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P&P 500: Be Steady In The Face Of Pressure - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) September 9, 2025

P L U N D E R E R
Sep 9
4 min read

How many of us feel some sort of pressure right now? It could be the pressure to perform and produce under unrealistic expectations at work. Let's be honest, fewer staff are doing more nowadays. Or there might be a problem in your family that's creating pressure. You look all around but see no reasonable solution. Same with money. Not having enough for basic needs will keep most up at night.

These and other pressures are acknowledged in the Bible because God knows they affect mankind. He therefore provided plenty of insight on how we should navigate the pressures of life. Consider what Jacob said of his son Joseph and how he described the younger man's experience.

Genesis 49:23-25 - With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. /But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, /because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb.

Despite everything Joseph went through, he remained steadfast in his obedience to God's instructions and laws. The pressures posed by being sold into slavery by his brothers and thrown in prison on false accusations didn't cause Him to turn away from his father's God. Indeed, that same God helped him during those years of unfair treatment when Joseph had no choice but to accept his fate. In the end, he rose to fame and fortune. His 'defeats' led to victory, and his blessings stretched to his descendants.

In these challenging times, God wants you to remain strong in the face of life's pressures. He wants you to fix your face like flint, remembering that He will get you through everything. He desires that you show Him you trust Him again to usher you to the victory you allow Him to design for you. It's not easy, and He knows this. You might see people engaging in immoral things and still advancing, but God wants you to remain on His path of righteousness. Many of those people who appear to have gone ahead of you didn't do things God's way, and so their 'accomplishments' will end up as fool's gold. Very pretty but not real and thus of no value.

If you choose to walk with the Lord and let Him direct each step you take, the end result will be one that is secure. There will be blessings that you enjoy and that your descendants and others will benefit from as well. This is because He has promised to bless the heirs of those who love Him up to 1000 generations (Exodus 20:6). Plus, the main advantage is entrance to heaven.

Remember the Parable of the Sower? Jesus warned His disciples about four categories of people they would evangelize to. Of that group, two of them deserve our attention. One group will receive God's word with joy but walk away from salvation due to a time of testing, meaning the pressures of life (Luke 8:6;13). Another group will also receive the word with joy, but will succumb to the worries of life and/or other factors. For this category, pressure can cause them to stall in their Christian journey, thereby preventing them from maturing in faith, spiritual strength, and receiving God's blessings (Luke 8:7;14).

We must stay steady amid the challenges and pressures life brings us. Remember that although problems are real, God's word is more real - all who trust in Him will not be disappointed. Always turn to Him first with every problem, knowing that He is the God of Strategy and will show you the right path to help you overcome the pressure. Fast, pray, give thanks, fellowship with others, call on your prayer group to join you, and seek answers in the Bible. Remind yourself of the times He saved you or someone else. When you get through the pressure by His grace, be sure to share your testimony and publicly honor Him. This pleases Him and opens the door for even more blessings.

God bless you, and welcome to the 500th Praise & Pray (for others)! Come ready to praise the Lord, then we'll pray for our personal needs today. If you have a petition, feel free to share. I ask one thing only - if you share a prayer point, be sure to also leave a comment praying for someone else who left their prayer request. Participants will support in prayer as the Holy Spirit leads them. Join us at 11:45 am EST with your communion elements ready. We’ll take communion together around 11:50 am, just before fellowship begins at noon. See you then!

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What Fruit Are You Producing? - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) September 5, 2025

P L U N D E R E R
Sep 5
3 min read

God uses His prophets as human mouthpieces. They share His word, issue His warnings, and serve as human hands to do His bidding on the earth. One such tool was John the Baptist, who came as a precursor to Jesus. He preached to people to repent and live godly lives so that they would be ready to receive Jesus when He came.

He also taught in Luke 3:8 - Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

By saying this, John was cautioning the people of his time never to forget that they repented and thereby return to their sinful lifestyles or habits. This message was key for those around him, but it remains crucial for every person who desires to be in right standing with God today.

How many of us feel bad for something we've done, say sorry, and even mean it, but soon return to doing the very thing we apologized for? Only a liar would say this has never happened to them, and such a person will be confronted with that untruth on the day of our Lord.

Now, for those of us who can admit our imperfection, let us take heed of John's admonishment. It is easy to forget that when we repent, we are to live in a way that reflects the choice made to repent. We must make intentional decisions to protect ourselves from repeating the sin.

Remember that song that made foul language seem familiar again? So much so, you spoke or wrote a curse word when you'd previously repented and turned away from such communication? That song, and others like it, can't be allowed to control you anymore. Same with that show you watched that encouraged lustful thoughts and images in your mind. You need to hate that show and the results it helped create, or else lust can take hold of you and cause you to fall back into the sin of lust, fornication, and other forms of sexual immorality.

This may seem extreme and far-fetched, but the reality is that this is how sin works. It creeps in a little at a time, beckoning like a familiar, old friend that you are comfortable with and even manage to miss if care isn't taken. And just like that, a person goes from repenting to returning to the sin they regretted and sought God's mercy for. Song of Solomon 2:15 - Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. We are the vineyard that must produce fruit reflecting our Caretaker and the love and patience He put into us.

Repentance creates a responsibility to consciously avoid the triggers that encourage us down the pathway of sin. It requires that we safeguard our lives so it is easier to make righteous choices that align with God's will and word for our lives. Part of safeguarding may mean curtailing our access to certain individuals, habits, and items. It also means doing more of certain things, such as studying God's word, praying, praising, fasting, interceding for others, and spending time in fellowship with other believers.

Yes, most of us prefer to be passive about things of God, but such passivity is detrimental, both physically and spiritually. If we want to make it to heaven, we need to take active steps to produce the fruits that reflect a life of repentance and submission to God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Only then shall we have a lifestyle that produces fruit in keeping with repentance. See you at Noon EST for fellowship. God bless you!

PS: PS: If you are struggling with any sin and are working on it by the grace of God, scroll down to see an important discussion that could help and edify you. Or just click here - https://www.themiraclealley.com/post/what-fruit-are-you-producing-friday-praise-pray-for-others-september-5-2025?commentId=6ae67592-a24f-4949-97c4-2b4ddf4a2115

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The Mockers of Jesus - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) September 2, 2025

P L U N D E R E R
Sep 2
4 min read

I recently studied the Book of Mark and was shocked by how much mocking Jesus experienced on his way to the cross, as well as while He was on it. A contingent of Roman soldiers made fun of Him as they led Him to be crucified (Mark 15:16-20). Passersby hurled insults (Mark 15:29-30). The religious leaders kept their mockery between themselves, but they also ridiculed Him. Even some of the people crucified alongside Him mocked as well (Mark 15:31-32).

Given our knowledge that His crucifixion was a divine sacrifice to save humanity, the insults He received seem ironic. Even more so when one realizes that not long before, He'd been welcomed into Jerusalem like royalty. Palm fronds and clothing were placed on the ground for his donkey to walk on (Mark 11:8). The people had welcomed Him with great praise, calling Him the one who came in the name of the LORD (Mark 11:9-11). Yet, just like that, those same people turned against Him and supported His execution.

It is easy to see their behavior and wonder how people could have been influenced to treat Jesus in that way. It is easy to think we could never have done what those people did. However, we need to realize that it is easier than we think to be just like His mockers. And we must take precautions to not fall into the same trap they did.

Those people, despite knowing Jesus helped people and taught God's word, chose a criminal, Barabbas, to be released. They thus decided to act unjustly toward Christ, an innocent man. How many of us speak and act unjustly toward others who don't deserve such treatment? How many of us are swayed by the general public's consensus on an issue or person and thereby acquire an unfair attitude toward them? Are we allowing groupthink instead of God's word and His Holy Spirit to guide our perspective? If we dare to be honest, many of us do this.

The religious leaders who voted for Christ's death had heard of and/or seen Him perform miracles. They also knew that His very presence put their social and economic position in jeopardy. How many of us are allowing social and financial considerations to silence Jesus in our lives? How many of us disregard what He taught and the miracles we've seen Him do for us or others? Rather than allow Him to change us, we treat Him and His sacrifice with disdain. In so doing, we choose Barabbas - a liar, thief, and murderer, aka the devil - to survive and thrive in us instead.

And as we push aside what Jesus taught us to do because it is more convenient to live as we desire, are we not also making a mockery of Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross? Are we then any better than those men and women who watched Him be strung up? When we do this, we are not different from those in the world who don't know what Jesus did for them. Arguably, we are worse than they are. Knowing what He went through, we essentially spit on and reject all He did for us when we choose not to apply His instructions.

Thank God for the privilege of grace and mercy, which are available to everyone who still has breath in their lungs and can choose another option. Jesus died on that cross knowing that we would mock His sacrifice, and He still did it anyway. This is why He said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34). Jesus knew that humanity would not grasp the consequences of their wrong choices, and so He interceded and keeps interceding on our behalf (Hebrews 4:14-15).

That means we each can repent for making a mockery of His choice to be the eternal Lamb who speaks on our behalf before God's throne. We can receive mercy and help, so we begin to live as those who apply His teachings. Jesus said it is those who love Him that do what He taught. We can receive supernatural strength to turn from our sins, be they gossip, occult, blaspheming God, cussing, fornication, or false religious beliefs and practices like yoga, divination, and the like.

By studying God's word, fasting, praying, and letting the Holy Spirit guide us, we make fewer choices that disrespect Jesus and live more righteously. I pray that each of us who says we are Christians will think carefully about how our lifestyles and mindsets mock Christ's sacrifice on the cross. I pray we will take the time to repent for where we fall short and ask for help to do better. That way, we will live in a way that glorifies and honors the Lamb of God and His Father, the Lord Almighty. By God's grace, we shall gather to pray about these things today during fellowship at Noon EST, IJMN, Amen.

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