Hello everyone, and welcome back to our special Prayers for the Week post.  Today is Palm Sunday, that special day in the Christian calendar when our Savior Jesus triumphantly arrives in Jerusalem, riding on the back of a donkey.

It is amazing how the people of Israel could wave palm branches, shouting Hosanna one day, and then days later, they would be shouting “Crucify Him!”

When I was younger, and not truly in Christ, I still read the Bible, and I could not believe how dumb the Jewish people could be!  The Israelites time and time and time again spurned God, turned their backs on Him, and worshipped whomever or whatever they wanted to.

As I’ve grown up in my Faith, though, and especially since I have been part of The Men’s Study Bible Study, I have learned that WE are, in essence, doing the same things that the Jewish people did so many years ago.  It was humbling when I realized this, because I learned a very important lesson — I turned my back on Him just as often as the Israelites did.

Once I learned that valuable lesson, I began to see that the Scriptures aren’t dated, aren’t written for a people from 2000 years ago, they are just as relevant today as they were then.  My friends, Brothers and Sisters, that is perhaps as valuable a lesson as you will ever learn.

At this time, I invite you to join with us, all across the world, as we pray for those that are hurting, and praise our Father in Heaven for those special things that He has given to us!  As always, you can read and pray over last week’s prayer requests here.

Prayer Requests:

• We have a prayer request from J Darling, who writes: 

Praise for good health and the ability to work out!
Prayers for My Sailor who is deploying soon, and for strength as I work through my dad’s cancer. He’s opted to go on Hospice. He’s been married to my mom for 41 years (all of my life and my brother’s). We’ll never be ready to let go and say good-bye, but if something should happen while My Sailor is away, it’ll be very challenging if impossible to let him know, and I’ll need him more than ever… So peace and strength to get through this challenging year.
And gratitude for the strength and new skills I’m learning every day.

• From Facebook, my friend Jessica asks for prayers.

My friend Jessica needs prayers for her husband’s father, who is battling cancer. Please pray for healing for him, but also God’s Peace and Strength to come upon all of the family in the days and weeks ahead! Thanks! 

• From my friends Karen and Tim, who have this prayer request:

Small request Mike, my husband lost his job back in Sept 2012 due to bankruptcy and he has only had several short part-time jobs without insurance for the family. Prayer for health for our family, we have our kids on medicare but my hubby and I have zero insurance. We have work but the jobs dont offer ins. and we cant afford ins. thru independent carriers…..Thanks

• My Aunt Ti also has a similar request, here is what she asked prayers for:

I’ve been in that same boat as Tim Pugh Mike, since Jan. of 2009 and I know exactly how they feel. Obamacare hasn’t helped one bit.

• A last, desperate prayer request for my fellow Park View High School graduate Jeff:

Want to send prayers to Jeff Fowler. This was just posted. This is Natalie. Jeff has taken a turn for the worse. He is in ICU at NIH. Sadly it wont be much longer. Jeff has fought a valient fight. I will update with another post later with additional information.

Please pray for Jeff’s salvation at this late hour — pray that he knows Jesus, and that Jesus also knows him! Also, please pray God’s Peace and Strength upon the family and friends in the days and weeks to come, and also pray for Jeff’s comfort, that he be free from pain, and that he wake up in Jesus’ loving embrace when the time comes. Thank you, everyone!

• Prayers from my Cousin Ann for a little boy, Joey Angel.  Here is what she said late last night:

Praying for Joey Angel tonight – he’s still in the ICU at Children’s Hospital and progress is slow-going.

Please pray for these and any other prayer requests that you know about!

Praises!

• We have several praises this week!  First of all, I have a very special praise for my wife’s cousin Tommy.  He had a re-baptism ceremony this past Monday night, and while the tears were flowing, I believe the Lord was beaming at Tommy’s public declaration that he is one of Jesus’ Men! For as it is written in Matthew Chapter 10, verse 32:

Jesus said “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.”

•  A good friend of mine has a praise — after 47 years, he has been reunited with his mother, and they have begun to communicate with one another.  This is a huge praise because she lives hundreds of miles from where he lives!
• Yesterday was the family reunion of my wife Cindy’s family, and we attended that.  It was a beautiful day, with a lot of love, and even though the family is sad over the condition of Tommy, we made the most of our day and remembered the love we have for one another.
• From yesterday’s family reunion, more praises!  God is so good, he provides the comfort we all need just when we need it.  It was so refreshing to see so many of Sophie’s cousins yesterday, from Jeremy and Jenna all the way down to Ben’s kids, especially little Katie, who knows how to wrap a Daddy (even if it isn’t her own) right around her finger!  My friends, whenever you are sad, do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to see life through the eyes of a child.  It will be an incredible, uplifting experience for you!
• Friday and Saturday I was able to spend time with my friend Tabitha, one of the great TA’s with Pixie Vacations!  She was nice enough to include this rookie in an event that she was participating in, and even though we were already friends, we had never met, so it was great to be able to hang with her and learn from her!  Thanks Tabitha!

As always, my friends, if you have a prayer request that we haven’t covered here today, please please please add it to the comments!  I strongly believe that the Lord is looking over all of us in these prayer requests, and your requests are being seen across the Internet, so please add your requests in the comments!