Pray Network Forum

Sin (10)

PTAP: Movement of repentace.

Posted by Merton J. Hershberger on October 7, 2019 at 10:40
 
Ask that the Father would stir up repentant hearts among those in the Arabian Peninsula.  Pray that He would give them eyes to see their sin, a true sorrow about it, and hearts that are humble before Him.  Pray that they would turn to Him in repentance.
Pray that those in the Arabian Peninsula would know that despite their shortfalls, repentant hearts can lead to eternal security.  Pray that they would come to know the Gospel and claim Jesus as their Savior, their acceptance, and their freedom.
Pray for opportunities for believers to have conversation with nationals in the Arabian Gulf about the difference between worldly sorrow and Godly sorrow.  Ask for opportunities to discuss what repentance means, what it produces, why it is important, what it doesn't mean, and how Jesus plays a role in it.
Pray on behalf of the nations of the Arabian Peninsula.  As a believer, stand in the gap for this nation who does not know the one true God and repent of its twisted ways.  Repent for the sins of this nation and intercede on their behalf asking God to do a mighty work in this land and in this people.  Pray for His Kingdom to come in the Arabian Peninsula,
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Hajj 2017 - August 31 - September 1

Posted by Merton J. Hershberger on August 29, 2017 at 13:16

In Luke 7, Jesus predicts that his encounter with a sinful woman will become famous throughout the world and throughout history. This woman washed His feet with an abundance of tears, anointed Him with embalming perfume, and wiped His feet with her long hair. Jesus says in response: "Your sins are forgiven." Today, that same desire, the desire for forgiveness of sins, is found on many blog sites, where Muslim women are asking if the Hajj wi...ll cleanse them not only of small common sins, but also of big serious sins. They are told that their desire will be granted by the Hajj, which "if performed properly and sincerely for Allah, removes all sins."

Muslims go on the Hajj because it is one of the five pillars of Islam. The Hajj is the pinnacle of life for Muslims around the world. They are commanded to perform the Hajj at least once in their life if they are able. It begins on the 8th day of the 12th month of Dhul Hijjah in the Islamic calendar. During these days, around two to three million Muslims from all over the world flock to Mecca to perform sacred acts and follow the steps of Muhammad, their prophet. This year, the Hajj will start on August 30th and last for three or more days. Traditionally it was three days.

The main purpose of the Hajj is to receive the forgiveness of sins. Muslims go on the Hajj to be cleansed of sin. In our right minds, we know something is wrong with us. Therefore, we have a desire to be clean and justified. Romans 6:23 states, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 4:7,8 states, "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin."

This is a call for Christians to pray for Muslims as they go on the Hajj.

To prepare yourself spiritually for prayer during this time, please read through Hebrews 9:1-10:19. An informational video about Hajj is also below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01wVFer3oHo

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Hajj 2017 - August 31 - September 1

Posted by Merton J. Hershberger on August 29, 2017 at 13:16

In Luke 7, Jesus predicts that his encounter with a sinful woman will become famous throughout the world and throughout history. This woman washed His feet with an abundance of tears, anointed Him with embalming perfume, and wiped His feet with her long hair. Jesus says in response: "Your sins are forgiven." Today, that same desire, the desire for forgiveness of sins, is found on many blog sites, where Muslim women are asking if the Hajj wi...ll cleanse them not only of small common sins, but also of big serious sins. They are told that their desire will be granted by the Hajj, which "if performed properly and sincerely for Allah, removes all sins."

Muslims go on the Hajj because it is one of the five pillars of Islam. The Hajj is the pinnacle of life for Muslims around the world. They are commanded to perform the Hajj at least once in their life if they are able. It begins on the 8th day of the 12th month of Dhul Hijjah in the Islamic calendar. During these days, around two to three million Muslims from all over the world flock to Mecca to perform sacred acts and follow the steps of Muhammad, their prophet. This year, the Hajj will start on August 30th and last for three or more days. Traditionally it was three days.

The main purpose of the Hajj is to receive the forgiveness of sins. Muslims go on the Hajj to be cleansed of sin. In our right minds, we know something is wrong with us. Therefore, we have a desire to be clean and justified. Romans 6:23 states, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 4:7,8 states, "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin."

This is a call for Christians to pray for Muslims as they go on the Hajj.

To prepare yourself spiritually for prayer during this time, please read through Hebrews 9:1-10:19. An informational video about Hajj is also below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01wVFer3oHo

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Hajj Prayer 2017 - Wuqoof (standing at Arafat)

Posted by Merton J. Hershberger on August 31, 2017 at 8:39
Day 2 - August 31, 2017
Sacred Act 2: Wuqoof (standing at Arafat)
Today is the most important day of the Hajj. Why? Because Muslim scholars say this is the "day the religion of Islam was perfected." The Hajj only becomes valid when the day of Wuqoof is observed. For it is on this day Muslims believe their major and minor sins are forgiven.* If they miss this day, their pilgrimage is pointless. Today, they will invoke Allah for mercy and forgiveness as they stand or sit near Mount Arafat. Muslims believe that as they finish this day they are cleansed of sin,* which also brings freedom from shame. At sunset, a cannon sounds. Pilgrims leave Mount Arafat going to Muzdalifah, where they sleep or stay up all night under the stars.
Key Scriptures to Pray
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)
He [Jesus Christ] commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he [Jesus] is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. (Acts 10:42-43)
Going before the Father
◦Muslim pilgrims long for their major and minor sins to be removed from their lives. John the Baptist's words cry out that Jesus takes away the sins of the world. Pray that Muslims would not feel a cleansed heart, mind and soul until they realize the finished work that Jesus has accomplished on their behalf.
◦God appointed Jesus to be judge of the living and the dead. Everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ receives forgiveness of sins. Pray that the truth of the Lord Jesus' life, death and resurrection would penetrate the hearts of longing Muslims. Pray they will be drawn to the Giver of Life.
◦Pray that as many Muslims seek to stay up all night to pray, they would have dreams and visions of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:17). Ask God for an open heaven and for the people who are genuinely seeking an encounter with God to have one that leads them to the incredible truth found in Jesus.
What does the Bible say?
* The Bible talks about sins being cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Matthew 26:28, Acts 2:38, 1 John 1:7
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PTAP: Pray for Muslims during Laylat al Qadr in Ramadan

Posted by Merton J. Hershberger on July 1, 2016 at 9:30
Laylat al Qadr (Night of Power or the Night of Destiny)
"The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity.  The prophecies they gave you were false and misleading."  - Lamentations 2:14 (NIV)
 
"For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."  - Colossians 1:13-14 (NIV)
 
Christians serving among Muslims suggest we keep these verses in mind as we pray regarding this topic:  Lamentations 2:14 and Colossians 1:13-14
 
Laylat al-Qadr [Night of Power]
"The Night of Power is better than a thousand months" (Surat al-qadr, 3).
 
Muslims believe that God revealed the first verses of the Qur'an during this night and that it is the holiest night of the year. Many will spend the whole night in prayer and devotion in mosques or at home, reading the Qur'an and hoping that their requests will be granted, specifically asking for forgiveness. A hadith promises, "Whosoever offers voluntary prayers during the Night of Power out of belief and expecting from Allah its reward will have his past sins forgiven" (Bukhari and Muslim).
Pray that Muslims will see their own sinfulness and spiritual disillusionment with the promises of Islam.
Pray Muslims will open themselves to true revelations from God.
Pray for opportunities for Christians to share about the forgiveness through Jesus and for Muslims to hear His voice.
 
Laylat al-Qadr is also translated as Night of Destiny. Muslims expect that their prayers during this night will change their destiny for the year. Many devotions are aimed at reaching a higher spiritual state, promising an eternal destiny closer to God. Many are experiencing dreams, visions, and other supernatural incidents.
 
Pray many Muslims will have dreams and visions of Jesus during this night.
Pray that Jesus will reveal His power through signs and miracles.
Pray that Muslims will experience the fullness of God in Jesus.
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SIN THAT CLINGS TO US

Posted by David Young on July 30, 2014 at 23:48

SIN THAT CLINGS TO US

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."
Heb. 12:1 e.s.v.


Jesus taught us to pray that we not be led into, or that we might be led away from temptation. But most, if not all of us, are confronted by the fact that that some sin "clings so closely" that we internalize the temptation. To pray against these sins we need to pray about our attitudes. The cynical word, the rude remark or the angry explosion is preceded by an attitude of resentment or self-pity. I suspect something similar is true about pornography or indulging in lusts or severing relationships or whatever sin you fall into again and again.


I can trust these wicked attitudes as if they were from God. I can also pray for God to transform my thinking, and so my faith. It is not unbelief for me to pray, as I often do, "Father, if you don't change my attitude, I will surely fall into sin." But if I believe the sin will solve the problem or meet a need, I am putting my faith in the sin. Especially if your clinging sin relates to angry words, you are tempted to put your faith in them to bring about righteousness. But the wrath of man never brings about the righteousness of God. (James 1:20) I am aware that Jesus got quite angry on occasion. And I suspect we should be angry about some things. But most anger is selfish and foolish. And if resentment is just beneath my skin, I will trust it before I think about calling on God.


I also need to pray for my bad attitudes to be replaced with good attitudes. I need an attitude of endurance when things are difficult. If a runner in a long distance race dwells on how steep the hill he is on, or on how much better he would feel if he quit, he will be less likely to finish. If a runner thinks of anything but putting one foot in front of the other, he needs to be thinking of the finish line that he will reach if he endures the difficulty which is part of the race.
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Preparation for Revival

Posted by Debbie Przybylski on March 23, 2014 at 15:35

“All the true revivals have been born in prayer. When God’s people become so concerned about the state of religion that they lie on their faces day and night in earnest supplication, the blessing will be sure to fall." E. M. Bounds

 
Many of us pray that God will send a revival among us. We intercede not only for ourselves, but for those around us, asking God to move in powerful ways. But what does revival actually look like and how should we pray?

My husband and I had the wonderful privilege of living in Wales for more than a year. A great revival swept through the land in 1904, making an impact on the nation—and the world—in a short span of time. We had the added blessing of visiting Moriah Chapel, the tiny church building where the Welsh revival broke forth. I was amazed at how insignificant in appearance the building is. Yet the power of God spread around the world from that humble place. Believers in Wales are praying for another mighty revival to touch their land, and we have been inspired to think, study, and pray much for revival since that time.
 
The topic of revival brings great interest to most of us because we long for God to sweep through our country. But we must realize that it is costly, and each of us must be willing to pay the price to prepare for it.

Behind the concept of revival is the Hebrew word chayah, which means “to live.” In Strong’s Concordance, the word is translated “make alive, nourish up, preserve, quicken, recover, repair, restore, save, keep alive and make whole.” Who among us does not desire that the Church be quickened, made whole, preserved and kept alive? We must pray with heartfelt passion for this to happen. And it will. When the Church is revived, she will be stronger and mightier against the powers of darkness. She will be a brighter light in this dark world. She will be victorious and attract the lost.     
 
When revival hit Wales, the whole community was shaken by the power of God. Crowds would go to the prayer meetings at 6:00 A.M. Because the Holy Spirit affected many people, the entire community was soon turned into a praying multitude. Evan Roberts, the young man greatly used in the Welsh Revival, would speak of four tenets or keys to walking in revival. These are helpful as we seek for personal and corporate revival in our own lives: 

  1. The past must be made clear by sin being confessed to God and every wrong to man put right.
  2. Every doubtful thing in the life must be put away.
  3. There must be prompt obedience to the Holy Spirit.
  4. There must be public confession of Christ.

We live in serious times. We need to cry out fervently to God, asking Him to revive His Church worldwide. We need to be in intensive prayer, asking God to move in our cities and nations. Studying the characteristics of revival will help us prepare both personally and corporately for a great move of God in His Church. Understanding the deep need to prepare our own hearts for revival and learning how to cooperate with God as He pours into the earth will keep us from hindering the move of God as it comes. The key phrase of the Welsh revival in 1904 was, "Bend the Church and save the world." 

The Human Characteristics of Revival

  • Spiritual preparation - Unity and prayer are two key elements needed for revival. We must pay this price of spiritual preparation. Revival will not come without a hunger and thirst after God that brings intense prayer. There must be a longing for His glory. We cannot be indifferent or apathetic but must rend our hearts with the cries that are born by the yearnings in God’s heart. Forty days after Jesus ascended to heaven, His followers obediently prepared for spiritual revival: "They all joined together constantly in prayer” (Acts 1:14).

    “Our essential trouble is that we are content with a very superficial and preliminary knowledge of God… we spend our lives in busy activism… The inevitable and constant preliminary to revival has always been a thirst for God, a thirst, a living thirst for a knowledge of the living God and a longing and a burning desire to see Him acting, manifesting Himself and His power, rising and scattering His enemies." Martin Lloyd-Jones

  • Conviction of sin - In true revival, people are seized with an overwhelming conviction of sin. Even the smallest sin seems big. Sin is not taken lightly, and God deals with both the saved and the lost. Revival is intensely personal; God convicts you of personal sin, and your soul is in the agonizing grip of a holy God. There is an encounter with God’s convicting power. "They were cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37).

    “The assembly appeared bowed with an awful conviction of their sin and danger. There was such a breathing of distress and weeping that the preacher was obliged to speak to the people and desire silence that he might be heard. Many of the hearers were seen unconsciously holding themselves up against the pillars and the sides of the pews as though they already felt themselves sliding into the pit.” Wallis

  • God-consciousness - In revival, there is a consciousness of God, an awareness of His holiness and power. On the day of Pentecost, “everyone was filled with awe” (Acts 2:43). People caught up in revival know without a doubt that God is there. They feel a divine magnetism toward His presence. 

    “There was nothing humanly speaking, to account for what happened. Quite suddenly, upon one and another came an overwhelming sense of the reality and awfulness of His Presence and of eternal things. Life, death and eternity seemed suddenly laid bare.” Winkie Pratney

May God prepare each one of us personally to pay the price for revival—the price of fervent prayer and allowing Him  to work deeply in our lives. Let us ask Him to make us conscious of His Presence and learn to abide in Him moment by moment. Pray that He will convict us of even the smallest sin in our life. Press on in prayer and fasting for revival in the nations. A worldwide end-times revival is going to be a glorious thing, but it will be costly.

We lived on a book exhibition ship for years. In some countries, thousands of visitors came on board daily. Long hours of hard work consumed our full attention. Are we ready for the demands of revival? God must prepare us, His Church, personally and corporately for the self-sacrifice that revival entails. May we not draw back but prepare to lay hold of this glorious end-time outpouring of God with all our hearts as the radiant Bride of Christ who is willing to sacrifice all so that people might be saved.
 
“Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you! As when fire sets twigs ablaze and causes water to boil, come down to make your name known to your enemies and cause the nations to quake before you" (Isaiah 64:1-2).

Intercessors Arise News

 
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
International House of Prayer (IHOP) KC Staff
deb@intercessorsarise.org
www.intercessorsarise.org

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THE NEED OF THE HOUR

Posted by David Young on January 23, 2014 at 12:14

What is the need of this hour? What can we do who face the moral, spiritual and intellectual barbarism of the last days? How will we present the gospel to people who have lost all sense of the sacred? How do you argue with people who no longer understand the concept of truth? How do you win those who despise righteousness and hate us who call for repentance? How do we help people hunger for heaven who believe the highest good is immediate gratification?

 

The only solution to the crises we face in these days is to trust in a supernatural God, a God who does the impossible in response to our prayers, a God who uses the weak to do incredible things in impossible situations, a God who parts seas of unbelief, a God who delivers the oppressed from the addiction of sin, a God who raises the spiritually dead to walk in new life.

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Whose Time Is It Anyway?

Posted by Rob Griepentrog on December 9, 2013 at 23:00

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. - Genesis 1:1-5, 14-19
God created time to help bring order to our lives.  Day and night was established to mark sacred times, and days and years (v. 14).  Do you ever marvel at God's desire for order and structure instead of chaos?  Time brings order to our lives and exists to help us align our hearts, minds, tasks, and all things before God.


Time was Created for Man
God exists both within and outside of time- all at the same time.  This can be difficult to ponder.  For God to create time, He had to already be existing outside of time.  Once he created time, He was both within and outside of time- as God does not abandon His creation or works. 

As created beings made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), God ordained that we live, work, and worship within a structure called, "time."  When God created time, He saw it was good (Gen. 1:19).  His whole work of creation was completed in 7 days.  Have you ever considered that days did not exist prior to creation?  Even the existence of days point us toward God and many of His perfect attributes!  What a perfectly wise God we serve and worship!


The Fall of Man

Those familiar with the creation account in the beginning of Genesis are aware that by chapter 3, Adam and Eve fell into sin.  Sin brought a curse that affected all of creation, including man and time (Gen. 3:17-19).  Since then, all of creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8:22) 


Taking a Good Thing too Far
 Often in our fallen, sinful, world, time can seem to become a burdensome yoke or restrictive slave master.  This was not God's original design.  While time exists to help bring order to our lives, we can easily take orderliness too far- to a point where it can dominate our thoughts, actions, and attention.  When this happens, our relationship with God is the first to suffer.

Sin has warped how we see and utilize time in our daily lives.   It has caused activities, others-focused priorities, and self to usurp God's #1 place in our moment-to-moment lives.

Sadly, in our culture, doing things (whether to please God or self) often take priority over the abiding, deepening, relationship that God desires to have with us on a moment-by-moment basis.  When this happens, time can easily become an idol.  Activities on to-do lists are exalted before time with God, and our flesh becomes the driver of our lives instead of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.  When this happens, and happens with increasing frequency, our awe and wonder of God, His power, perfections, and other attributes, are dimmed- often to a point where God may seem distant or even irrelevant.  Time, and the act of filling our time to accomplish things, replaces a deepening relationship with the Holy, Perfect, Sovereign, Mighty God of all.

When Attention to Time Overpowers the Holy Spirit
Have you ever been in a time of corporate prayer or worship (where two or more are gathered in prayer) that ended seemingly before the Holy Spirit had finished the work He was doing in that time?  Maybe somebody began repeatedly interjecting the word, "Amen" into the prayer meeting in hopes it would end so they could leave for their next activity.  Maybe the meeting was forced to end because the prayer leader had somewhere else they felt they or others needed to be at that time.  Or maybe the Holy Spirit was halted early in doing a ministering work because there was another church service to follow (and it was expected to begin on time).  Maybe a service was on the verge of becoming too long compared to how some attendees were conditioned to stay.  The Holy Spirit was chased away due to somebody's set time schedule.  Sadly, these kind of things happen more than we'd care to admit. 

The Holy Spirit does not often perfectly fit into our schedules, our set-aside times with Him, or the clock on the wall.  What if He desires to minister to or through you beyond, or outside, of your scheduled quiet time?  Will you let Him, or will you permit your other priorities to quench Him?


Some Pertinent Reminders:
God is sovereign (He can freely choose to do whatever He pleases whenever it pleases Him to do so). 


God is our King.  He engages us as He pleases.  Who are we to dictate to Him when He should meet with us?

God is not restricted by time.

His ways are above our ways!

He sees the past, present, and future all at the same time. 

He knows how He will resolve the meeting, service, or appointment that He'll make you late for- if you stay with Him until He's finished meeting with you.  He also knows how He'll glorify Himself to or through you if you'll let Him complete what He desires to do in that moment.  Will you trust Him to do so and permit Him to complete the deeper work in you He desires to do? 

He knows how He will adjust your circumstances (in ways only He can) so that you'll completely receive what He desires you to hear or experience when you're deeply in prayer, meditation, relationship, or worship with Him.  Will you stay with Him long enough to permit Him to do so?

God is a Perfect Gentleman.  Because He is, so is Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  He will not force us to be in communion, meditation, or worship beyond whatever else or whom we prioritize before Him.  He allows us to choose others before Him- but at our own loss.

The Spirit always ministers in the present moment.  He can not be delayed, DVR'ed, or Tivoed (recorded, and then watched/listened to at a different time)! 

The Holy Spirit can be quenched (doused, chased away, grieved).  Through disobedience, prioritization of others or other things before God, the Spirit can be quenched or grieved. 

We can miss much, if not all, of what the Spirit may desire to teach or do.  This can happen by boxing God into specified appointed times in our schedules.  If we're inflexible with aligning our schedules with God's, we miss out on God's best for us in that moment and afterward.

Liberty Within Prayer
During corporate prayer and worship (where two or more are together doing so), it could be made known to all in advance that all in attendance have liberty to come and go as they please.  This permits the Holy Spirit to continue His work within that time until He's finished with those He's ministering to or through- should they choose to wait for Him.

He extends liberty to us in each moment- to choose whether we'll invite or ask Him to fill, use us, or show us anything we're missing in that moment.  As a Perfect Gentleman, He always leaves the decision up to us.  That's liberty (for better or worse)!

When the Lord has completed showing, teaching, or doing what He desires, He'll release you to your next assignment, activity, etc.  He is trustworthy!

Keeping the First Thing the First Thing
Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."

We belong to God.  We are created to be in constant relationship with Him.  He desires our attention, affection, worship, joy, meditation, lives, hearts, minds; all of us, always to be centered upon and within Him.  Time belongs to God.  The clock gives structure to our days and nights, but He should always rule over time- the time He's given us to live, serve, love, and worship.

Aligning ourselves with God will help us see Him more completely, and catch the greater depths of relationship He desires to have with us.  This is sometimes referred to as redeeming the time.

Let's redeem the time well and yield to the Holy Spirit in His timing!

Lord, you are my all-in-all.  Everything I have and am is Yours.  The time you've given me this day belongs solely to You.  Thank you for giving me this day and night ahead.  I desire to utilize the time you've given me in fellowship with You- even while I work, serve, and do all things as unto You.  Have Your way in me and through me.  Help me to realize things I hold on too tightly to, and grasp You more fully in my heart, mind, life, and soul.  Be glorified and magnified in this day.  Teach me Your ways and show me greater depths of Your heart for me and others.  You are the One I seek.  I worship You.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Are We Praying For The Symptoms or the Source?

Posted by Gary Sinclair on April 24, 2013 at 12:02

repent-before-its-too-late_thumb.jpg

It's interesting and encouraging that many of our churches are waking up to the fact that even Christ followers in our ranks are still sinning big time. For years studies by Barna and others have been telling us that church people aren't at least statistically that different morally from those not in the church.

But unfortunately the truth is being realized and we're having to admit the studies were right. Christians struggle with porn, kids who sext with each other, get divorced, have affairs and cheat on their taxes just to name a few things.  It's not that God isn't at work, lives aren't being changed or that there aren't some really miraculous things taking place but we're still a mess.

So naturally and thankfully many churches are being called to pray for their church, city and country, that God would do a great work and change people.  The problem is that too often we are only praying for the symptoms not the real problem.

We pray that our people would quit having affairs and getting divorced. We pray that our young people would reject the habits of their friends online and not send dirty pictures to one another. We pray for people to come to our churches and lay aside their distractions. And we should want those things and more.

But if that is all we pray for we've missed the boat.  We'll be like the surgeon who removed the cancerous spots on the patient's skin but didn't consider the tumor or disease elsewhere in the body. There is a deeper root.

Jeremiah 2:13 is probably familiar to most of us but it is a key passage for understanding the underlying issues.  My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

We must pray people to go back to God (Jesus) for their water, for what really gives them life and meaning and purpose.  We must help them see the broken cisterns in their life that culture and our selfishness have drawn us to for our worth, satisfaction and fulfillment.

We have started to worship our kids and their needs so we let them get away with too much, quit parenting and look the other way. We worship comfort and happiness so we spend much of our time earning more, getting more and storing up more, too exhausted to consider doing anything for God.

And when our spouse feels the same way we have no time for them and them for us. But someone out there will have time when we're most vulnerable and we need to dull our pain.

We must pray for Christians, starting with us, to re-visit our first love, Jesus. Ask God to help us put Him first and to lay aside our leaky buckets, to exchange again our idols for the glory and pleasure of God. We must not dress the wound of the people as though it were not serious. (Jeremiah 6:14)  We must pray for people to tell it like it is and not settle for superficial change. 

And if we do, then God will truly heal us, our churches, our communities and our land. Change will be real and lasting. Why would we want anything less?

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