I'm a mere 48 hours away from launching the fourth annual Military Prayer Event. This is something that has been important to me for years and the reason this blog really exists. I want to help you learn how to pray effectively for military people.
My hope is that you already include the military in your prayers daily. With a great deal of humility, I want to encourage you to stop praying for certain things, and to start praying specific ideas. This will help make your prayers for targeted and effective. So, please read this post with an open mind. Seek only to arrive at the conclusion that we want good, solid prayer for the military. As a US Navy Sailor, I cherish your words to God on my behalf. That's why I'm writing this post!
Ways to Pray for the Military:
1. A lot of people say they want the military folks home soon. The truth is that God doesn't usually bring military folks home soon. We have fairly scheduled deployments. If we leave on a certain date, depending on which service we're in, we're not coming home until a certain date 6 months, 10 months, 12 months, or 15 months later. Praying I come home soon is counter-productive. Instead, pray for productive deployments, safe families, etc. Anything really except that they will come home soon. Coming home early usually means something went wrong.
2. Praying in a general tone is not effective. It's nice to do and if you don't know anyone in particular, I am sure that it's better than not praying at all. However, resourceful Christians don't need to pray like that. You need not look any further than your local church. I would be willing to bet that someone in you church knows someone who is in the military. Find out who they are and then pray specifically for that person!
3. Pray specific issues. If you struggle with lust, then pray that your military person will remain strong against lust. Do you have a hard time with food addiction? Pray that your military person will be strong against food problems so that he/she will be able to pass the semi-annual physical test. It doesn't matter what you pray for really, the point is to pray specifically!
4. Pray scripture. The whole point is to pray specifically, right? So pray the things that are in the Bible! The Bible talks about the harvest, so pray for the harvest! The Bible talks about lust, so pray against lust! You get the point. Praying the things that are in scripture allows you to easily pray specifically about the situation.
Look, the bottom line is that I really, desperately, want you to pray for the military. Pray specifically about the people you know, or someone a friend knows. If they are not believers, pray for them to believe. If they are believers, pray they will be bold in their faith. It's really that easy. And, if all else fails, pray for me and my family. Lord knows we could use it!
My hope is that you already include the military in your prayers daily. With a great deal of humility, I want to encourage you to stop praying for certain things, and to start praying specific ideas. This will help make your prayers for targeted and effective. So, please read this post with an open mind. Seek only to arrive at the conclusion that we want good, solid prayer for the military. As a US Navy Sailor, I cherish your words to God on my behalf. That's why I'm writing this post!
Ways to Pray for the Military:
1. A lot of people say they want the military folks home soon. The truth is that God doesn't usually bring military folks home soon. We have fairly scheduled deployments. If we leave on a certain date, depending on which service we're in, we're not coming home until a certain date 6 months, 10 months, 12 months, or 15 months later. Praying I come home soon is counter-productive. Instead, pray for productive deployments, safe families, etc. Anything really except that they will come home soon. Coming home early usually means something went wrong.
2. Praying in a general tone is not effective. It's nice to do and if you don't know anyone in particular, I am sure that it's better than not praying at all. However, resourceful Christians don't need to pray like that. You need not look any further than your local church. I would be willing to bet that someone in you church knows someone who is in the military. Find out who they are and then pray specifically for that person!
3. Pray specific issues. If you struggle with lust, then pray that your military person will remain strong against lust. Do you have a hard time with food addiction? Pray that your military person will be strong against food problems so that he/she will be able to pass the semi-annual physical test. It doesn't matter what you pray for really, the point is to pray specifically!
4. Pray scripture. The whole point is to pray specifically, right? So pray the things that are in the Bible! The Bible talks about the harvest, so pray for the harvest! The Bible talks about lust, so pray against lust! You get the point. Praying the things that are in scripture allows you to easily pray specifically about the situation.
Look, the bottom line is that I really, desperately, want you to pray for the military. Pray specifically about the people you know, or someone a friend knows. If they are not believers, pray for them to believe. If they are believers, pray they will be bold in their faith. It's really that easy. And, if all else fails, pray for me and my family. Lord knows we could use it!
3 comments:
I prayed for the military, but not the way you listed.
My old home town named a street after this guy. Every time I see it I want to scream. What a waste.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7030379
Read War is a Racket by Major General Smedley Butler.
http://www.ratical.org/ratville/CAH/warisaracket.html
Maybe you too will scream. You will sure know it is a waste.
Why is there no memorial to the civilians killed in our wars?
I do not know the answer to your last question. It would be pure speculation to even fathom a guess.
As to the waste you mention in the life of young Carter, I agree. Yet I do not concern myself with asking why. That is no my job, nor is God holding me to it. As a civilian, it is your concern. I go where you all tell me to go.
I do not tell you where to go. If I could, you would be home. My influence over the military consists of voting for two senators, one congressman, and one president. None of these people know I am alive. They do not care. They are all so safe in their seats that it is a "'til-death- do-us-part" relationship. None of the challengers advocated any change of policy.
Give some thought to which orders you will not obey. The consequences will be harsh. "Hon', I have just been reassigned to some place called Treblinka." I won't be that obvious, but you will have to face it sometime. Consider that all wars since 1945 have been unconstitutional. No one (except Ron Paul and possibly Adm. Fallon) objects.
Give this a lot of thought and prayer.
bf
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