Tag: Prayers for the Chronically Ill

Comfort

Posted in Blog, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

relaxing-1979674_960_720

Have you ever been overwhelmed by your thoughts of how you will be able to handle or manage your loved one’s or your chronic illness? Have the “what ifs” overtook you? Are the majority of your thoughts confused and even torturing you with the cares and fears about the future?

Today we will see how God’s comfort delights our soul. His promises, contained in His word (the Bible), and the memory of our past experiences of His care and kindness to us, afford us comfort. They can restore our discouraged mind.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Psalm 94:19 (KJV), “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.”

What the verse means:

When we find myself worried because of considering various possible outcomes and scenarios, listen to ungodly counsel from well-meaning friends, or just drown in self-pity, we need to return to the Lord for true rest and comfort. God’s comfort satisfies my soul. Focusing and meditating on His Word and teachings comfort me and actually delight me. True comfort only comes from God’s Holy Spirit!

Praying using the verses:

  1. Heavenly Father, we confess too often our thoughts we are filled with various and confusing ideas. Protect us from the negative thinkers and their negative counsel.
  2. Lord Jesus, we confess at times we are tortured with cares and fears about our future due to our loved one’s chronic illness.
  3. God Almighty, we praise you because your comfort delights our soul.
  4. Your promises we have heard taught in Sunday School as well as heard preached in church, and have read in the Bible. They comfort us.
  5. Lord, the memory of our past experiences of your care and kindness to us, afford us such comfort as they restore our discouraged mind.

Photo Source: Pixaby

Shelter and Tower

Posted in Blog, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie Kepler2 Comments

tower-1475276_960_720

Sometimes the daily struggles of living with a chronic illness overwhelm us. At these times we need a place of retreat, a place of refuge. The Believer in Jesus Christ has such a place. It is to come before God. We can do this by reading the Bible, praying, and being still as we wait and listen for God’s still small voice.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Psalm 61: 3 (KJV), “For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.”

What the verse means:

Today’s verse reminds us of God’s faithfulness to David in times past, how He has delivered us. As a Christian, we too can remember God’s faithfulness in our life. We know the comfort we have felt from his presence and how we have found safety in His word and presence. We also know because of faithfulness past and His unchanging nature, He will not leave us now. He is a strong tower of protection for us from the enemies we face.

Praying using the verses:

  1. Father in Heaven as we reflect on your Word we remember Your faithfulness to us in times past.
  2. Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your protection and provision in the past.
  3. God of the Heavens and the Earth, we know You are eternal and that Your nature is unchangeable. It is because of this we ask You deliver Miss Benita from the Melanoma and Neuroendocrine Carcinoid.
  4. We ask this Lord because we have seen in our own lives and know that only You have the power to deliver her.
  5. We ask this also because our experience is and has been that You are here ministering to use in our time of need.
  6. Since Your do not sleep, slumber, or change who You are, we know You will not leave Miss Benita alone as she daily faces the cancers

Photo Source: Pixaby

God’s Love

Posted in Blog, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

flowers-2313874_1920

What do you do when the future you had planned is suddenly erased? A person confronting a chronic illness may feel uncertain about the future. Their hopes and dreams may be placed on hold or have to be altered. They may feel hopeless and helpless. When they feel uncertain about the future, lead them to that perfect love which casts out all fear. Share the love of Jesus Christ.

What is a chronic illness? A chronic disease is one lasting three months or more, by the definition of the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. Chronic diseases generally cannot be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication, nor do they just disappear. Examples of chronic illnesses are:

• Alzheimer disease and dementia
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Cancer
• COPD
• Crohn disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Heart Disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Multiple sclerosis
• Oral lichen planus
• Parkinson disease

Today’s Bible Verse:

1 John 4:18 (KJV), “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

What the verse means:

John says that perfect love produces courage in the day of judgment. Why? Perfect love produces a likeness to Christ. Jesus Christ is the Judge. There is another way in which love produces boldness. It does this by its casting out fear. The entrance of perfect love through Jesus Christ is for fear a cease and desist letter to quit. A persons cannot both love and fear the same person or thing. When perfect love comes in, the darker fear departs. When love arrives, it brings hand in hand with itself Courage. Boldness is the companion of love, only when love is perfect. Only professing Christians can experience this perfect love of God, a love that casts out fear. As Believer’s we can face the future, including a chronic illness, and even death with the peace that only comes from Christ’s perfect love.

Praying using the verses:

  1. Lord Jesus, thank you that there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.
  2. Heavenly Father, help us to keep our minds focused on you and your love for us.
  3. Remove any fears we may have as we look to the future.
  4. Provide us with your grace to meet the challenges we encounter daily.
  5. Help us to know as Believers in Jesus Christ our ultimate future is in Heaven.

Photo Source: Pixaby

Protection

Posted in Blog, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

1024px-Francisque_Millet_-_mountain_landscape_with_lightning

As I face the challenges of applying a yucky tasting prescription steroid gel inside my mouth twice a day and using a compounded prescription “magic mouthwash” that has a cocktail of four different prescriptions I find myself growing weary of treating my oral lichen planus.

Remembering to use the magic mouthwash at the right times is critical. Swishing and spitting after meals, not before meals is essential where I don’t swallow the mixture’s medicine with food or drink. It is not for internal use. The steroid gel is applied to gauze and then placed inside the mouth in the appropriate location for fifteen minutes.

Even under a physician’s care, it was hard for me to place something in my mouth marked external use only. After removing the gauze the mouth feels like I still have the gauze inside of the mouth for about an hour. Plus there is that terrible taste. Add to that I made the mistake of going to a forum on the disease and treatment. It was scary as I read about people claiming to have lost the sense of taste from using the medication. It made me cry out for God’s protection.

Today’s Bible verse:

Psalm 3: 3-4 King James Version (KJV), “But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.”

What the verse means:

What the verse is saying in today’s English is that God shields me like a force field. His protection is three hundred and sixty degrees. around me.  In Christ, I am both grounded in the reality of the situation and able to hold our head high. I know I am not alone. With all my strength I shout to the Lord. My cries do not go unanswered. He voice thunders His answer from His holy mountain. 

Praying using the verse:

  1. Heavenly Father, I pray to You and You alone. I confess You are our shield.
  2. Lord Jesus, You are our glory.
  3. Thank you for being the lifter of our head.
  4. We rejoice knowing we can cry to You and You answer our cries.

Photo Source: Francisque Millet [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons; Page URL; File URL.

Rest

Posted in Blog, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

Today’s Scripture tells us to rest – be still and knows I am God.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Psalm 46:10 (KJV), ” Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

What the verse means:

Part of learning to deal with a chronic illness is learning to rest.

Praying using the verses:

  1. Heavenly Father, help us be still and know you more intimately, feel your presence.
  2. Lord Jesus, please help our loved one and yourself to get physical rest when possible.
  3. Pray that our loved one would find his/her rest in the adequacy of God.

Photo Source: Pixaby

Prosper

Posted in Blog, Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

Today’s passage speaks on our mental health and general well-being.

Today’s Bible Verse:

3 John 1:2 (KJV), “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”

What the verse means:

John the author is addressing Gaius. The prosperity referred to here is mental health and general well-being.  John wants Gaius to prosper and have good health equal to his spiritual health.

Praying using the verses:

  1. Heavenly Father, we pray that we may prosper, that is, be healthy fiscally.
  2. Lord Jesus, we pray that we would be in physically good health and that health would mirror our spiritual health.
  3. We pray for rest and peace of mind.

Photo Source: Pixaby

Live or Die

Posted in Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

In the world, most people live for themselves and live for today. The live for now lifestyle is different from how a Christian should live. The purpose of the Christian life is to do the Lord’s will and promote his glory by our life. This doesn’t mean you cannot have fun. On the contrary, it allows you to have fun without regrets or feeling ashamed.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Romans 14:8 (KJV), “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”

What the verse means:

The purpose of the Christian life is to do the Lord’s will and promote his glory by our life. A Christin should do this because they belong to God. Not only do we belong to God in this life but we belong to him even as we are dying and after we die. The passage provides a reminder that the soul does not cease to be conscious at death. We are still the Lord’s.  Even when the body is in the grace, we are the Lords.  2 Corinthians 5:8 (KJV) reminds us, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Praying using the verses:

  1. Heavenly Father, if we live, we live to the Lord. Help us live to the Lord. May you be glorified though our life.
  2. Lord Jesus, if we die, we die to the Lord. Help us to die to the Lord. Help us to remember that even in the grave we are yours.
  3. We proclaim to the world whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lords. Thank you, Lord for the security we have as Believers in the Lord.

Photo Source: Pixaby

Trust

Posted in Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

When dealing with a chronic illness sometimes it is tough to maintain focus or have peace of mind. The person battling the illness often finds themselves dwelling on what is happening to them physically, fiscally, and thinking if they’ll even have a future. It can be hard. Today’s verse gives us hope as it tells us peace of mind is available. The way to peace is to focus on God, not your problem. It is to trust God.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Isaiah 26:3 (KJV), “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

What the verse means:

The key word trust. We have a requirement to trust God. Trusting in God, when our mind is focused on Him, not our troubles allow us to kept in God’s perfect peace.

Praying using the verses:

  1. Heavenly Father, help us to keep our mind steadfast on You.
  2. Thank you for the peace of mind that can only come from God.
  3. Lord Jesus, help us to take our refuge in You.
  4. God, we know you are our only hope in battling our chronic illness.

Photo Source: Pixaby

Hearing

Posted in Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

When we face a chronic illness too often, we rush in and try to accomplish everything in our own power. We manage this. We plan that. We listen to friend A or to family member B. We may hear different recommendations from our healing team, that is the doctors, ministers, and caregivers. We need to seek God and listen for his voice. We do this through prayer, Bible reading, and listening to sermons. Sometimes were are in such a rush to get to a solution or get things under control that we miss hearing from The Great Physician. We need to remember the words of Psalm 46:10 (KJV), “Be still, and know that I am God:” Sometimes we need to be still before we can hear God.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Psalm 143:8 (KJV) “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”

What the verse means:

As we face trials and hardships, we can find ourselves overwhelmed. When we become inundated by fear, grief, depression, and self-pity, it becomes hard to hear God. Today’s verse reminds us to spend time with God, to begin our day with God.  As Christians, we can trust God. We can ask him to both guide us and to lift us up.

Praying using the verses:

  1. Heavenly Father, draw us to you in the morning where we can hear thy righteousness.
  2. Lord Jesus, we place our trust in thee. Help us to always put all our trust in Thee.
  3. We ask your Holy Spirit to speak to our spirit to guide us in the way we should walk.
  4. We pray you would lift our her soul unto thee.
  5. Pray for our children and grandchild to be drawn to You, experience You and choose to attend worship services.
  6. Pray for a day of rest.

Photo Source: Pixaby

Fear

Posted in Jimmie Aaron Kepler, Jimmie KeplerLeave a comment

A normal feeling for one facing a chronic illness is fear. The unknown and uncertainty are scary. The very word cancer often has death or at least its possibility confronting us.  If it is rheumatoid arthritis you picture pain and decreased mobility or use of joints.

Today’s Scripture reminds us that God is with us. We do not face today or tomorrow alone.

Today’s Bible Verse:

Isaiah 41:10 (KJV), “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

What the verse means:

The verse’s meaning is best seen when examined in context with two preceding verses. Isaiah 41:8-10 (KJV), “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

The whole passage is one of great tenderness. I am with thee (that is, God is with you). I (God) will strengthen you (now and in the future). I have strengthened you (in times past). There is a reminder that God has chosen you). We see a declaration of past favors as well as prophetic words for future favors since God is unchanging.

Praying using the verses:

  1. Heavenly Father, we fear not because You are here with us as we fight our affliction.
  2. We are not heartbroken or dismayed because we know You are our God.
  3. We rejoice and claim Your promises that You will strengthen us.
  4. We rejoice and claim Your promises that You will help us.
  5. We rejoice and claim Your promises that You will uphold us with the right hand of Your righteousness.
  6. We continue to pray for a hedge of protection for our loved one or even ourself, both in the workplace and during treatments.

Photo Source: Pixaby