Time to Pray: Live in Abundance Now

By Lee Pierce

Do you desire Gods presence in your everyday life? With your children in school? In your homes? In your workplaces and travels? In your marriage and your family? With prayer, its possible. Have you lost touch with God? Do you desire Gods presence in your life? With prayer, its possible to communicate with God again.

In author Lee Pierces Time to Pray: Live in Abundance Now, you will learn how to improve your conflicts on the job, with your family, and in relationships. This guide to a prayerful life helps you to concentrate more on God. You will find yourself motivated to overcome lifes challenges. Pierce shows that when you release insecurity, fear, and hurt through prayer, you will live in Gods abundance.

Time to Pray: Live in Abundance Now provides life resources. It encourages prayer for our nation, our children, our elderly, our parents, our leadership, our communities and neighborhoods, our schools, and our public assemblies. Time to Pray unites change for us individually and collectively for our nation. And it reminds us nothing is too big for God.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jul 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781491767832

Lee Pierce

Lee Pierce While serving on active duty in the Armed Forces, Lee was inspired by God to write this book. 25-year veteran that served 4 presidents and traveled all over the world, Pierce experienced many people that felt they did not know how to pray. While helping in numerous ministries at various duty stations on active duty in November 2002, Lee was finally licensed to minister in Pensacola, Florida. With vigor for the Lord and a thirst to help others, Lee continued to work as a Aircraft Maintenance Officer in U.S. Navy training, developing, encouraging, and mentoring Sailors stateside and abroad and was actively involved in the church. After retiring in Japan from the U.S. Navy in 2008 and during the financial crunch in the United States, Lee worked as a Training Specialist and closing Branch Coordinator/Manager for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, East Coast Satellite Office. Pierces endless efforts in training, developing, encouraging and mentoring people to succeed in life continued. Lee found many opportunities to pray for Sailors, people, families, friends, co-workers, children, and our nation. Lee currently serves as an associate minister and teacher of youth, teenager, and adult Bible studies, new members classes in multiple ministries and a motivational speaker. Lee achieved a Bachelor of Science degree in Vocational Education Studies, a Master of Science degree in Management, and a Master of Arts degree in Christian Ministry. Time to Pray offers great insight into everyday life, its challenges and resolutions. Wake up the prayer warrior in YOU! Allow God to influence your direction and your purpose today. #timetopray

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Copyright © 2015 Lee Pierce.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

The scripture quoted in Time to Pray is from the following versions of the Bible: the King James Version (KJV), New King James Version (NKJV), New International Version (NIV), New Living Translation (NLT), and The Message (MSG).

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-6781-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-6782-5 (hc)

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2015907350

iUniverse rev. date: 07/27/2015

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part 1: Things That Separate

Chapter 1: Insecurity

Chapter 2: Fear

Chapter 3: Secrets

Part 2: Things To Release

Chapter 4: Hurt

Chapter 5: Jealousy

Chapter 6: Hatred

Part 3: Things To Revere

Chapter 7: Love

Chapter 8: Personal Relationships

Part 4: Hidden Things

Chapter 9: Diversity and Equal Opportunity

Chapter 10: Nothing Is Too Big for God

Chapter 11: Time to Pray

Part 5: Life Resources

Chapter 12: Prayers

Chapter 13: Scriptures to Live By

Conclusion

Notes

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

There are a number of wonderful people who contributed in countless ways to my experience writing Time to Pray.

To my self-sacrificing spouse, who has my best interest at heart: I give you all my gratitude. You are a truly loving, caring person with whom God has allowed me to spend many precious moments in life. We share amazing memories from all over the world. You continually express your love and prayers for our children, grandchildren, family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. You are amazing, and I love you. I thank God for each and every moment that we share. Your friendship and thoughtful ways are rare gifts. Thank you for your tireless dedication and efforts in reading, sharing, and editing my work.

To my parents, sisters, brothers, children, grandchildren, family, and special friends: I will always appreciate your love and encouragement. You have been the wind beneath my wings, and I cherish our time together. We have shared prayers, tears, laughs, and wonderful times in life. I thank God for your love and support over the years, and I look forward to more laughter and fun in the future.

To our church families: I appreciate your love, prayers, and care for my family and me. Pastors, First Ladies, Co-Ministers, church leaders, and congregation: you have been a blessing.

Thank you, iUniverse publishing family. You provided motivation and treated my work with dignity and integrity.

INTRODUCTION

Our country was built and founded on Christian values, and we need to return to those roots. We need to rebuild our foundations with godly principles. It’s time to pray and put prayer back in our relationships and families; time to pray with our friends, children, grandchildren, and neighbors; time to reintroduce prayer to our schools, inner cities, and current and future leadership; and time to add prayer to our sporting events, movies, wars, business contracts, budgets, and foreign affairs. It’s time to return prayer to the United States of America.

In the beginning, man and woman were separated from God by sin. Will you continue to allow sin to separate you from God, family, children, friends, neighbors, life, health, society, relationships, learning, and living? Decide this day to make a change. Vow that you won’t allow those things that separate us to continue to rule over your life. Vow that you will strive to let go and let God. Strive to live life to its fullest. It’s time to pray.

Let go, and let God have control of your life. He will always control the universe. Take a look in Genesis, starting with chapter 2, verse 8, which describes how a parent (God) desired to plant a garden in Eden, and how beautiful everything was. God placed Adam in this garden and told him, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die (Gen. 2:16–17 NKJV). The scripture describes how God formed every beast in the field and allowed Adam to name each animal, and how God promised to make Adam a helper, Eve. By verse 25, Adam and Eve are living together, unashamed, until they allow sin (the serpent) to enter their lives.

God has been in control from the very beginning. Will you allow the Lord to control your life, or will you allow sin to rule your life?

With my combined thirty years of service in the US Navy and the US government, and my degrees in vocational education (BS), management (MSM), and Christian ministry (MACM), I recognize that the adversary is all around us. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve’s enemy arrives disguised as a friend. Eve allows the serpent to place thoughts and actions in her mind. The serpent convinces her that she will have the knowledge of good and evil, like God, once she eats fruit from the forbidden tree. This is a very familiar Bible story and a very familiar situation in life today. Have you personally witnessed people convincing others to commit crimes, injustices, or immoralities? Have people convinced you to do any of these things?

Modern serpents set up friends, coworkers, or family members who feel they do not have enough. Ask yourself these questions: How much is enough? Are your close relationships built on material things or spiritual things? Most people desire the best for themselves and their families. Are you willing to work harder or smarter than others? What are your motives? What are your actions? Who is in the driver’s seat of your life? Who or what drives your thoughts? Does the Holy Spirit drive you, or are you driven by passions—by lust or envy? Do your adversaries drive you?

Certain people are not willing to make the necessary sacrifices required to obtain their desires. There is nothing wrong with having goals and striving to achieve those goals. The desire to have it now consumes their thoughts and actions. They think, Give me the shortcut. They don’t want to hear the story of how someone worked his or her way to the top. They don’t have the time or money to go to school. They don’t have the time to train under someone. They want it now! Or they have everything now, but they think they deserve more. It’s the microwave generation—they want everything to be ready in minutes. They don’t want to invest days, weeks, months, or even years of training and development; they want results in minutes, sometimes seconds. What is hard work?

What about the sweat and tears others had to shed to obtain those same desires? Certain people may have an easy time moving from the bottom to the top of a corporation, but most do not. Today’s generation is an entitled one. Do you think you are entitled to your desires solely because you exist on this earth?

Or consider the times when everything on the other side of the fence looks so much greener than yours. Perhaps you think, I must have that, regardless of the sacrifice! The cost does not matter. I deserve better. I must pay whatever the cost to acquire a mate, a job, a larger house, a newer car … you fill in the blank. Is it really worth the cost or sacrifice? If you have to lie and manipulate to achieve that prize, is the reward worth the expense? Are your desires worth separating you from living in abundance? Time to pray.

Neither Adam nor Eve contemplated how well they were living or how sin would separate them from God’s blessings. God had given Adam and Eve everything they could ever imagine or desire in the garden, yet they found themselves listening to a con artist. Did Adam and Eve think there were consequences to listening to the serpent? Did they think the serpent’s enticements would cause harm to their lives? Genesis describes the kind of disobedience, lies, and manipulations that were happening in the discussion between Eve and the serpent. Does that discussion remind you of anything? Does it remind you of anyone? What are your daily, weekly, or yearly desires? Do you allow disobedience, lying, and manipulation to rule your actions when you’re attempting to achieve your goals?

I hope that Time to Pray will serve as a reference for you and inspire you to make a difference. It’s time for us—you and me—to decide to make changes in our lives. Take a look at those things that are really beyond your control, and then make a commitment to pray and allow God to alter your life through your prayer, fasting, and individual actions. Take the time to stop, grow in reverence, and allow God to control those things that separate you from living in abundance.

For I am persuaded that neither death or life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38–39 NKJV)

May you enjoy Time to Pray and be inspired to consider yourself and your circumstances. I challenge you to pursue the desire to increase the quality of life for you, your family, and every individual God places in your environment. Our entire society can increase the quality of our lives through interfaith prayer. I have learned so much researching this book that I was inspired by God to acknowledge that it is time to pray. I thank you as we journey together. Right now, this day, you can make a difference. Together, we can make a difference. Are you up for the challenge? Interfaith prayer works.

PART 1

THINGS THAT SEPARATE

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CHAPTER 1

INSECURITY

Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side;

my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.

—Abraham Lincoln

Do you have God on your side? Are you secure with your life? Are you secure in your education and profession? Are you secure in your relationships? Do you dedicate time to insecurity? Can insecurity block your blessings? Let us take an in-depth look at insecurity. Insecure people may lack confidence and feel tentative about his or her decisions.

Can insecurity block your blessings?

Insecurity is definitely a blessing blocker. Being insecure in your circumstances, lacking faith, and not believing in God can hinder your blessings. Tell yourself, I am secure in the things that I believe, and I will maintain my faith. There’s not a doubt in my mind that God has control of my life and my circumstances. Christians often use these words of Paul to the Philippians: I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13 NKJV) This is powerful scripture. No matter what I have to do, Jesus Christ will strengthen me.

Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. (Phil. 4:13 MSG)

Completely rely on God. Allow Him to strengthen you. Have confidence, knowing that you can do all things when you have God on your side. When we know God is the head of our lives, uncertainty, unsafe feelings, shaky thoughts, and fear all must disappear. Philippians 4:13 is a familiar Bible passage that my spouse and I repeat numerous times to our young adult children, to other children, and to the high school and college students we mentor. There is no support like God’s! Regardless of the task that lies ahead, regardless of the situation or trial that you may be experiencing, the Lord will provide you the strength to get through it. I remind children and adults that if they are believers, they will experience the strength of the Lord during challenging and easy times in their lives. Pray daily, and allow God to influence your direction in your trials. Pray daily, also, when everything is going well, so you can always be aware of God’s voice in your conscience.

Have you ever told someone how to get through a difficult experience? When those close to you are unsure about or insecure in a decision that could cause catastrophic damage in their lives, remind them that things will not always seem as problematic as they are today. Remember—this is an opportunity to pray with and for them. Even if you are the parent of an adult child who is away in college, serving in the military, or working, give him or her this scripture, Philippians 4:13. Faithful believers can do all things with Jesus Christ. Parents, unfortunately, cannot exist everywhere, but God can. Parents, when you place your children in God’s hands, the Lord will continually watch over them, your prized possessions, because they ultimately belong to Him, anyway. Thank You, Lord!

Having insecurities and feelings of uncertainty can cause you not to take a chance on a new job, a new career, a new friendship, or a new assignment. As a result, you can miss an opportunity for promotion. Being insecure reduces your opportunities. You may not completely apply yourself when insecurity invades your thoughts. Insecurity may keep you from exploring new perspectives or ventures at work, in relationships, and in life.

At the beginning of this chapter, I asked, Can insecurity block your blessings? The answer, without a doubt, is yes. Insecurity can block your blessings. It’s vital that you develop into the strong and secure individual that God intended you to become. Grow into God’s purpose and will for your life. Become the elite you, regardless of the tests, trials, temptations, and testimonies involved. You can handle these things.

For we walk by faith, and not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7 NKJV)

We have to learn to walk by faith and not by sight. Be confident, knowing that God will make a difference in your life. I have a support system. I have God! I have Jesus Christ! I have the Holy Spirit! Become self-assured. What you see right now will not always exist. Increase your prayer life, and increase your faith in God. Whatever you are experiencing today, good or bad, will not last forever; it’s only a temporal state. Victory is in the plan, regardless of the situation. God will get the victory from your life, which means you will get the victory.

Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. (Mark 9:23 NKJV)

Today people are hurting and wondering what changes are coming. They are fearful about the future of our economy. They wonder what is happening to our justice system, what is occurring in our schools. Sometimes life seems normal and everything appears good, and then comes a negative thought, word, conversation, and action. Before long, hurt occurs, whether it’s divorce, financial troubles, unemployment, bankruptcy, foreclosure, health problems, or the death of a loved one. When things, either within or outside our control, change your circumstances and bring pain, the situation is difficult. At times, the outcome will be the same regardless of what you do unless you pray and allow God to change the situation or change you. You need faith and the Lord. You have to believe that with God, all things are possible.

On the Job and in Our Neighborhoods

Every day, people go to work with a smokescreen of security. A supervisor might have one to four hundred employees on the job. Some supervisors let their employees know daily that they are the finest workers in the building, while other supervisors avoid having or even thinking about that conversation unless they are required to, during the evaluation period. Do you need validation from your supervisor or boss? Do others at work make you feel secure? All supervisors should encourage their employees, training and preparing them for success. Don N. Howell Jr., Servants of the Servant states, Along with the opportunity to lead comes grave responsibility, particularly when God’s reputation (honor) is at stake.¹ What are you doing on the job and in your neighborhood to influence others to know God?

Some people seem so confident that they might as well be saying, Look at me—I have it all together. On the outside, they appear perfect, with great families, beautiful homes, or luxury vehicles. On the inside, however, they might be in turmoil, with upside-down finances and families in confusion. On the outside, they have everything that others dream of having; they’re the envy of their friends, families, coworkers, and associates. But on the inside, they are screaming for help, with nowhere to turn.

You do not have to work in corporate America to see this scenario. Look at America’s inner-city neighborhoods. People in these neighborhoods know whom the drug dealers are and in which houses drugs are being sold. Dealers are feared and have a reputation of not allowing anyone to disrespect them. They sell drugs openly, as if they have no fear of getting caught. On the outside they display a sense of confidence, but on the inside they might fear getting caught, setting a bad example for their loved ones, or dying young and not seeing their children grow up. They might fear entering a legitimate profession because they don’t want to start at the bottom. They’ve become comfortable in their lifestyle; the street life is all they know. Are they satisfied with their illegal profession? Why should they change? The only way to have a secure life is to know God. With the Lord, all things are possible.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isa. 41:10 NIV)

Illegal drugs are taking more and more of our young people’s lives. The collateral damage wrought by drug wars, drug abuse, and drug-related violence has been tremendous. Our jails are filled with young people whose God-given purpose remains unfulfilled. Instead of making a difference in this world and serving God, as they were intended to do, they are serving time behind bars. Many criminals, young and old, may never learn that their purpose in this life does not involve prison. God never wanted His people to become hooked on anything but His Word. God’s purpose in this life for you is not to do drugs. God never meant for you to feel secure in a drug environment. Yes, God does change and save some prisoners while they are incarcerated, but His original plan for their lives was not prison. God can meet you at any crossroads or in any set of circumstances.

Have you ever known someone who used shopping to feel secure? Some people go shopping whenever they feel sad or happy. It does not matter if they have the money or available credit. It does not matter if their bills are paid. It does not matter what others think of them. It does not matter if they have to increase their credit limit to allow more shopping. They just need to get a fix, and then everything is okay. Compulsive shoppers feel they are living their best lives right now. They will worry about their bills, rent, and FICO scores when they have to—tomorrow, next week, next year, or at some future date. Shopping for immediate gratification (to satisfy cravings) is shaky, uncertain, and insecure behavior. When your finances cannot support your spending, you are displaying insecure behavior. Instead of yearning for material things, you need to yearn for God’s values and become a good steward of God’s blessings.

All three types of people (corporate employees, drug dealers, and compulsive shoppers) appear secure. But when people are out of control in any area of their lives, they should change their behavior. Corporate American workers can have joy in their lives and everything in balance. Drug dealers can switch to legitimate jobs, although they may start at the bottom, and gain success in life. Shoppers can stop shopping and find creative ways to budget God’s blessings and share those blessings with others.

Do you need a behavior check and correction? As we peel back the layers of the onion, we will find individuals in our society who are insecure. Is insecurity displayed in our work? Maybe. Is it demonstrated in our homes? No. Does it appear in how we dress? No. Does it show in how we carry ourselves? Maybe. The answers to all these questions vary. Insecurity is a well-hidden beast that lurks, waiting to devour an unsuspecting person.

Insecurity sometimes seems faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Are you confident in God’s blessings or are you insecure in God’s blessings? Do you sometimes allow insecurity to separate you from God’s blessings? Plenty of people do it every day. You walk around on this earth with a huge red S hidden beneath your shirts or blouses. Yes, you should maintain a sense of confidence with faith and assurance that your bad situations will not last. Allow God to increase your faith and decrease your insecurity. Break out and fly, knowing that God will sustain you as your eyes, thoughts, and prayers focus on Jesus.

People feel they have plenty of time to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He is not