“The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God’s standing challenge, ‘Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.” — J. Hudson Taylor
Prayers for the week…
- As neighbors and citizens: Pray for Christian teens who are on church-sponsored mission trips this summer. Many of you can recount how such a trip was the means God used to prompt you to make a stronger level of commitment and sacrifice for God. Therefore, pray for this same work to take place in the lives of others.
- Pray for pro-life ministries around the world. Specifically, pray for ministries which encourage and enable Christians to adopt children or to take children into their homes from foster care.
- Pray for the Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) ministry taking place at Pennsylvania State University — led by Alex Watlington:
Alex is originally from Lookout Mountain, Ga., and grew up in the Chattanooga area where he attended The McCallie School for boys. Alex spent two years as
an intern with RUF at Mercer University in Macon, Ga. He then attended Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pa., where he received an M.Div. Alex has been married to his wife Becki for seven years now, and they have three little boys: Whit, Miles and William Monroe.
- 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 Bhutan, which ranks No. 28 on the watchlist.
Despite its transition from absolute to constitutional monarchy, Buddhism continues to play a dominant role in Bhutan. The constitution promotes religious tolerance, but parliament is still considering an amendment to the penal code aimed at prohibiting “conversion by coercion or inducement.” Christians can generally meet in private homes without government interference, but the authorities restrict the construction of non-Buddhist places of
worship and the celebration of some non-Buddhist festivals. Although reports of Christians being arrested or physically harmed are decreasing, believers still face persecution and harassment.
Pray:
The media portrays Christians negatively. Pray for positive change in society’s attitude to Christianity
The church lacks trained leaders. Pray for training opportunities for pastors and church workers
That the transition to a more democratic rule would bring genuine change for religious minorities.
- P
rayer for the nation – focusing this week on the state of Montana.
- 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 Presbyterians. 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 Lakes and Prairies: Central Nebraska, Dakota, Des Moines, East Iowa, Homestead, John Knox, Milwaukee, Minnesota Valleys, Missouri River Valley, North Central Iowa, Northern Plains, Northern Waters, Prospect Hill, South Dakota, Twin Cities, and Winnebago.
- Prayers for Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC): Southeast Presbytery (Jerry Clothier, stated clerk).
- Prayers for the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA): the churches of the Wisconsin Presbytery.
- Prayers for ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.
- Prayers for The Fellowship of Presbyterians.