaiah’s lips, and declared Isaiah forgiven! We are forgiven, too!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I confess that I have used my lips, my mouth, my words to destroy, to lie, to mock, to …. And I am sorry. Forgive me, forgive us, through Jesus and the awful price he paid on the cross! Forgive America’s people, Lord, for the careless, even destructive words out of our mouths. Touch our lips with a coal and cleanse our words, that they speak only life and honor You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Additional Bible passages: Ephesians 4:29; Proverbs 12:18, James 3:5b-8

Pastor Kevin Schuessler

Day 2 of 40 Days of Prayer for America

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Bible Text 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Our land, our country, the U.S.A. needs healing, do you agree? There is a brokenness that goes beyond the political, the economic, the social; do you sense it, too? Will the right candidate, another law, more funding, etc., heal our brokenness? Throughout history when God’s people recognized their country going down a destructive path, they called on God, their Father for help. They recognized their profound need and cried out to God out of desperation.

God, out of his deep love for US(A), who has called us to be His own, spoke these words of promise. He said, “If we will humble ourselves before Him, and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways…” (stop!). Can we do that right now? Wherever you are, would you pause, pull over, stop for a minute, and tell God you are sorry for the things we have done, for turning away from Him and for making decisions and pursuing paths that were and are not good….

Can we take time now to confess our waywardness on behalf of our country?….

We are a land that desperately needs healing and our God desires to pour that out in abundance. God says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV), “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Prayer: Lord, we recognize we’ve made a mess of things. We need your help. We have turned from You and even pursued evil. We are sorry. I am sorry. Thank You for Your promise that You HEAR US, that You FORGIVE US, and that You desire to HEAL OUR LAND! We stand on that promise. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus, who took on Himself the punishment of humanity when He went to the cross. Thank You for the hope we have in His resurrection. Heal our marriages, heal our schools, heal our business, heal our government, heal our country, through Jesus! We believe You can and will, through Jesus! Amen

By Pastor Kevin Schuessler

Let’s Build a Wall of Intercession

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What is God asking us to do? God asks us to “stand in the gap” between Himself and people, to bring their needs before Him and to ask boldly! “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land…”   ——Ezekiel 22:30 NIV

There’s no bigger need, than to know the Living God, to declare Jesus to be Lord and Savior, to repent and come clean before God, and to allow His Holy Spirit to fill us, lead us and transform us from the inside out. He calls us to intercede in this way on behalf of all people. “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4 NLT

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit show us how to intercede. Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit plead and intercede for us to the Father!  Isn’t this remarkable?  We have the high privilege to participate in God’s intercession plan for people! “Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.”  ——Romans 8:34 NLT

The Holy Spirit prays for us in accordance with God’s will!  As we are filled with the Holy Spirit, He informs us specifically what to pray for and when to pray.

Yesterday, I sensed the Holy Spirit prompting me to ask my high school buddies to pray for one of our classmates who’d recently returned to work following some heart surgeries.  Several weeks earlier we had all prayed for strength for his return.  But yesterday, “out of the blue,” I felt directed by the Holy Spirit, to gather at his house with other classmates and pray for healing for him.  My classmate welcomed the idea, so through an email invite, a number us planned to meet at his home and pray for him. 

However, suddenly this morning we got the news he had to go to ER the eve before our planned visit.  Instead of trying to get all of us together PHYSICALLY (impossible), God was leading us to pray from wherever we were, at the same time. So we agreed in prayer over God’s promises for our friend and continue to trust in those promises.

The Holy Spirit is teaching us moment by moment how to effectively intercede!

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”  ——Romans 8:26-27 NLT

How big can we pray?  We can ask God for HUGE things on another’s behalf, or something seemingly insignificant, which is not at all insignificant to God. “Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.”   ——John 16:24 NLT

Here are some real examples to pray for others:  

  • That the move-in process of a college student would go smoothly
  • That the breast milk of a mom would come in, for her newborn child
  • For God’s favor for a young man at his work
  • For a godly husband, for a lady
  • For an “empty nest” couple to grow closer, not further apart
  • That the Lord would locate a lost item
  • For God to heal a person with a “terminal” illness
  • For a pre-born child with severe health issues to live
  • For the sun to come out more
  • For freedom from a bad habit (an addiction?)

We can pray Scriptural promises back to God.  There are hundreds of promises in Scripture that God has given us.  We often are content to live as “beggars,” reading Scripture as simply an inspirational book, or worse, a history book of how God treated people in the past. Rather, Jesus wants us to take to heart what he did and said, and to know it is for us today – to rightfully receive the inheritance he earned on the cross for us, his precious, adopted sons and daughters!  (Ephesians 1:11)

Here are just a few promises:

  • “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.”  ——2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT
  • “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”  ——Matthew 11:28 NLT
  • “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”  ——Acts of the Apostles 16:31 NLT
  • “I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”   ——Mark 11:24 NLT
  • “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”  ——1 Peter 2:24 NLT

How he lavishes his love on us!  

Putting it together on a wall.  What if we “build” an actual WALL of Intercession?  Can you spare a part of a wall or maybe an entire wall at home or work?  Start by taking down everything so you have a “clean slate.”  Begin by pinning up pictures of the people God places on your heart.  Then print up the words of His Scriptural promises, and pin those up around the pictures.  When you marry the biblical promises with people’s pictures, spiritual fireworks go off inside of us and in heaven!  We get very specific in our prayers.  We get very personal.  We get audacious.  And we get more expectant of God.  He loves that!

May you develop new eyes of faith to see and pray as God leads, in Jesus’ name.

Here's an example of how you might arrange pics and verses on your wall. They can simply be tacked on your wall, printed on regular paper, laminated, framed or left unframed.

Ho Ho Ho! Happy Holidays!

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When you hear that greeting, do the Holidays feel more like “Ho-ho-ho Happy Holi-DAZE?”

During the weeks and days leading up to Christmas do you find yourself lacking excitement? Does the constant activity and gaiety around you feel overwhelming? Are shopping and planning making the season a blur? Inside are you experiencing dread, bitterness or even envy as you anticipate family get togethers? Many of us feel emotionally and physically exhausted and stress often feels a constant companion as the holidays approach. Heavy expectations, family dynamics, financial pressures and more can make the holidays feel like a crushing burden. Instead of “Happy Holidays” life feels extra difficult for many of us.  So much to do, places to go, and people to entertain, etc. Is that what the holidays are for?

I believe God has something COMPLETELY different in mind for you and me, something rather wonderful.  Instead of heaping on more expectations, He wants to be the One who gives to us.  He has SO much to give, that we can’t even comprehend it all!

He says, –

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”…And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.’       —1 Corinthians 2:9,12. NLT

I believe our culture has turned this time of the year into “holidaze” for many of us.  According to the UrbanDictionary.com, holidaze is a “term that defines the feelings of confusion and excitement people have between thanksgiving and Christmas; the blur one feels after/during shopping for gifts in crowded retail stores with heavy holiday traffic.” But God wants to make it a holiday, or holy day.  (Check out Pastor Dodge’s teaching on “Holidays – Holy Days” http://www.awakeusnow.com/biblical-roots.html)

No one is holy except God, Himself.  In fact, no one walked the planet that was holy except for Jesus, who was sinless and perfect.  He came that we may have “life and life to the full,” while the enemy has come to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10).   Jesus suffered and died for the express purpose of earning for us things too amazing for words:

  • a renewed relationship with God
  • forgiveness of all our faults
  • the promise of new perfect bodies when He returns
  • an eternity of no tears or pain
  • our hearts desires met by God Himself

This Holy One, Jesus, earned all of that for each one of us. In our broken, messed up state, we may receive it by faith, as a gift. A Christmas gift and what a gift! Right?

If that’s not enough, Jesus, before ascending to the right hand of the Father, left behind the Holy Spirit, to reside inside each of us.  By simply believing in Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit!  And as this passage describes, THERE’S MORE.  The Holy Spirit wants to give us what Jesus has earned for us – all the things we need to live this life:

  • wisdom
  • strength
  • confidence
  • peace beyond our circumstances
  • hope
  • joy
  • and the list goes on

So, this time of the year, what if we completely changed our focus from all the expectations placed on us, to receiving the Gift the Father has for us, the gift of Jesus and what He has earn for us?  You are the Father’s beloved and precious dear one.  Nothing would make Him happier than for you to receive the Gift He has for you.

How do you receive His gift?  Don’t worry, the Holy Spirit will guide you.  Just listen with your heart and receive.

Make this holiday a holy day and leave the holidaze behind! Receive the best Christmas gift ever, the Gift of the Holy One, Jesus. And then, receive some more!  For He says to you – “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Happy Holy Days and Merry Christmas!

Expect Enemy Push Back

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Nehemiah and the Jews living in Jerusalem resolved together to rebuild it’s walls.  Soon after, there was enemy pushback by three characters.

“But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked. I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.””   (Nehemiah 2:19-20 NLT)

Jerusalem had enemies.  You could describe them as enemies of God, and any efforts God was doing among His people.  Was it jealousy or envy. Was it simply disdain for the Jews, God’s chosen people, the people through whom God wanted to display His love?  Or were these simply bullies?  In any case, when they heard of the plan to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls, they began mocking and accusing.  That’s what God’s enemies do.  Nehemiah replied not by getting defensive, but by declaring that this was God’s initiative.  And that they were simply following His lead. Then Nehemiah shut them down, stating this was NOT up for discussion or a vote.  He and they WERE going to rebuild the wall with God’s help, no matter what!

As we step into prayer for America, and seek to follow God’s invitation to pray for this country, our people, for the rebuilding of America’s spiritual walls, we too will encounter enemy push back.  It may be subtle or blatant mockery, (ie – “what are you doing?” “Prayer is silly and worthless!” etc), or it may seem accidental/coincidental (ie – the appliances in your house all begin to break, etc.).  As these taunts just bolstered Nehemiah and the Jews’ resolve, we too can be bolstered and encouraged by these attacks at us.  Jesus, who experienced this enemy warfare more than anyone, which led ultimately to his death sentence on a cross, said, “in this world you will have trouble, but TAKE HEART, I have overcome the world” (emphasis mine, John 16:33).  We CAN be encouraged that we too are following where God is leading, and in fact, potentially suffering for Jesus’ name.  This is an honor indeed.  Resolve now to pray for America, her future, and for her people, no matter what!  And our Father who hears from heaven will reward you and me by taking our requests seriously and RESPONDING!  The wall WILL be rebuilt!