“Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, and despise our persons. But they are helpless against our prayers.” Sidlow Baxter (1903-1999).
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Pray for the upcoming elections here in the United States.
The Apostle Paul wrote: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2 ESV).
Let our prayers for all government officials – executive, legislative and judicial branches – be as robust as our political analysis and commentary. We should not leave off doing one in favor of the other – God would have us to do both.
Read the Democratic Party Platform
Read the Republican Party Platform
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Pray for Christian pro-life ministries throughout the world, and specifically this week, prayer for Life Matters Worldwide (formerly Baptists for Life).
Their mission is to “help the Body of Christ articulate the Biblical pro-life message in word and deed.”
Pray for President Thomas Lothamer’s leadership in Life Matters Worldwide.
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Pray for the campus ministry of Reformed University Fellowship. This week pray for the RUF ministry taking place on the campus of Appalachian State University (Boone, North Carolina), led by campus minister Matt Howell.
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Using the “watchlist” produced by opendoorsusa.org, we will pray for persecuted Christians in a specific nation each week. This week, pray for Christians in Chechnya:
All indigenous Christians are Muslim Background Believers, who suffer greatly from government and family oppression. There are very few Chechen Christian group meetings and those have no more than 3-5 members. Local authorities and relatives monitor the activities of Christians and put great pressure on them to return to Islam.
As in other countries, Christian persecution is not only religious but also political, since Christianity is associated with Russia, with whom they had a war. Chechen believers whose faith becomes public are seen as traitors to Islam and society. Christian conversion is a great social disgrace on the family, and sometimes the “guilty” are killed to restore honor.
When someone is discovered to be a Christian, he risks being killed by his own family members. Fellowship with other believers is almost impossible as well as openly confessing one’s faith.
The Church endures much hardship. People who have become known as Christians have received serious death threats and have had to leave the country. The general religious climate in Chechnya has always been Islamic, and the influence of Islam is growing. The only thing that contains the islamization of the country is its political dependence upon Russia, but the risk for a new independent uprising is still present. Chechnya remains one of the most difficult places for Christians in Russia. Source: Page 27 of (PDF)
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We will also pray for Christians across America by lifting them up by state. Additionally, we will pray each week for our fellow Presbyterians. So, in 2012, we will pray together by name for Christians in 50 nations, Christians in all 50 states and all the presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and the emerging new Reformed body, The Fellowship of Presbyterians (these will be added as they are formed). You are encouraged to add specific pastors, lay leaders, congregations, missionaries, new church developments and other ministries to the list by posting a comment to the blog. (Please do not publicly post the names of missionaries serving in contexts where exposing their identity would cause them harm or bring harm to those they serve in Christ’s name.) Let us kneel before the Father and ask His will be done.
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Let us pray …
Prayer for persecuted Christians in Chechnya (see above).
Prayer for the nation – focusing on the state of Tennessee. Without a doubt, Tennessee forms part of the proverbial “Bible Belt” within the United States – 82 percent of the population claims some form of Christian belief or practice. There are pros and cons to such a situation and one of the negative aspects is that many people will assume the Gospel of Jesus as being part of their life on account of cultural Christianity, without actually being in union with Jesus Christ. Therefore, pray for churches and pastors to boldly proclaim the Biblical doctrines of “sola fide” and “solus Christus” – justification by faith alone in Christ alone – so that people will turn to Christ alone for salvation, not trusting in religious activity for their salvation.
Prayers for the PCUSA: Last week, we began to pray for the presbyteries of the Synod of the Sun. Rounding out the list: New Covenant, Palo Duro, Pines, South Louisiana and Tres Rios.
Prayers for Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC): the Rivers and Lakes Presbytery (Carolyn Nystrom – stated clerk). And, if you haven’t dipped your toes into one of the many volumes penned by Nystrom, check out the titles of this prolific author.
Prayers for the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA): the churches of the Philadelphia Presbytery.
Prayers for The Fellowship of Presbyterians.
Pray also this week for the ecumenical summit meeting in Dallas. PLC President Carmen Fowler LaBerge is gathering with leaders from the newest branches of each of the former mainline denominations as together they seek to discern how they might work together to impact the culture for Jesus Christ and mutually support one another along the way.