Prayers for Week 9 (beginning 2.25.08)

This is the promise given in Romans 10:13:
For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

The passage goes on to say in Romans 10:14,15:
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"

Then in Romans 10:17 we read:
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Often when we think of taking the gospel to the lost, we think of doing so outside our nation's borders. We picture taking mission trips, translating the Bible into foreign languages, and planting churches in remote villages. Before I gave my life to Christ I knew of God and I knew of Jesus, but I didn't know the truth of the gospel. My guess is that many Americans are the same. So this week may our mission field be our neighborhoods, may we share God's Word in the language of love, and may God use us to plant seeds in the lives of our countrymen.

INTERCESSIONS:

- that this week the gospel of Jesus Christ will saturate our country and shine on unbelievers (specifically you may pray for Scripturally based messages in print, on radio & TV, church services, outreach ministries, etc) (whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 2 Cor 4:4)

- that this week God will open doors for you to share the gospel and that you will be obedient to do so (...and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 1 Peter 3:15)

- that this week those who HEAR the gospel will BELIEVE & RECEIVE the gospel (But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name... John 1:12)

Prayer for Week 8 (beginning 2.18.08)

During election time it can be easy to be glued to the news...to coverage of the candidates, the debates, the speeches. But during this vital time for our nation Christians need not be completely focused on Clinton or McCain, Obama or Huckabee, but on God.

REMEMBER OUR GOD
- that no authority will be given to any leader except by God's will (Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. Dan 2:20-21)
- that our sovereign God is working out His perfect plan (Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10)


REMEMBER OUR RESPONSIBILITY
- that Christians are called by God to pray for ALL men (Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 1 Tim 2:1-2)
- that Christians are called by God to be responsible citizens (Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men--as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 1 Peter 2:13-16)
- that Christians are called by God to acknowledge His sovereignty (Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. Romans 13:1-2)


INTERCESSIONS: That the current and future leaders of our nation will
- genuinely seek God (The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. Psalm 10:4)

- be guided by God's truth (If a ruler pays attention to lies, All his servants become wicked. Proverbs 29:12)

- walk in righteousness (Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14:34)


"We need to stand up for what is right and what is righteous, and God will use us as a means to achieving His purposes...the purposes God knows. And He's determined the end, but we're instruments to that end." - John MacArthur

REMEMBER TO VOTE!

Prayer for Week 7 (beginning 2.11.08)

"How little people know who think that holiness is dull. When one meets the real thing . . . it is irresistible. If even ten percent of the world's population had it, would not the whole world be converted and happy before a year's end?" –C.S. Lewis

In Isaiah 45:22 God says, "Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other!" As children of God we have the promise that His Spirit dwells in us (Cor 3:16) so, when people look at you, do they see God? Not just when you are at church...or when all is going well in your life...but at any moment of any day, do you look like God? Would an encounter with you cause an unbeliever to know more about the character of God?

God's plan for His church is shown in Ephesians 5:27: "that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." Unfortunately a Church "without blemish" is not what the world is currently seeing. Divorce, pornography, and addiction seem to be as prevalent among Christians as in the world...as do gossip, bitterness, unforgiveness, envy, pride, lying, and lack of self-control.

In the quote above C.S. Lewis states concerning holiness that "When one meets the real thing...it is irresistable." The "real thing" is God Himself (No One is holy like the Lord...1 Sam 2:2). And His children are to look like their Father: "but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15,16

God has called us to holiness that we might glorify Him and be light to a dark world (Matt 5:14), but He knows we cannot do it on our own. He has given us His Spirit (Acts 1:8) to guide, to convict, and to teach us. If God so graciously indwells us with this Helper, our response should be one of humble surrender...that He might sanctify us unto holiness and, through our lives, lead others to "look to" Him and be saved!

INTERCESSIONS:

- that this week, by submitting to the Spirit, you would be directed in the way of godliness (I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Eze 26:27)

- that this week you would not grieve the Holy Spirit by choosing sinfulness over holiness (And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Eph 4:30)

- that this week you will die to self so others can see Christ in you (I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Gal 2:20)

- that this week the fruit of the Spirit would be evident in your life, a reflection of God's character to those who do not know Him (But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Gal 5:22, 23)

This week may we glorify our God by being like our God: holy and without blemish. And may God use our lives in His salvation of our nation.

Prayer for Week 6 (beginning 2.4.08)

I was recently checking out some websites and found the following statements, which I left unedited:

"i hate christianity, and all the ignorant followers"

"I have a low tolerance for scripture. Zero, in fact."

"I've had enough with Christianity. I've had enough with God."

"i am so sick of religion! the chuirches make it seem like u haved to be all good and read ur bible every day and stuff!!personally i doesnt matter if u go to church!as long as u have a relationship with God u r fine!screw religion!freedom and God is so much better"

"Christian music must be stoped so our children dont have to share our tiny blue planet with a bunch of bible thumping neo-nazi quasi-hippies "praiseing his name" every 4 seconds."

"And as a consumer whore, I have to say that I haven't been given a reason to love Jesus. He's got stiff competition for my spiritual self from people like Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman - at least their literature is readable. Without some winning slogans, a corporate logo and some busty bikini-clad women, Jesus isn't converting me any time soon."


My guess is that you are not surprised. And you shouldn't be. In John 15:18 Jesus said, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you." Take a moment to think about Jesus...His gentleness...His long suffering...His compassion...His peace...His forgiveness...His strength. Can you imagine NOT knowing Him? Not knowing those things about Him...and what they mean to your life? So many people, like the writers above, do not KNOW the One who loves them beyond measure. They do not KNOW the One they hate.


INTERCESSIONS:
- that God will show His abundant mercy to those who hate Him and persecute His children; that by His gracious salvation they will be reconciled to Him, and that their lives will glorify Him. (For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. Gal 1:13 AND But they were hearing only, "He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy." And they glorified God in me. Gal 1:23, 24)

- that the people who wrote the above statements will come to KNOW Christ as their Lord and Savior THIS WEEK (And these things [persecution] they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. John 16:3)

- that Christians will respond in love, compassion and prayer to those who hate them (But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you... Matt 5:44)


BE ENCOURAGED! At church today I watched as many people made the decision to give their lives to Christ...and I was reminded that God is hearing our prayers for our nation!