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Inspirations} Creatures
ALL GOD’S CREATURES
The root word of creature is create.
In addition to, or instead of using a prayer list, we can find inspiration for prayerin the things around us.
In the book of Jonah, the Assyrian king led the people of Nineveh to such a dynamic level of national repentance that he demanded even the animals fast and wear sackcloth. Whenever we see any animal, we can pray,
Father,
mayAmerica and nations throughout the world,
both leaders and citizens,
embrace such a radical passion for repentance!
AROUND THE HOUSE
BIRDS ~ BIRD NESTS~ BIRD FEEDERS
My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young – a place near Your Altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in Your House;
they are ever praising You.
Psalm 84:2-4 NIV
With my whole being, body, and soul,
I will shout praises with joy to You, the Living God.
My soul faints with longing to enter Your Courts.
Even the sparrow builds her nest there,
raising her young at a place near Your Altar.
Lord God, that is where I desire to be,
and it’s where I long to raise my children -
not positioned on comfortable pews observing from a distance,
but deep within Your Courts
near the holy Flames of Your Altar -
the place of sacrifice.
May families throughout the world delight
to pursue Your glorious Presence,
and may You enjoy their praise.
May our weakness melt away as we stand in Your mighty Power
against the prince and principalities of the air.
May our hearts and minds be driven by a desperate desperation
to fulfill Your sovereign Desire while here on earth.
For Your Honor and great Glory
I cry out from the depths of my innermost being…
(Inspired by Psalm 84:1-5)
(Written in 2002)
BIRDS - BIRD FEEDERS
Faithful Father,
no matter what we ever may face,
please hide our families
in the shelter of Your holy Wings (Ps. 91:4)...
Father,
please keep the evil one
far from all spiritual seed that's planted
within human hearts today(Matt. 13:4)...
CATS~ DOGS
Prayers for all who own them…
Those who love them…
Those who hate them…
Those allergic…
Veterinarians, animal shelter staff…
For all who maliciously abuse them…
PETS
Consider naming your pet something that inspires prayer. Our indoor cat is named Whisper. When I see her,
Father, I want to hear Your Voice,
even when You whisper...
Our black cat is Bethany, meaning "House of God."
When I seeher,
Father, I want my house to be Your house,
a house of prayer for all nations.
Our spotted cat is Bonnie, meaning "beautiful." She inspires thanksgiving for our treasured friend Bonnie, and we’re reminded that God makes all things beautiful in His time (Ecc. 3:11).
To address issues we were facing, I spent seven hours praying and anointing our house with oil. Both girls had very disturbing nightmares. Bees swarmed our shrubs – the noise so loud I could hear it indoors. Our cats had kittens that week; they all abandoned their young. Stray dogs killed other kittens, scattering their dead bodies across the yard. A car struck our favorite male cat. And so, I began standing against any assault of the enemy of all souls on any part of our 80 acres. Jesus demonstrated that demonic spirits do enter animals, as Mark 5 recounts their entering a herd of about 2,000 swine, running down a steep cliff, and drowning in the sea. We do not pray for the salvation of our animals, but we pray that satan not have any access or power over them. It has made a difference.
ON THE FARM
CHICKENS
Jesus said,
"How often I have longed to gather your children together,
as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,
and you were not willing.”
Matthew 23:37NIV
While this verse speaks of Jerusalem, this could be said of all who resist Jesus… I’ve been there…
Oh God, may our hearts be willing
to be gathered under Your Wing,
close to Your Heart,protected in Your Presence…
COWS
Whether milk or meat, we can be thankful for these products and for those who supply them.
Father, bless the dairy and cattle farmers…
Protect their time and investments… Bless their families…
I pray for my friend Holley who allowed me to use photos of her animals.
In some religions, cows are deemed sacred and are protected, resulting in the starvation of people while the animals roam freely in the streets, also creating dangerous, unsanitary conditions. Let’s pray...
HORSES
Some nations boast of their chariots and horses,
but we boast in the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 20:7 NLT
May our families not trust in education, skills,
experience, money, strength, government,
but rather put their trust and make their boast
in the Name of the Lord our God (Ps. 20:7).
I saw heaven standing open
and there before me was a white horse,
whose rider is called Faithful and True.
With justice He judges and wages war.
Revelation 19:11 NIV
Father,
help us to remain faithful to our mission
of fulfilling The Great Commission,
regardless of our circumstances,
until Your work is completed here on earth.
Maranatha...
LAMB ~ SHEEP
Father,
You told Peter, “If you love me, feed My sheep.”
May we be moved with love for You and compassion for others
to care for the sheep You so deeply love and long for –
to hear their cries, searching for
and rescuing as many as possible,
bandaging their wounds,
and feeding them both physically and spiritually.
Grant us opportunities to be Your hands and feet…
May we live with a profound sense of urgency
to rescue those who are lost,
that there may be great celebration in Heaven
and on Earth...
I sleep with a sheep. Whenever I get up during the night or change positions, I can feel my sheep and am moved to pray,
Father,please help us to recognize Your Voice
and follow wherever You lead us.
Speak to us day and night even as we sleep.
May we not recognize the voice of those
bearing dark doctrines…
May we follow you closely,listening carefully
for Your slightest Whisper (John 10)…
We are Your sheep and the people of Your pasture.
We enter into Your gates with thanksgiving
and into Your courts with praise (Ps. 100:3-4)…
After Bible study each morning, I put my sheep on my Bible next to my chair, a visual reminder that prompts me to this prayer each time I see it throughout the day. I collected the sheep in the photo when touring the Billy Graham Library with Melissa Ann, Michelle Cox, author of Just 18 Summers, and Wayne Atcheson, director of the library. So in addition to the prompts described here, this sheep reminds me to pray for my friends, their expanding influence, and for the Billy Graham organization.
SHEEP} TOYS
Give the children in your life a toy sheep, teaching them sheep prayers. I give sheep to parents of newborns so that as they tuck their babies into bed, this prayer covers their family. If they’re not Christians, I pray for hearts inside the homes of everyone to whom I give sheep. Regardless of age, I give sheep to individuals struggling with hearing God’s Voice regarding relationships, life decisions, or vision...
You can modify these prayersto cover elected officials, news media, cultural influencers, individuals who do not yet know God… When I see any sheep, I pray that we all hear God’s Voice.
AT THE ZOO
APES ~ MONKEYS
For the fall of Darwin’s evolutionary heresy… For the expanding wisdom and influence of scientists who are Christians…
CAMELS
When Abraham's servant was sent to find a wife for Isaac, Rebekah was the answer to his prayer. She took the time todraw water for a stranger and the ten camels he brought with him. Camels may go many days without water and then drink as much as 25 gallons in 10 minutes, up to about 40 gallons in one session. This young girl may have drawn about 400 gallons of water!
Father, may our children
be the answer to the prayers of many strangers.
May they selflessly respond to the needs of others
with great strength and endurance...
And Rebekah's obedient generosity led to a blessing we may apply to our loved ones today.
May you become the (spiritual) mother
of thousands of ten thousands,
and may your offspring possess the gates
of their (spiritual) enemies (Gen. 24)...
ELEPHANTS
An Asian elephant has small ears; the African has large ears. Prayers for the people of Asia or Africa…
The photo memory on our website of a mother elephant with her calf inspires me to pray that the hearts of parents be knit to their children and the hearts of children be knit to their parents... That they communicate willingly and openly... For unity within homes and hearts...
And those of us from Alabama may feel motivated to pray for the University of Alabama – Roll Tide!
GIRAFFES
The people of Africa… Awakening in Africa… Thanksgiving for every memory with our children and grandchildren exploring zoos, celebrating the breathtaking imagination of our Father Creator…
KANGAROOS & KOALAS
Australia - for a dynamic anointing to rest upon the Church in Australia, for ever-expanding influence in igniting the Greatest Awakening…
LIONESS
Seeing a lioness reminds me of page 16 of Lisa Bevere’s bookLioness Arising – that we rise to gather strength, greet and groom others, rise to hunt, rise alongside other lionesses, rise to move the young to safety, confront enemies that threaten the pride, and rise to walk with our King.
LIONS
The righteous are as bold as a lion.
Proverbs 28:1 NIV
Please grant us the favor of David and Daniel
to prayerfully take our stand against spiritual adversaries…
Move us to be vigilant at all times,for like a roaring lion,
the devil is stalking the earth,
seeking to steal or devour everyone and everything
to which he is permitted access…
Help us to stand firmly,praying unceasingly
for allwho are suffering throughout the world(1 Pet. 5:8-9)…
PANDAS
For Christians in China - strength and passion, as many are persecuted because of their faith… For Awakening to spread like wildfire among the Chinese… For the leaders of China to embrace their King and their God… And for America too, as Chinese Christians are praying for us to experience the fire so that our lukewarm Church will become hot, as it should be.
TIGERS
Prayers for the people of Asia… Those of us from Alabama may be inspired to pray for our Auburn University Tigers – War Eagle! (Tigers/Eagle – I know it’s confusing - Alabama's Crimson Tide has an elephant mascot and Auburn Tigers have an eagle. Pray for us in Alabama.)
ZEBRAS
Prayers for the people of Africa...
Prayer can become as natural as breathing. Have fun with small children -prayfor all who are wearing striped clothing. We can also think of Jesus, Isaiah 53:5 –
“By His stripes, we are healed.”
ZOOS
For biologists – those who study life...
Protect impressionable mindsfrom seeds
that distort the Truth about the origin of life.
Let everything that has breath give You praise...
IN THE WILD
DEER
We lived in a small house decorated in "Early American Hunting Lodge.”Tim’s three deer suspended from the dining room walls moved me to pray,
As the deer pant for streams of water,
please grant me, my family, my friends, my church,
and people throughout the world
an insatiable thirst for You, O God (Ps. 42:1)...
Yahweh my Lord is my strength;
He makes my feet like those of a deer
and enables me to walkon mountain heights!
Habakkuk 3:19 HCSB
Having had Lyme Disease, please pray for all suffering with this or other diseases - that every cell in their bodies be made whole and holy.
EAGLES
“Come live in me, all my life take over. Come breathe in me and I will rise on eagle’s wings.”Hillsong – lyrics to “Eagle’s Wings,” one of my favorite life songs.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:30-31 NIV
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Psalm 91:4 NIV
FISH
May our children and grandchildren daily
bemotivated to turn from the things of this world
to follow and serve You as fishers of men,
feeding the True Bread of Life to the multitudes (Matt. 4:19-20)...
This has become my family “fish prayer.”
SNAKES ~ WOLVES ~ DOVES
In this world we are as sheep among wolves.
Help us to be shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
Holy Spirit, anoint and empower us for the task of fulfilling
The Great Commission. Strengthen us
to faceany persecution in a manner that will
turn vast multitudes to You (Matt. 10:16)…
May we flee from every form of temptation,
just as we would flee from a snake (1 Thess. 5:22)…
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our LORD Jesus be with you.
Romans 16:20 HCSB
INSECTS AND ARACHNIDS
ANTS
May we daily consider the efforts of the ant,
undertaking God-sized, God-inspired tasks far greater than we,
in our humanness, are capable of performing.
Move us to be faithful, courageous, industrious, and diligent –
giving all for the expansion
of Your great and glorious Kingdom (Prov. 6:6).
BUTTERFLIES ~ MOTHS
It's become common for people to flit from one boyfriend or girlfriend to another, establishing dangerous patterns. I did this, a very painful season. Not wanting my girls to make similar mistakes, I decorated their rooms with butterflies and prayed they would remain within a spiritual chrysalis, completely covered inholiness, and completely surrendered to God’s calling upon their lives.
Father,please keep our children
and their future marriage partner
in a similar chrysalis,protected from temptation,
all awaiting Your perfect timing regarding
every detailof their destinies...
Father,bring them to a level of spiritual maturityand beauty
before they attempt to spread their wings to fly...
We lift up this generation of young people.
May their passions be wholly devoted to You,
waiting faithfully as You work out Your Will
within them and through them…
It's difficult to protect our children's eyes and minds and hearts in this culture. We can't even go shopping without exposing them to lewd images. Desensitizing will destroy them - and so we must fight in every way possible to protect them.
Father, please help us to hold our children fast
within a spiritual cocoon or chrysalis until
they're ready to fly only within the realm of pure holiness.
Today’s headlines:
~A rapper mutilated his body and attemptedto jump from an apartment to his death.
~ A young actress/singer was hospitalized for emotional trauma - she's recognized for her use of drugs and alcohol.
This pathway leads only to greater bondage and greater destruction. They're trapped in a dark spiritual and emotional dungeon and don't even realize it. As we fight for our children and their friends, let us fight together for these.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
Also He has put eternity in their hearts,
except that no one can find out the work that God does
from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 NKJV
Father God,please open the eyes of scientists and students
andof people everywhere –that they recognize You as Creator,
and fall in reverent wonder.
Bring division among evolutionists,
resulting in great confusion to their “theories” –
may Truth be revealed in exciting new ways…
In the beginning God created…
Genesis 1:1 NIV
Sell your possessions and give to those in need.
This will store up treasure for you in heaven!
And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes.
Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it
and no moth can destroy it.
Wherever your treasure is,
there the desires of your heart will be also.
Luke 12:33-34 NLT
Lord,we want You to be the Treasure that we long for,