Prayer Guide for the National Day of Prayer

On By BrianIn Prayer Guides2 Comments

Below is the prayer guide my church is using for the National Day of Prayer this Thursday.  May all of God’s people commit to cry out to God for our country!

Prayer Guide for National Day of Prayer
Thursday, May 1, 2014

Please spend some focused time praying for our nation.
If you are able to, you might consider fasting as well.

Breakfast/Morning – American Leaders/Government
• President Obama and his Cabinet – wisdom, strength, protection
• Congress – wisdom, ability to work together, civility, protection
• Supreme Court/Courts – wisdom, follow truth, protection
• Domestic Policies – social/family, economic, education, health, etc.
• Foreign Policies – Russia/Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Israel, etc.
• Military – Protection/safety, leadership, training, wisdom
• State – Governor, Legislature, Judicial – wisdom

Lunch/Noon – American People/Culture
• Growing recognition of the hollowness of the idols of our age: money, material things, sex, homosexuality, technology, social media, fame, power, alcohol, drugs, entertainment, government
• Growing openness and response to the hope of the gospel
• Many people in our community to come to Christ
• Families – strong marriages, children, finances/work
• Economy – national/state growth, job growth, local businesses
• Education – federal/state policies, curriculum, teachers, safety, local schools, public schools, private schools, home-school freedom
• Entertainment/Media – Christian influence, positive impact

Supper/Evening – American Churches/Revival
• Personal revival leading to church revival leading to another great awakening in our country
• Growing commitment to worship, prayer, discipleship, fellowship
• Growing commitment to evangelism and missions
• Growing love for God, his people, and the lost
• Courageous fidelity to Biblical truth in a culture of compromise
• Wisdom for pastors and other church leaders
• Wisdom for leaders of Christian ministries, schools, missions
• Christians living with Biblical integrity in the workplace, school, neighborhood, and community

 

Ministry Monday

On By BrianIn Ministry Moments

Here are some good posts for pastors:

In Praise of Long Pastorates – H. B. Charles, Jr.
To nurture a Christ-centered, biblically functioning congregation requires teaching and patience. A mushroom can grow in hours. But it takes longer to grow an oak tree. What are you trying to grow?

3 Big Opportunities that Busy Pastors Miss – Eric McKiddie
Nothing that grows organically grows fast. But if it is healthy, it grows strong. Don’t let your busyness shift your focus from “strong” to “fast.” Keep watering, and trust that your ministry is growing at the speed God intends.

Work at Your Prayers – D.A. Carson via Tim Challies
Many facets of Christian discipleship, not least prayer, are rather more effectively passed on by modeling than by formal teaching. Good praying is more easily caught than taught.

Passion Passages

On By BrianIn Uncategorized

The Lord’s Passion For Us

The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him.

But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
on those who fear him.

– Psalm 103:8, 11, 17 (ESV)

 

 

 

Sermon Songs: Isaiah 9

On By BrianIn Isaiah Hymns

A Son is born and he will reign
With wisdom, power, and peace
He died to cleanse my guilty stain
From sin to bring release

Behold our King rose from the tomb
He’s broken death’s strong cord
His zeal and love dispel our gloom
Rejoice, hope in the Lord

– From a sermon on Isaiah 9:1-7
(To the tune of “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing”)

Sermon Songs: Isaiah 8-9

On By BrianIn Isaiah Hymns

Two ways to live – which will you choose?
Flee the rebellious way
Come to the light or you will lose
Believe in Him today

Trust in the Lord through storms of woe
He will your shelter be
Search out His Word, obey, and go
As lights that more might see

– From a sermon on Isaiah 8:11-9:3
(To the tune of “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing”)

Ministry Monday

On By BrianIn Ministry Moments

Here are some helpful posts on waiting in ministry:

When You’re Waiting in the Wilderness – Gavin Ortlund (GC)
Of course, it’d be nice if ministry meant 1 Kings 18 fire-from-heaven power from start to finish! But most of our ministries can likely relate better to the metaphors of 1 Kings 17: hanging on until the ravens come again, trusting the jug and jar won’t run out tomorrow, scraping by until the drought finally ends, wondering why God hasn’t removed corrupt Ahab, and, all the while, waiting, waiting, waiting.

5 Reasons Why God Calls Us To Wait – Paul David Tripp (GC)
In ministry you will be both called to wait and also find waiting personally and corporately difficult. So it is important to recognize that there are lots of good reasons why waiting is not merely inescapable but necessary and helpful.

God’s Will for Your Wait – Paul David Tripp (GC)
In ministry there are often moments when you are propelled by a biblical vision but called by God to wait. Waiting can be discouraging and hard. So what does it look like to wait in a way that makes you a participant in what God is doing rather than someone who struggles against the wait?