July 7, 2025

Tragedy in Texas

There are no words to describe the tragedy that took place in Texas due to the unimaginable flooding that occurred on Friday. As of Sunday afternoon [7/6/2025], 59 people had died in the Kerrville, Texas area, 70 statewide; 27 are still missing. Eight hundred fifty (850) were rescued. The Guadalupe River rose an unbelievable 26 feet in 45 minutes. The equivalent of four months’ worth of rain fell in just four hours. It happened in the middle of the night; people in cabins, homes, and RVs woke up with water already swirling around them. Many of them were children attending summer camps. 

We must pray for the precious people in this Texas region. Governor Abbott declared Sunday, [7/6/2025] a Day of Prayer in the state of Texas. There have been stories of miraculous survival, some surviving after being swept 15 miles or more downstream. Though the possibilities are slim, there may still be some waiting to be rescued, and we should pray for this. And of course, we pray for the grieving families who have lost loved ones. I am praying for them to find comfort in the loving arms of the Lord, spoken of in Romans 8:

“Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not back-stabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture.... None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing - nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable - absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” (Romans 8:35-39 The Message)

My father, Dean Sheets, now in heaven, wrote a beautiful devotion several years ago on the importance of helping and serving one another. It was titled, simply, “Others.” 

“Years ago, the Salvation Army was holding an international convention, and its founder, General William Booth, could not attend because of a physical weakness. Instead, he cabled his convention message to those in attendance. It was simply one word: “Others.”

“The Master has sent you into His vineyard. There is the ministry of intercession for Christian workers. There is the ministry of comfort to sad hearts within your own circle. ‘Bear ye one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). “Lift up the hands which hang down” (Hebrews 12:12). Begin today! Too many are waiting for the ‘big ministry’ to come along, yet someone needs you right now.

“Dr. Leonard Cammer, who specialized in treating depressed people, once said, ‘The human being is the only species that cannot survive alone. The human being needs another human being—otherwise he’s dead! A telephone call to a depressed person can save a life. An occasional word, a ten-minute visit, can be more effective than twenty-four hours of nursing care. You can buy nursing care. You cannot buy love.’

“Paul told us to ‘Bear one another’s burdens’ (Galatians 6:2), not ‘BARE’ them. Never put a finger on someone’s faults unless it’s part of a helping hand.

“We need one another so much! The words ‘one accord’ are mentioned eleven times in the Book of Acts. Remember that's the story of how Christians together ‘turned the world upside down’ for Jesus (Acts 17:6).

“Together we can do so much. ‘A threefold cord is not quickly broken’ (Ecclesiastes 4:12). One cord, made up of three strands, is a hundred times stronger than just one strand.”(1)

Let’s join our hearts and prayers with the people of Texas!

Prayer Against Terrorism Attacks

On an encouraging note, as of Sunday evening, there were no reports of terrorist attacks in our nation over the holiday weekend. I thank you all for praying. We take the warnings and alerts we receive very seriously, both from authorities and prophetic intercessors. 

It seems that violence in general was also down. New York City recorded zero shootings and zero murders across all five boroughs on Independence Day, marking the first time in recorded history this peaceful milestone has been achieved, according to NYPD officials, including Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Who knows if perhaps our prayers were part of the reason for the lack of violence. Again, thank you for praying, thanks to our authorities for working to protect us, and thank the Lord for His protection against terrorism. 

Pray with me:

Father, we thank You for the lack of violence over the Fourth of July weekend. We also thank You for those tasked with the responsibility of protecting our nation. Please give them supernatural help as they ongoingly endeavor to accomplish that responsibility.

Our hearts are hurting with the people of Texas, who have experienced such a devastating catastrophe. We pray for those who have lost family members, asking You to comfort their hearts. Strengthen them, give them grace, and let them feel Your love, even during this time of grief. Help them not to become bitter in their pain. If there are any survivors at this point waiting to be found, please facilitate their rescue. Please bring appropriate help to the children who survived but have experienced such incredible trauma, so that they are not scarred throughout their lives. Help the communities rebuild and recover. 

Use this difficult time to bring people together, as we join ourselves to others who are feeling such pain. You are a very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). And Father, this is a good time to include our entire nation. Please heal the wounds of division and strife in America. Help us tear down walls of hatred and racism, and heal us from the wounds that our division has caused.

All of this, we pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

Our decree:

We declare the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit over the state of Texas.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

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1. Dean Sheets & Dutch Sheets, The Gold That Washed Ashore (Franklin, TN: Scribe Book Company), Day 17. The book is now out of print.