“There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locally that begin in united prayer.”
–A. T. Pierson
- 1-Minute Devotional thought:
(Luke 11:1-13) What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Pastor Kent Hughes writes:
We, sinful shortcomings and all, go to great lengths to give good gifts to our children. We modern (folks) work extra hours and scrimp and save so we can give nice gifts to our children at birthdays and holidays. How much more is this true of our perfect Father in heaven! He has never given any of His children anything but the best. ‘He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?’ (Romans 8:32). He has given us so much, including the magnificent gift of his Holy Spirit.
So, as we pray, let us remember the goodness of the Father to give grace to His children.
- As citizens of the City of Man: Pray for President Obama to grant asylum to the German family who desires to stay in the United States in order to be able to homeschool their children. If they are deported back to Germany, they will not have the freedom to do so. Consider signing the petition to the White House to raise the pressure for the U.S. government to grant such asylum.
- Pray for your local pro-life ministries. Pray for the men who are the father of the children in the womb. Pray that they would not speak words of death to the women carrying their child — coercing them into ending the pregnancy. Instead, pray that the men would choose life…and find Jesus Christ too.
- Pray for the Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) ministry taking place among internationals on the campus of Harvard University – led by Jeremy Mullen:
Jeremy Mullen grew up in Virginia Beach, Va., and graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2003 where he studied English Literature. He served for four years as a Naval officer before attending Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is married to Adrienne, whom he met through RUF at Vanderbilt.
- Using the new 2013 “watchlist” produced by Open Doors, we pray for the persecuted Christians of a different country each week.
Teachers/parents, consider this a great way to introduce geography into the weekly lessons. Show students where the nation is, then pray for Christians in that place.
This week we pray for the Christians of Sudan, which ranks No. 12 on the watchlist:
Although Islamic law has not yet been fully implemented, the government and society try to squeeze Christians in all spheres of life, and the level of violence has escalated. Christians face growing threats and persecution from Muslim communities and Islamist government officials, yet the number of believers is rising. The independence of South Sudan means future instability for Sudan, with a huge loss of revenue. Christians are afraid the religious and ethnic cleansing will continue, particularly along the border with South Sudan.
PRAY
- Praise the Lord that the number of Muslim Background Believers in Sudan is rising
- For Christians in the disputed border regions, where churches and schools have been attacked
- Give thanks that Open Doors has been able to offer humanitarian assistance as well as discipleship and outreach training.
- Prayer for the nation – focusing this week on the state of Georgia. With 70 percent of the state’s citizenry reporting “Protestant” affiliation, pray that this state would be full of powerful “sending” churches — who send Gospel-soaked people and resources to areas of the nation and world that need the Good News.
- In 2013, 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, ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbytreians. 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.
- Prayers for the PCUSA: Pray for the presbyteries of the Synod of the Sun: Arkansas, Cimarron, Eastern Oklahoma, Grace, Indian Nations, Mission, New Covenant, Palo Duro, Pines, South Louisiana and Tres Rios.
Prayers for Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC): the West (Marc Huebl, stated clerk).
- Prayers for the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA): the churches of the Warrior Presbytery.
- Prayers for ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.
- Prayers for The Fellowship of Presbyterians.