Sleepless Night

It is 2:46 a.m. and I cannot sleep. For the past hour I have been tossing and turning with different people on my heart and mind praying for them. There are some who are sick who need a miracle. There are those who carry burdens that only God can lift. There are also those who need a fresh touch from God to bring them back to their senses and out of rebellion.

Jesus often withdrew in the night hours to pray and intercede. I felt a clear call from the Lord at the beginning of this year to give myself to prayer like I never have before. I did not realize that would mean some sleepless nights. The burdens the Lord has been putting on my heart are at times painful. Giving myself to a ministry of intercession has proven to be taxing emotionally and physically. All of this not to mention the continual spiritual battle for the soul of this community while dealing with the distractions of sick children and a wife who has been in more pain the past two weeks from her arthritis than I can remember over the past four years. It all takes a toll. But I am honored to be one of those chosen to stand in the gap for others during this night watch.

It is now while most of the world is sleeping that fervent prayer needs to be made on behalf of those who are in need. So I pray and lift them one by one to the Lord. I pray for Seminole and ask the Lord to give me His heart for this community. I ask the Lord to plow up the fallow ground of hearts who so desperately need the Lord but who do not turn to Him for salvation. I pray for FBC Seminole and ask the Lord to give us His heart to really pray. I ask the Lord to unite us as a church body around His throne and around His voice. I plead with the Lord to develop our faith and give us a willingness to follow Him.

Father, ruler of this universe, I come in these late night hours pleading with you for this community. I ask you to give me your heart for this community. I want to feel the burdens that grieve you. I want to have compassion for the lost like you have compassion for them. I ask you to send your Holy Spirit to plow the fallow ground of this west Texas town. I ask you to send a spiritual awakening here. This is the field you have given me to sow, work, and harvest in. I ask you to move beyond what any one church or one denomination can do. I ask you to move powerfully to draw the masses to a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for waking me in the night watches to pray for people. I come lifting up those whom need your healing touch. I ask to speak life into their bodies and perform miracles. I ask you to bring glory to your name through your healing work. We never deserve your healing and I do not ask for it based on our merit but come pleading for mercy and for your glory to be furthered through your healing.

I lift up those whom I love and I know you love who have turned their backs on you to pursue a life of wanton pleasure. I ask you to pursue them with relentless intensity. I ask to torment their dreams even now as they try to sleep. I ask you to pursue them in their thoughts, in their conversations, while they eat, and even in those private moments when they forget you see, hear, and know everything. I ask you to bring them to their senses like the prodigal son and awaken them to the schemes of the enemy who is a liar and a deceiver. I ask you to pursue them until they awaken spiritually and return to you. Until that hour I plead with you to release the hounds of Heaven to dog their every step, thought, action, and desire through constant conviction of the Holy Spirit.

I lift up this great church in Seminole but who needs to grow in faith. I ask you to do more than teach us about your ability but allow us to see your power first hand. I ask you to remove the sin of prayerlessness from our lives individually and corporately. I ask you to instill a desire for us to pray and believe you for all you intend to do in us and through us. I seek your face on behalf of this body for direction. Do you want us to go to two morning worship services to accommodate the crowds? I plead with you to speak to your people and to give us your heart on this matter. I come asking you to unite us around your voice. We must learn to hear from you clearly and then obey what you direct us to do.

I ask you to infuse our worship services with a fresh power we have not known in the past. Whether we are singing an ancient hymn or a modern worship song I ask you to breathe life into each one and give us a true heart to worship. I ask you to let the weightiness of your presence settle among us week after week. I long for services where you move and touch lives. I abhor the formality and ritual of worship services that do not honor you or even require your presence. I ask you to spark a spiritual hunger in FBC that defies explanation. I ask you to awaken your sleeping church and to revive those who sit in the pews. I ask you to come to renew your church and to revive us according to your word.

I pray for greater insight into your word and for more anointing to preach it and teach it. I ask you to inspire messages that really do minister to your flock. You alone know how I feel like a dismal failure so many times after preaching. Please give me words of life and the boldness of a lion to preach your truth without compromise or fear. I ask you to use me. I ask you to use me as a spokesman for you. Please lead me in what to preach. I get so frustrated at my lack of ability to always to discern your direction. I do not want to preach to people’s heads but pray you would allow me to minister to their hearts. I ask you to raise a mighty church, mature in their faith, and courageously willing to believe you for anything and to follow you anywhere. Thank you for the work you have been doing. I ask you to do even more. Please do not let me waste my life and the cherished time you give me in the pulpit. I cannot feed these sheep apart from your supernatural enabling. Lord, I trust you. I trust you for fresh words and for the stamina to preach your glorious truth until my dying breath.

Please help us to put away dead and fruitless activity and to turn our attention to doing things that have impact. I ask you to allow this church to leave deep footprints in the sands of this community. I ask you to open our eyes to those around us who need you. Please open our eyes to see where you are working and to what you are doing so we can join you in that work. I ask you to raise workers to do the work you have called us to do, people who will organize, labor, teach, and give their lives for you. I ask you to give our people the ability to build wealth and the heart to give generously and sacrificially to the advancement of your kingdom. I ask you to supply generously for our mission work in Spokane and Humboldt.

I come to lift up my friends in Humboldt. The work is grueling and the results have been painfully barren. I do not know why you will not release me from that work. In faith I have said yes and in faith our missions committee is willing to follow. I come now asking you to call someone in this world to be the pastor of that church. How many times have I asked you if it was me? Repeatedly you have assured me my work is right here but I am to be one who sends others. I do not know whom that pastor is for Humboldt. I do not know where they live or what you are doing in their lives. For five years this church in Humboldt has kept the doors open even though they have never known the joy of having a shepherd. They keep meeting in faith believing that you will intervene and send them a pastor. I ask you even now as I pray to put that call on someone’s life. I ask you to speak in their dreams and to hand pick someone to follow you to that town and to those people. You know I would go. I know the work there is brutally hard, the winters are fierce, and the hearts of the people of rock hard. There is a reason why you have not let that little flock fold up. There is reason why you will not release me from helping. If you are not calling me please help me to pray more fervently for the one you are calling even as I lift this before you. You are the only one who can help those people. I plead with you to call someone to forsake the American dream to follow you to a place that has become so dear to my heart. If I am the one, I say yes. If it is not me then I plead with you to settle me deeper into Seminole and at long last to bless me with that lengthy ministry I have yearned for.

I ask you to give me a supernatural love for my flock. Please unite our hearts as a shepherd and a flock. I ask you to deepen my love and the bond we share together. I ask you to grant me your wisdom to lead this congregation forward. I want no other agenda other than yours. I ask you to lead us like you led Israel with the pillar of fire and the cloud. I so yearn to follow you and see you do things that defy imagination. I thank you for these people who have opened their arms and their hearts to us. Thank you for these people who are hungry for your word and who flock to listen week after week.

My heart aches for marriages. Please forgive us for not taking the marriage covenant more seriously and for the many preachers who rush people to the altar without expressing your heart for the permanence of marriage. I know there are many wounded who suffer every day from the painful reality of divorce. They hurt and never wanted it but now deal with the wounds and continual pains of being abandoned, abused, and betrayed. I ask you to help them. I ask you to be more real and present than a spouse could ever be. I ask you to bring healing to their hearts and healing to their shattered faith. I ask you to do the miracle of restoring marriages. I ask you to rekindle affection and the flames of romance. I ask you to change hearts and not allow us to take one another for granted.

I lift up the community prayer room ministry and ask you to start calling people to give themselves to set aside that time to pray. Thank you for meeting with me and moving my heart during those times. Thank you for opening my heart to feel for this community. I ask you to call your people in this community to unite in prayer and to summon you to come and help us. Forgive us for our arrogance as churches thinking we can do your work without your power. I plead with you to raise a whole community of intercessors. I am willing to do what you want me to do. Right now I ask you to call your church to prayer. I ask you to unite us as a people in this community who continually cry out to you for the souls of Seminole and beyond.

Lord, I ask you to give this community favor. You have blessed us with farm land, with oil and gas, and with great schools but I feel the burden the farmers carry for the need for water. I ask you to turn the hearts of the farmers to you and in turn you would bless our county and region with the sound of the abundance of rain. I ask you to give these farmers a great harvest but I ask you to lead them to honor you with their wealth. I am so grateful for your blessing us with moisture so far this year. Now, I ask you to keep nourishing and refreshing the land all year long with steady and soaking rains.

I lift up that wonderful flock back in Paradise. I ask you to hand pick a shepherd for them. I never thought I would ever leave them but you called me here. I know there are many who still do not believe that or do not understand. I ask you to bring them an anointed pastor and shepherd to lead them forward to the great vision you have set in place. I ask you to unite the people there in prayer to follow you and to know your voice. I trust you to protect them from wolves in sheep clothing whom would devour and destroy the church.

I lift up those friends whom you have set apart in ministry. I ask you to renew them as they sleep tonight. When they awake I ask you to give them a heart to seek you and a hunger to meet with you. I ask you to protect them from evil and to purify their hearts with a love for you and a hatred for sin. Please do not let them get enticed by the passing pleasures of sin but to be satisfied with abounding joy in you. I ask you to open your word so that they may behold wondrous things and to anoint them to be able to preach and teach that word effectively. As they seek your direction for their lives I ask you to remove all confusion and to give them your heart and will. I ask you to meet profoundly with each one today and renew their passion and devotion for you and for the ministry you have called them to. I ask you to step in and to be provider. I trust your word that you will meet every need they have. I know some are tired and face huge challenges while others are just beginning new ministries. Please help them to cultivate faithfulness. For those who are just starting their ministries I ask you protect them from ego and pride and for those who are finishing a life time of ministry I ask you to empower them to finish strong.

I lift up the two search committees at Paradise and ask you to guide their every step. May they give themselves more to prayer and listening to you rather than operating like the world does. I know they are a hurting flock and confused. I hurt with them but know you are trustworthy. I plead with you to protect them from division and from the wicked schemes of the enemy. I ask you to restore their hope. I love those people and miss them dearly but your call on my life is in Seminole. I want your absolute best for FBC Paradise and for FBC Seminole. I ask you to bless them with a pastor and a youth minister who surpass everything I ever saw you do there. I ask you for ones who will plant deep roots and ones who will love the community more than we did and still do.

Lord, I lift up my family. I ask you to touch my wife and to rebuke every cell of arthritis that has wreaked so much havoc on her joints. I ask to heal every joint and to restore her health. I ask you to bless her with a refreshing night of sleep and give her energy for tomorrow. I ask you to bless us on our date later today with a time of enjoyment and deep bonding. I thank you for what you are teaching Taylor and Tanner in Experiencing God. I ask you to build into their young lives and help them grasp these truths. I do not know what plans you have for them but I ask you to give them a love for you that is strong enough to resist peer pressure and more passionate than the lure of sin. I ask you to use them among their peers to bring glory to you and people to salvation. I ask you to give them a heart to serve you and follow you anywhere to do anything for the rest of their lives. I thank you for Tucker and the special gifts you have given him. I ask you to use him musically to do great things for you. I ask you to put songs in his heart and let him write music for you. I thank you for his influence over his friends and pray you would use him to point people to you. I thank you for Turner and his vivacious personality. I ask you to deepen his love and his understanding of who you are. I ask you to become more real for all my boys. Please heal Tanner and Turner and restore their health. I ask you to protect my family from sickness and disease. I ask you to put a hedge around my house to guard us. Thank you for home you have blessed us with, for the new flock and friends you have entrusted to us in Seminole. Please help us to treasure them and not take this for granted. I ask you empower my boys to play sports for you and for you alone. I ask you to give them a platform through sports to testify of your greatness.

Father, I love you. This has been a sweet season of prayer and intercession. The night is over and the new day is beginning to dawn. I trust you to give me the stamina to go through this day. I ask you to renew my strength and my mental energies as I seek you in prayer and as I preach at the Care Center. Please minister to us at Men’s Fraternity in about an hour. Thank you for allowing me the privilege of standing in the gap for your church and for the advancement of your kingdom tonight. I ask you to be glorified through these prayers and may they outlive me and my ministry on this earth. In Jesus name. Amen.