Prayer Works Morning Devotion: April 18, 2025

"Readying Our Hearts for Resurrection Sunday"

"Jesus Dies On The Cross And Is Buried In Joseph's Tomb"

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Good morning, good morning everybody today is a wonderful day. A glorious day that the Lord has made, we are rejoicing, and we are remembering and commemorating the death of Jesus.

And us and other Christians all over the world, we recognize this day as a special day. Which our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins.  

And you saw you and I in 2025 on that particular day. He was dying for those that were around him, but he saw you and I. And the more I think about this, I was just reflecting earlier on.  

That you know when you make it really personal, the idea of someone dying for you on your behalf is phenomenal when you think about that. I, me Zavai or you, Veronica, or you Calvin you, mother Mary or whoever you are.  

Just think about, man Jesus standing in front of you and making a decision that you know what and addressing you personally and you say you know what I am going to die for you. That makes it really powerful and incredibly significant.  

So without further ado, what I want to do is we're going to read the last passage of scripture seen along and then we're going to play for a few more children. And then right after that, we're going to do a baby dedication.  

We're just going to dedicate our children, whether they're old, young, grand children, you know, we just say a little prayer so that God can be with them. So Luke 23:44. Remember, Jesus now is at the cross and on either side of him is two men.  

But for this particular passage of scripture, there's a man I want you guys to pay attention to. Because I think we should all want to be that man in how we do things and his name is Joseph.  

All right, so here we go. It was about noon and darkness came over the whole land. So this is one of the things that happened when Jesus died. It was darkness from 12 to about 3:00 PM in the afternoon.  

For the for the sun stopped shining and the curtain of the temple was torn two. To signify access to the Holy of holies for everybody. Jesus called out with a loud voice. Father into your hands, I commit my spirit. When he said this he breathed his last.  

The Centurion seeing what had happened, so this is remember this is not just a Centurion. We believe that this is a man that that Jesus sent the word To his house, to the servant who was dying.  

And this is how we know, seeing what had happened praised God. And said surely this was a righteous man, meaning that he had had an encounter with him before. But now he is committing to his thinking process that surely this was the man.  

This was the righteous man. When all the people who had gathered to witness this site saw what took place they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.  

Verse 50, now there was a man named Joseph a member of the Council. A good and upright man. Who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judea town of Arimathea and he himself was waiting for the Kingdom of God.  

He was waiting, which means that he had heard Jesus speak about the Kingdom of God. And he had heard Jesus saying that I will die and this Kingdom will be delivered unto you. So he was waiting.  

So he comes to this event where he knows Jesus is dying. But he is not coming with amusement or trying to see what is happening. Rather, he is coming with an agenda in his mind, I'm waiting for the Kingdom of God that this man promised.  

So he comes to his to use crucifixes. Because he knows this is what's about to take place. So going to pilot now I want you to imagine during this time it was one of the most difficult things for any for any Jewish person to approach the Roman empires elects, or soldiers or guards.  

Nobody wanted I mean, I've read stories of where no one wanted to look at the soldiers, eyes just in case they might think you are mocking them.  

But this man goes to pirates in the face of watching Jesus being crucified. And this man, knowing that they have made a decision, this is who made the decision to crucify him. And he wasn't willing, by the way. 

That through pressure he admitted to crucifying Jesus. And he approached his Pilate and he asked for Jesus body. Says can I have his body? Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb. Cut in the rock one in which no one had yet been laid.  

It was preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. This man by himself takes Jesus body. He cuts into the rock where nobody had been laid in the in the place his body. Preparation day and the Sabbath is about to begin.  

The woman, who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph. And saw the tomb and now his body was laid in it. Then they went home, prepared spices and perfumes. Then they rested on Sabbath, in obedience to the commandment.  

We all want and we all should desire to be like Joseph waiting for the Kingdom. Not only was he just waiting, he was doing something. He buried Jesus, asked for his body in the face of all the intimidation that has been going on. But he had courage, he had strength, he had wisdom to go and ask for Jesus body from Pilate.  

Which means he probably took it down off the cross and went and buried it, cutting into the rock. Did all the work just to lay Jesus in the tomb.  

We should all desire and want to be like Joseph. Number one waiting in anticipation for the Kingdom of God. Looking for it then also doing something in order to make sure that the Kingdom of God comes. For the Kingdom of God to be finally established or seen on the Earth.  

We must take part in it in the preparation of it. And we must play our role to make sure that it is established and our role in this case, is preaching this gospel. Pushing the agenda for others to be saved. That's what we should do. 

We should all be like Joseph. So before we start our dedication. You're going to pray for a few people, few children. This is Kathy Wood's list. I'll read the names  Imani, Samantha, Andrea. 

Luan Ryal, Christian, Bryson, Shea, Jay, Kenda, Maria, Kelley, Lachia, Sharetea, Alicia de Quan, Freya, Kelya, Brandy, Kelly, Harry, Quint, Grayson, Marcus, Towanda, Keith and Tashonna.  

Lord, we pray for Kathy was children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews. We pray, Lord, that may you be with them wherever they go. Protect them from harm and danger, sin or unseen.  

May their future be secured and may their faith indure if there is any amongst them who are not saved. We pray that may they have an opportunity to experience an encounter with the Holy Spirit.  

And we thank you, Lord, knowing that you see them, you know exactly where they are. And you will never leave them when you find them. So we bless Kathy Wood's family and children, and we pray, Lord, that they are all saved in the Kingdom loving God serving you.  

We call on every single one of them. That Lord may they receive salvation in the name of Jesus. We pray for mother Ware children. We pray for Gerald, we pray for grandchildren, Madeline, and we pray for also Gabriel.  

Father, we thank you for this group. Thank you for what you have done for Mother Carrie. Lord I'm asking you to do something miraculous with mother Carey, son Gerard. May you help him and bring him to repentance. And thank you for their grandchildren . 

We pray Lord, for access for them into this Kingdom. Chance opportunities to hear the word of God so they can find salvation while it is still near. We bless you for parents and we bless you, Lord, that you are sovereign and that you see everybody in the name of Jesus. 

And Father, we also would like to add to this group Cynthia's children and grandchildren. Jessica's children and Zetas children Johnnies, Richie's son, Brandon, Amanda Ashwood.  

Father we are praying for every child who is represented by anyone who is involved with us. That God as we serve you as we commit to encounter you every single morning.

We know that we are carrying this Kingdom in our hearts and we want and desire that our children be an extension of that Kingdom.  

So we are praying just as you desire to see every human being saved. That God may you by your spirit give our children the opportunity for salvation. May the Holy Spirit, arrest every single one of them in Jesus name we pray Amen and Amen.  

We believe that children are our heritage from the Lord. They're a gift from him and that Psalms 127 as Christians, we believe it's our responsibility.

As custodians of God's gifts to raise children in the way of the Lord and established in them in early foundation built upon Jesus Christ.  

It's our responsibility. God gave us that responsibility, that we have to teach things that will become sound doctrine. It's every parent's responsibility. We believe that dedicating our children, no matter how young or old they are.  

Remind us of the responsibility of raising them in God's community. In an environment that's conducive for their spirit to grow. We also believe that as parents, we should be willing to totally submit our children to the will of our Father.  

And we based this from First Samuel Chapter 1. Where Hannah was barren for years, weeping for a child until the Lord heard her prayer and one of the things Hanna said was that Lord, through my misery, you did not forget me.  

So I pray that when this child come, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life. God honored harnessed requests and gave his son, named Samuel. Who became one of the greatest foundational pillars of the Nation of Israel.  

He was a kingmaker. His role was to identify kings and anoint them for the nation of Israel. He was the foundation of the prophetic movement that started with him.

An era of prophetic words and prophetic man came into play because of Samuel. And I dare say he came to play because of harness prayer and commitment.  

Now we have no control of what our children would decide to do as they grow. Neither can we force this gospel on them. Because doing so I don't know if they will ever understand if salvation is a gift or not.  

But what we can do as parents, as grandparents as aunts and uncles. Is to uphold that which we know that our children are a gift from God. And its wisdom on our behalf to just continuously give them back to the Lord. For we know that he has a will for every single one of them.  

And we also believe that instructing our children in the way they should go. So in other words, we can't instruct in the way they should go if we don't find out, if we don't try to find out. Which way should they go? And we must train them and instruct them in the things of the Lord.  

That's why proverbs 22:60 says train up a child in the way they should go. When he is old he will not turn from it. So we want to continuously give our children back to the Lord. Now, before we pray in Luke 1:76-79.  

John the  Baptist father gave a prophetic one of the most incredible, phenomenal prayer you could ever find in the Bible about his son. After John was born Zachariah, this is what he says. And you, my child will be called a prophet of the most high.  

Not just a prophet, a prophet of the most high for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins because of the tender mercy of our God.  

They wish the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness. And in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the path of peace. And we know what John the Baptists became. It was the words of the father of dedicating this child back to God.  

So brothers and sisters going to take this moment to confer and to rededicate our children, no matter how old they are. There's a man who was dedicated in Zimbabwe at the age of 38. Cause his mother had never heard of baby dedication.  

And he brought that men to church, says I'm dedicating him because I've struggled with him and it's only after that dedication that this man's life was transformed drastically. They’re still in church, actually, as a Deacon in Zimbabwe.  

So you can repeat after me wherever you are. Father, we thank you for the gifts of children. We thank you, Lord, for the ability to be custodians. Of that of that which you are raising. We know we also have nieces and nephews.  

We know we also have adopted children. We know we also have children by proxy. Where others call us into their family structure. And give upon us an opportunity to contribute to the wisdom of this Kingdom to them. 

This moment, we don't take it lightly. We recognize that we as parents, as custodians, we might lack some things. But today we are coming to the source of life which is you. And we are placing everyone of our children the names we read throughout this whole week.  

We are rededicating them back to you, no matter how old they are. We give them back to you. So that for the rest of their lives they will forever be found in the temple serving you. We ask the Holy Spirit to be prominent in their lives. 

If there are any amongst them who do not know you, we are asking the spirit of God to bring salvation to their doorstep. I pray that none of our children would die prematurely. That they will live on the rest of their days serving and being part of this Kingdom of God.  

I thank you for salvation that has allowed us to be part of this Kingdom. We extend that to every single one of our nieces and our nephews and grandchildren. That may salvation be their portion.  

Now we command the blessing of the Lord to be upon every single one of these children's lives. We declare that this word that we read from your holy scriptures will be so strong and evident in their lives. That healing deliverance and peace and joy and love will be part of their extraordinary lives.  

We pray, Lord, that may their future be secure and may their faith endure the tests of these challenging times. The number of their days you will fulfill. I pray Lord that may honor be part of their lips.  

Be part of what they do, what they do be part of their culture, honoring us as parents so that the days of their lives will be longer fruitful in the name of Jesus.

Help our children and give them wisdom which is the principal thing they need to survive in this drastic changing world.  

May our children be the standard that this world needs to see in the name of Jesus. We put a hedge of protection around them from harm and danger seen or unseen. We put a hedge of protection around our children, nieces, nephews from these spiritual agendas that are being pushed into the next generation.  

We commit as parents to educate them in the things of the Lord, to give them the word of God as the only conduent to transform and renew their minds. If there are any children who are estranged to us Father, we pray for reconciliation.  

If there are any. Things that we have done as parents to cause disputes or to cause rejection Father help us as we ask for forgiveness and help us with your spirits to give wise counsel that will bring an alter to their lives and bring reconciliation.  

We know the family unit is your goal of transporting this Kingdom from one generation to the next. So we pray knowing that God, you are more than able to grant us an answer to this prayer. 

If there are any adopted children. Adopted nieces and nephews. I pray Lord, that may you continue to give us access to their spirit. So that we can speak wise words and counsel to that which he has engrafted in us. Just as much as we were grafted into the Kingdom of God. You do all things well, you don't make mistakes.  

We are always in the right space and the right time for something to happen. So we know it's not a mistake that we know the children that we know by proxy. So every adopted niece, every adopted nephew, every adopted child.  

We know they are now part of our lives. So we dedicate them back to you too. We thank you Lord, for all the children that have access to us. That just finds some way or somehow to trust us. We pray Lord that may we utilize those opportunities to bring the word of God to them.  

So that salvation can be their portion too. We eradicate diseases in any one of our children. That no weapon formed against them will prosper. That they are more than conquerors. Because of your great love that greater is the Lord that is in them. 

And we decree as parents that they would do all things through Christ who strengthens them. So let salvation break out in every single one of our children nieces, nephews, grandchildren. Do something miraculous for us. 

And Father, I'm praying that a season is coming, where all of our children's nieces and nephews will join us in Bible study, will join us in serving you ignite amongst all of our children, a passion for Christ for we know this world has nothing to offer. So Lord today we rededicate our children back to you.  

We give them back to you and we now ask the counselor of the Holy Spirit to help us and give us wisdom and words to speak, to encourage, to inspire, to motivate, to challenge, to chastise, to correct, to rebuke.  

So their lives can be richer, greater than ours. We pray for every gift and every talent. May it be protected, we are taken advantage of or abused. Protect them when they go to school, when they encounter others.  

We might not be of this faith. We pray for Godly friends, Godly friends. And may you give them influential power to bring others to Christ in the name of Jesus. So, Father, we thank you for hearing us.  

Beautiful Lord wonderful savior. I know for sure all of our days are held in your hands. Crafted into your perfect plan. You have gently called us into your presence, guiding us by your Holy Spirit. Teach us, continue to teach us, dear Lord, to live all of our lives through your eyes.  

We've been captured by your holy calling. You've set us apart. I know you continue drawing us close to you. Lead us in all things, right and in all things true. Take us, mold us shape us, use us, fill us up.  

We give our lives and we give our children's lives to the Porter's hand. Continue to guide us, to lead us, walk beside us, counsel us as we dedicate our children back to you. And as we give you access to our lives and to theirs, bless grandchildren bless nieces and nephews as far off as Zimbabwe.  

Help them Lord in their journey and in their quest to be great. Pray for opportunities, doors to open. And I pray Lord also, if there are any we have indulged in things they should not be indulged.  

We ask for forgiveness on their behalf exonerate them from the jaws of the enemy. And we thank you for hearing our prayer. So Father, we thank you for dying on the cross today as we commemorate you. We thank you, Lord, for giving us wisdom to run after you.  

Now help us to be like Joseph, to search and to prepare for the coming of the Kingdom of God. Give us strength to continue doing the work you have placed us to do. And we ask all this in the name of our Father and in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen and Amen. 

Brothers and sisters remember let’s be like Joseph. Throughout the day continue to pray for her children. If we missed any by name, please text me, 617-833-2611. We don't want anybody left. We do not want any of our children left out.  

If you remember somebody, niece or a nephew, text me, we'll pray for them. We'll do this. I'll do this with you over the phone. Because this is important. May we enjoy this day Good Friday, the day that the Lord died for you and I.  

And another announcement before we go, Sunday we're not going to have Bible study, I’m gonna give everybody an opportunity to enjoy Easter with family. If you can, during Easter lunch dinner make sure we are taking communion.  

So we are one with Christ before your meal as you share with family, pray for one another, encourage one another, strengthen one another. May the Lord bless all of us and let’s all have been incredible phenomena weakened in the Lord.