Prayer Works Morning Devotion: April 17, 2025

"Readying Our Hearts for Resurrection Sunday"

"Jesus Dies On The Cross"

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Good morning, good morning, everybody. I hope you had a wonderful night and you are ready for another amazing day. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for your goodness and your mercy towards us.  

We thank you for all that you have done and what you're still going to do. We come before you this day because we know you are sovereign. You hear us when we pray. You are concerned about our needs. 

You know exactly where we are and we know you want us to grow, to mature in spiritual things. And you know, we know too that you want us to be the standard that many can see, emulate and ask the question what must I do to be saved.  

So as we come before you this morning this is An honor this week, this is An honor of what you did on the cross. We are remembering and commemorating your journey to the cross because we understand that it was our doorway to salvation.  

And our doorway to all spiritual things where this once hidden Kingdom is now visible to all of us as we carry it in our hearts. It's a privilege and to have the guidance of the Holy Spirit to live this life well, knowing that we have the Holy Spirit as our guidance. We thank you, Lord, for your grace. 

We thank you, Lord, that salvation is a gift from God is that we are able to gather early morning the cool of the day. Enjoying your presence, enjoying your communion and your voice. As we look at the scriptures, because the fellowship with one another.  

I pray, Lord, that these times that we gather, may we all be inspired, encouraged, strengthened, become more wise and more sweet in everything that we do. So that many can drink from the wells that we are digging spiritual wells that we are digging.  

So Father as we look at this word in remembrance, bless us and we pray this prayer in Jesus name, Amen. So yesterday, when we finished, we finished with Jesus now on the cross and they put a plaque on him that said, there was a written notice above and which read this is the king of the Jews.  

So now he's hanging on the cross. Sandwiched between two criminals. And while he's sandwiched between two criminals the lesson for this day what we are going to see is Jesus love for humanity.  

He is in pain. He's dealing with everything that is transpired for the past 24 hours. He hasn't slept, he's been tortured. They have wounded him. They have ridiculed him. They have made him carried the cross.  

And the experience so much ridicule and torment. And now he's hanging on the cross, sandwiched between two criminals. One of the criminals who was hung there hurled insults at him.  

Now the use of the word hurled t means that this was not just once. This was like a barrage of insults. Then it says, aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us if you are the Messiah but then the other criminal rebuked him and he says, don't you fear God?  

He said since you are under the same sentence. This is amazing how, even amongst criminals there's a code of conduct. This one is recognizing that this is way too far. So don't you fear God? He said since you are under the same sentence.  

We are punished justly for we are getting what we are punished justly. You and I are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.  

Then he said to Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom. Jesus answered him truly I tell you today you'll be with me in Paradise. I want you to imagine the life of this criminal. What he had done to cause him to be hanging on the cross on the same day that Jesus was being hung.  

Now this man was never baptized. This man was never received the gift of the Holy Spirit. These men probably never read Scripture. He was a criminal of the highest in order for him to be hung on the cross, in fact, he tells us that we are getting what we deserve.  

He acknowledges the fact that me hanging on the cross right now is the right punishment for all that I did in this lifetime. But then his concern is about fearing God. Which is an incredible, phenomenal scripture in itself. Because the fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom. 

So he is asking this other man that don't you fear God, which means that even though he is a criminal, he fears God. And Jesus hears this but then he goes on to say Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom, that's all he said.  

Don't you fear God? There's two things that he said. Don't you fear God? Then Remember Me when you come into your Kingdom. Those two things opened the doorway for him because Jesus says truly I tell you today you will be with me in Paradise.  

I mean, the love that Jesus has for humanity, for you and I that while he is in pain hanging on the cross. Hearing all the insults his love continues to be exhibited while he is on the cross.  

I'll give you an example I want to I'm sure we have watched movies and heard of lethal injection when people are dying. Most of those people can't handle the moment. We're sort of can't think of ministering to anybody in that moment.  

Now Jesus even is the worst condition any human being can ever be in. And even right there in that moment he is still ministering in opening doors for a criminal to enter into his Kingdom. Such is the love of God for all of us. 

Now if this can happen for a criminal. Can you imagine what could happen for a person who is not a criminal? Can you imagine the patience and love that God has for people who are not criminals for a criminal who has been sentenced to death because of what he has done and he knows it, he acknowledges.  

He gets access into the Kingdom by showing the fear of God and asking Jesus, Please remember me. And Jesus says, don't you worry about it. Today, today, not tomorrow, not next week, not later on today you will be with me in Paradise. That's beautiful.  

That's the love of God. That's the love that Jesus has for humanity. He is in pain, I'm talking about tremendous pain of being hung pierced you name it, ridiculed. Haven't slept for 24 hours. Yet he grants access to a criminal because he asked.  

He just simply asked remember me, the new in Paradise, New Kingdom. Which is like today you've been with me today. That's the love of God. That's the love God has for humanity for you and I.  

Now this is for a criminal. Can you imagine for Someone Like You and I who are in the Kingdom? Trying to do his work and his will. Can you imagine the love he has for us.  

Now this week we said we praying for our children because he died for them too. So we want to continue to pray for our children. And tomorrow, tomorrow we're going to dedicate them tomorrow back to the Lord.  

And I think we should do this yearly just dedicate our children back to the Lord every year. Because the pressure they are dealing with, we're really scripture yesterday. Where Jesus says, hey, don't wait for me wait for your children because the day is coming.  

When you're going to ask the mountains to cover you. Because of what will be happening and we have seen it, it's already happening. It's not something that we don't know about. The pressure our children are dealing with is unbelievable.  

But what I want us to do as we pray, is to approach it from this criminal perspective. That if God has such love to exonerate a man who is on his who’s been sentenced to death is literally dying. He is in the process of dying.  

This man is literally in the process of dying. He's been sentenced to death and now the execution has actually happened and he is in the process of dying and he gets exonerated. And if God can do that for him what more can you do for our children?  

For us who are committed to his work to his Kingdom, to his touches, to his values. So I want us to pray knowing that the love of God supersedes our ask.  

So let us pray. Father, we come before you as we pray for our children this week this Holy Week. We understand that they are a gift from you. Thus, you have given us the responsibility to educate them in all spiritual things.  

And to continue to direct them towards this Kingdom. We know that the responsibility we have as parents is one day to pass this Kingdom that we behold to them and we pray Lord, that when we run our race and when we get to the end, there will be somebody waiting to receive the baton and run with this Kingdom with perseverance.  

So today we'll lift Dorothy's children. Dorothy Hill’s children. We lift up Carlos Hill, Thomas Hill, Eve Hill, Iniko Hill, Gravier hill. Father, you know where these children are and these grand children are. 

You know what they're going through. We know that they have a praying grandmother. So we are asking today that may you honor their grandmothers prayers. I pray that for this group that every single person will be saved.  

That as they walk their journey of life I pray for encounters with the Holy Spirit. I pray Lord, that may you put people in their pathway. Who have a heart for the Lord to minister and to bring the gift of salvation in the name of Jesus, we pray for their gifts.  

We pray for their talents. That may they be illuminated even in this hour as they continue to matriculate through life. Pray for their daughters children as they raise their children that God may you bless them and give them the right tools to raise godly children who care about spiritual things.  

I pray, Lord, may you make this journey for them easy. Even though we know challenges will come. I Pray Lord that you're opening doors for them, that no man would shut. So bless Dorothy Hill's children in the name of Jesus, we pray.  

Father, we lift up. Kimberly and Quan's children Kayla, Colby, Kyle, Calasia and Colin. A preload knowing that. Colin is dealing with difficult challenges in her life.  

And that, Kayla, is also dealing with challenges, Lord. But Father, we believe that your sovereign authority supersedes every single challenge that we might ever go through. So I pray for an opportunity for this gospel to permeate and to enter their bodies and to have a full understanding of spiritual things in the name of Jesus.  

We pray for a clear path to victory. That salvation will be their portion. That none amongst this group will be lost. We know your hand is upon this family. We know your hand is upon these children and we thank you for your praying mother and the praying father.  

Hear Kim and Quan’s prayer as they offer these children back to you. We bind the hand of the enemy that seeks to sow destruction in the name of Jesus. Pray for the blessing of the Lord to be upon this family and everything they do.  

And for these adults, children Lord that are coming into their own. May you open doors for them in the name of Jesus. Bless Kim, bless Quan, bless all they do. And Father, we are praying for salvation to be the portion for every single one of these children in the name of Jesus.  

We thank you for your grace. We thank you for purpose. We thank you, Lord, that they are discovering their purpose in the name of Jesus, we pray. Lord I lift up Zevai Junior and lift up Eva and lift up David.  

Thank you for who they are in you. Thank you, Lord, for the heart you have placed in them. That in this hour, in this moment, as they continue Lord to find their way in this world. We pray for the spirit to guide, to protect and to bring them to their destiny.  

Heavenly Father, you have given our children gifts and talents to survive and to be victorious in this world. I pray for every gift for every talent. May it be enhanced, may it be utilized, may it give them access. But above all else, may their gifts and talent serve the Kingdom. 

Father I thank you Daniel's friend April's kids, Ariel, Elias, Aris and grandchild Aliyah. Father we know the challenges they are dealing with. It's very difficult for children to experience divorce. But I pray, Lord, may they be peace in this household. 

May adults teach them the right things that needs to be taught in spite of what they've been through. I thank you for your grace and thank you for your love. Now we pray the blessing of the Lord to be upon these children.  

And I pray, Lord, that may they continue to come into their own. And pray me the spirit of God continue to guide them in everything they do. And we are asking you, Lord that these challenges and pressure they are facing because of the changes that are going on in our world.  

May your voice continue to be loud in their soul. Enemy you don't have any jurisdiction over our children. They are a gift from God and we pray for their protection. We send angels on assignments to God and to protect.  

We pray, Lord, that may their ears eyes be shut to the things that brings destruction to their souls. We know there are so many agendas that are being pushed to our children and we apply the blood of Jesus on them. 

That no agenda, no man made agenda that seeks to bring destruction will override them in the name of Jesus. We banish every form of sickness and disease on them. And we pray, Lord, that in this season in this week this Holy Week.  

As much as you died for us, you died for them. So as we remember you, your word says suffer these children to come unto me. And you also tell that if anyone is to enter this Kingdom, must become like a child.  

So I pray Lord that may this blessing rest upon every single one of them as we await to see what you will do through them. I pray for all of us as we continue to look to the hill where our help comes from.  

May you help us in everything that we do. Help us to be patient with one another. Help us to love one another. Help us in the things that we do, the works of all my hands, bless them. And bless the works of the one who sent us.  

We pray for open doors and we pray Lord for access. And may we carry your values and your statues everywhere we go. So that this Kingdom is enhanced. Now we look to you for all our needs.  

Knowing Lord that you supply them according to your riches and glory. Now as we go into this day, lead us not into temptation, deliver us from the evil one for thine is your Kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever, Amen.  

Brothers and sisters here are the instructions for tomorrow. What I want you to do is we dedicate our children tomorrow. I want you today to be praying for them and the things that you know that God has fallen.  

And also if you can you know write things, write prophetic words of what you believe God. Because the scripture says we must teach them and train them in the way they should go, and in order to train somebody in the way they should go.

We should all have spiritual insight of what that way is and I'm sure as parents, we all have.  

So I want you to be praying for both things today, whenever you get a chance and a moment. Pray for every single one of them. Then tomorrow morning we dedicate them back to God and we enjoy Good Friday.  

And we await for what the Lord is doing for all of us. That's the instructions for tomorrow. So today, let's get busy praying for our children, remembering what the gifts they have whenever you get a moment, just pray for one of their grandkids.  

Just keep praying, then tomorrow we dedicate them back to that again, Amen. May you have a wonderful day. May God walk with you. May God be with you in Jesus name, Amen.