Pray Network Forum

Earlier today I was talking with someone who was ordering copies of Seek God for the City 2014 for eight churches of her community. She asked me how it was that I came to write and publish these prayers. “Could I tell that story and put the video online?” she asked.
 
My reply was “Yes. I think that might be a cool idea. We can do that.” (So watch for that among the resources on our website). But I went on to tell her that the reason people find the prayers compelling is not because of how God led me and many others to pray for communities up and down the west coast of California. Although that’s an interesting story, it’s not why people find the prayers helpful.
 
I think that the reason these prayers are compelling is that in the midst of the dismay and mind-numbing darkness of our day, God’s Spirit continues to breathe a living idea of hope into our hearts: God will do great things. And that’s why it’s so critically important to pray great things. Yes, we need to pray for some specific needs and urgent requests. But what makes sense to those who love Christ and His appearing is that we should do more than merely seek God’s providing and protecting hand. We have got to seek His face. We yearn to seek the glory His kingdom.
 
This year’s Seek God for the City is designed around these very things. The first 11 days focus on seeking God’s face. The next 29 days guide us to seek His kingdom in our communities. They are prayers of substance, expressing the irrepressible hope that God will outdo Himself to bring light in the midst of the growing darkness of our day.
 
Allow me to remind you to order copies for yourself and others in your church or city. Many have already downloaded the companion app that is designed to heighten the value of the booklet with a few extra features. The app makes it possible for many to keep praying in the midst of hectic schedules. I find it tremendously encouraging to know that I am seeking God along with many thousands of others in these great days.
 
Gladly for His glory,
 
Steve Hawthorne
Director, WayMakers
 
PS: It all starts in one month from today on March 5. The forty days end on Palm Sunday, April 13. Contact our team today at 512.419.7729 to order copies or order online at www.waymakers.org. We still have some copies in Spanish available.

Praying with purpose is simply praying for God to fulfill what He has already begun. Seek God for the City 2014 stirs up this kind of purposeful, “fulfill-it” prayers. Since God’s work is always a story, our best praying will be part of an ongoing story. Instead of using prayer as a “quick-fix” procedure that will supposedly get results if performed correctly, our prayers become a way of collaborating with God.

We’re not pushing to get God started. He’s already doing great things; and He has promised to do even better things. Instead of holding off the worst, our praying can ask for God to bring on the best. God is the one who is orchestrating the united prayer of which we are a part. He’s the one stimulating us to pray as never before.
 
God doesn’t need our prayers, but He wants us to experience the joy of working with Him in bringing new life to many others. And the joy is even greater when we find that we have labored with many others for the fulfillment of God’s longstanding promises. As you stretch your prayers longer and larger, you will do an even better job of praying for everyday needs of others. You’ll be praying in hope.
 
For even more details check out our site at www.waymakers.org or call us at 800.264-5214.
 
There is still a bit more time for leaders in recognized positions of pastoral or prayer leadership to call for a complimentary review copy. Please call our office at 512.419.7729 to request a review booklet.
 
All for His glory,
 
Barb Hawthorne and Stephanie Tucker
 
PS We want to encourage you to place a value on the Seek God for the City booklet if you are distributing them to your congregation. After almost 20 years of providing this resource, we have found that when people personally invest in the prayer guide, they tend to value it more and be more faithful in their praying. And as an additional benefit, churches can easily cover the cost of the books by asking for just a one or two dollar suggested donation.

As we close the 40-day period of Seek God for the City 2013, the team at WayMakers have heard from some of the thousands who used to the prayer guide to pray beyond themselves toward great things God has promised, many of them for the first time. Here are a few examples:

“I love that you can cover the world in prayer in 40 days.”

“It brought us together to pray strategically for our city.”

“Allowed us to focus on needs outside our four walls.”

“It grows your prayer life by giving you a greater vision for the world.”

I've heard from some that are continuing to use Seek God in the months ahead. Someone figured out that this year there are 40 weeks from Palm Sunday to the end of the year. So they are going to be praying one of the 40 prayers during each week for the next 40 weeks.

Another way to continue praying is to get the Seek God for the City app. Use the app to set a weekly reminder for yourself and tap “Today’s Prayer” to let the app pick a random prayer for you. If you have last year’s app, switch between the two for an even greater variety. www.waymakers.org/app

Mark the dates for next year’s Seek God for the City: March 5 to Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014.

I want you to know of two more upcoming opportunities for united prayer.

Global Day of Prayer2013   

The Global Day of Prayer is coming soon, giving your church an opportunity to pray with many others around the world. Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2013, will be the ninth year that the United States will be participating in the Global Day of Prayer (GDOP). The vision is as simple as it is profound: The glory of Christ and the blessing of all nations.

GDOP is more than a one-day event. It begins with ten days of prayer, guided and focused with biblical prayers from Thursday, May 9 to Saturday, May 18. This follows the example of the ten-day prayer gathering in the upper room before the first Pentecost. A team of international leaders has written the 10-Day Prayer Guide designed to help focus the prayers of people all over the world. Download and print or photocopy all the copies you need. www.gdopusa.com/resources/prayer-guide

On May 19, 2013, Christians will gather to pray and repent with sincere hearts and united hopes. Once again we will be gathering locally but praying globally. This year we will see even more of an emphasis on local churches praying the “Prayer for the World” as part of their normal Pentecost Sunday services.

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World 

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World invite you to pray, using a special prayer guide called 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World. This annual prayer guide calls Christians from all over the world to pray for Muslims during Ramadan, July 9 to August 7, 2013. This is a great way to pray with informed wisdom and hope for Muslim neighbors, and Muslims around the world. Never before has the Muslim world needed more prayer. Check out a few sample pages and order this full-color, 56-page guide at www.waymakers.org/pray/30-days. A single copy is $3 with discounts as great as 60%. The booklets will be available the first week of May. Order today.

The Global Day of Prayer is just a month away. This will be the ninth year that the United States will be participating in this sustained prayer movement. GDOP is a call to encounter God in repentance and prayer for the glory of Christ and the blessing of the nations. God is calling us to humble ourselves and to pray so that He will fill our communities, and all the earth, with His glory.

Invite your church to join together on Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2013. “A Prayer for the World” is a powerful prayer that takes about 4-5 minutes to pray together. However, there are endless possibilities of what GDOP may look like. Inspire others by showing the 2-minute video of gatherings large and small from around the world. As nations are praying together across the globe, the USA has the honor of offering the “Amen” to the prayers of so many. www.gdopusa.com/resources/a-prayer-for-the-world

GDOP is more than a one-day event. It begins with ten days of prayer, guided and focused with biblical prayers from Thursday, May 9 to Saturday, May 18. This follows the example of the ten-day prayer gathering in the upper room before the first Pentecost. Download a copy of the prayer guide to share with the leadership at your church. Or pray through it yourself. You may not be praying with “the 120” that were in the upper room on Pentecost, but you will be praying with many others from around the world. www.gdopusa.com/resources/prayer-guide

Never underestimate the impact of a small, well-organized gathering of a few churches, as it can be a great catalyst to propel your community forward in the coming months and years. The Global Day Organizer Guide offers some great ideas. www.gdopusa.com/resources/global-day-organizer-guide

For Christ’s glory,

Stephanie Tucker

Global Day of Prayer USA

As we close the 40-day period of Seek God for the City 2013, the team at WayMakers have heard from some of the thousands who used to the prayer guide to pray beyond themselves toward great things God has promised, many of them for the first time. Here are a few examples:

“I love that you can cover the world in prayer in 40 days.”

“It brought us together to pray strategically for our city.”

“Allowed us to focus on needs outside our four walls.”

“It grows your prayer life by giving you a greater vision for the world.”

I've heard from some that are continuing to use Seek God in the months ahead. Someone figured out that this year there are 40 weeks from Palm Sunday to the end of the year. So they are going to be praying one of the 40 prayers during each week for the next 40 weeks.

Another way to continue praying is to get the Seek God for the City app. Use the app to set a weekly reminder for yourself and tap “Today’s Prayer” to let the app pick a random prayer for you. If you have last year’s app, switch between the two for an even greater variety. www.waymakers.org/app

Mark the dates for next year’s Seek God for the City: March 5 to Palm Sunday, April 13, 2014.

I want you to know of two more upcoming opportunities for united prayer.

Global Day of Prayer 2013

The Global Day of Prayer is coming soon, giving your church an opportunity to pray with many others around the world. Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2013, will be the ninth year that the United States will be participating in the Global Day of Prayer (GDOP). The vision is as simple as it is profound: The glory of Christ and the blessing of all nations.

GDOP is more than a one-day event. It begins with ten days of prayer, guided and focused with biblical prayers from Thursday, May 9 to Saturday, May 18. This follows the example of the ten-day prayer gathering in the upper room before the first Pentecost. A team of international leaders has written the 10-Day Prayer Guide designed to help focus the prayers of people all over the world. Download and print or photocopy all the copies you need. www.gdopusa.com/resources/prayer-guide

On May 19, 2013, Christians will gather to pray and repent with sincere hearts and united hopes. Once again we will be gathering locally but praying globally. This year we will see even more of an emphasis on local churches praying the “Prayer for the World” as part of their normal Pentecost Sunday services.

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World invite you to pray, using a special prayer guide called 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World. This annual prayer guide calls Christians from all over the world to pray for Muslims during Ramadan, July 9 to August 7, 2013. This is a great way to pray with informed wisdom and hope for Muslim neighbors, and Muslims around the world. Never before has the Muslim world needed more prayer. Check out a few sample pages and order this full-color, 56-page guide at www.waymakers.org/pray/30-days. A single copy is $3 with discounts as great as 60%. The booklets will be available the first week of May. Order today.

WayMakers would like to commend this very timely prayer guide called 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World. As you may know, Muslims observe a 30-day period of fasting, prayer and seeking God every year that they call "Ramadan." This is an ideal time to pray for God's purposes of love to be fulfilled in their lives and families. This year Ramadan falls on July 9 to August 7, 2013. An international movement of intercession for the Muslim world has prepared this marvelous prayer guide. Because it is translated in more than 20 languages, there will be Christians from all over the world praying for Muslims.

The turbulence of today’s world may be slowly hardening the hearts of some Christians against the Muslim world. Bible trusting Christians are among those most likely to pray for Muslim neighbors and nations. I urge you to get your personal copy soon. As you look through the guide, think of other friends who you will want to invite to join with you. Order copies for them. Think of involving your church in this special time.

This full-color, illustrated prayer guide is a proven tool to help Christians pray with informed wisdom and hope for Muslim neighbors across the street, and Muslim people around the world. Each day focuses on a specific issue or area of the Islamic world. As you read through it and pray, you’ll gain a better understanding of Muslims and find your hope increase for God’s purpose among all peoples. A special “Just for Kids” edition is also available.

Check out a few sample pages and order this 56-page guide at www.waymakers.org/pray/30-days/#sample-pages. WayMakers has made it easy to order from our website or by phone. The cost begins at $3 for a single copy ($3.50 for kids) with discounts as great as 60% when ordered in quantity. Check out the details online at www.waymakers.org/pray/30-days or call me at 512.419.7729.

From Steve Hawthorne--

In these crazy days I want to urge you to continue praying with full-hearted confidence that God will act in the midst of our communities and families in ways that glorify His Son.

The only way I’ve seen people live and pray in such confidence is when their hope is shaped by God’s word and fixated on the life-giving power of the risen Son of God.

Without the word of God our prayers usually shrink to become what one pastor called, “fix-it” prayers. Too easily we are focused on our needs and we are defined by what we fear. Instead, that same pastor found that having his people pray through Seek God for the City helped them pray what he called, “fulfill-it” prayers, focused on what God has promised to do.

So let’s pray with the Scriptures. Let’s help each other stand and thrive in the truth of the Word of God. Let’s pray what God has promised with a sustained faith.

Seek God for the City 2013 is packed with newly written prayers designed to help ordinary people grow in hope. Look over a review copy and pray two or three of these prayers. Consider how these prayers can encourage people in your church or network of friends.

We still have some review copies for pastors and prayer leaders. Ordering is easy on our website (www.waymakers.org), or call us (800-264-5214) to learn about bulk discounts and how to help people from different congregations pray together in sustainable ways.

Next year’s Seek God for the City came off press last week. That is earlier than ever before. Here’s why: The WayMakers team thought it would be important to have it in the hands of leaders before the election in order to encourage God’s people to be ready to pray together next year with solid biblical hope.

I’m sure you are praying now along with millions of others. The crisis our country faces is heightened by the election. Have you thought about how to encourage united prayer after the political crisis? The early months of 2013 will be a crucial time. Regardless of how the voting turns out, the challenges we face are far greater than any political solution. That’s why we want you to examine Seek God for the City 2013 now. It may be a very worthy and valuable tool coming at an ideal time (February 13 - March 24) for the people you lead.

As in previous years, Seek God for the City is designed to unite and focus prayer through the 40 days leading to Palm Sunday, February 13 through March 24, 2013. Check out the details at www.waymakers.org or call us at 800-264-5214.

We have been able to keep the same affordable prices. Quantity discounts make the 64-page booklet available for as little as $1.20 a copy. That makes it possible to equip many in your church or community for much less than the $3 single copy price.

Please get your review copy soon. I hope you find this tool to be helpful and encouraging for those you lead. But regardless of how Seek God for the City may be used, let’s be sure to pray in united hope in the early days of 2013.

Yours in hope,

Steve Hawthorne, Director
WayMakers

PS We are offering a complimentary review copy to leaders in recognized positions of pastoral or prayer leadership. Call our office at 800-264-5214 to request a review copy.

Dear Fellow Prayer Leader,

Dr. Rick Shepherd, the SBC Director of Prayer and Spiritual Awakening for the state of Florida, is offering resources being used in his state to call Christians to pray for God's honor, for neighbors, and for our nation this fall. The resources include a calendar document with prayer prompts for September 16 - November 10, a leader's notes document, and a sample pastor's letter to a congregation. Rick is offering these for your use in your sphere of influence as you see fit. His contact info is in the content if you have any specific questions for him.

There are many calls to prayer this fall and many tools available, this call to prayer deserves a look.

For God's glory,

Elaine Helms

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2012.PrayerCalendar.56%20Days%20of%20Praying.LEADERs%20NOTES.docx

2012.PrayerCalendar.PASTOR.Letter.August%201.Packet.docx

Praying As a United Community for Our Children, Teachers, Parents and Schools by Linda D. Fegins

Pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children" (Lam. 2:19).

It’s back to school time. There have been back to school rallies. Many ministries have been calling for prayer for the children, teachers, administrators and school staff as they return back to school. The day of September 1, 2010 Messiah Baptist Church Intercessory Prayer Team under the guidance of Kimberly Bracey ( Team Leader Linda Fegins) as well as various ministries such as the Global Prayer Intercessors founded by Minetta Hare, and the Lydia Circle Prayer Team ( Director Linda Fegins) held prayer meetings by conference call, three way telephone calls and at church praying for protection, guidance and wisdom for our school children , youth and college students , parents and staff. There is no doubt that “Moms In Touch International” (MITI) founded by Fern Nichols, a group of mothers around the country who simply desire to affect communities and schools through the power of prayer have been going before the throne of God. A diversified group of mothers of MITI serve as prayer warriors who battle in the spiritual realm for the lives of children and teenagers as they go off to school for at least one hour every week. They are women united with one purpose: a passion to pray for their children.

Through prayer, our lives, our children’s lives, and our world can be changed. Public schools, such as the Detroit Public School system, and other inner-city schools around the nation with all the violence, disorganization, poor administration, and politics on the school boards can be transformed by prayer. Then change will occur by our obedience if God calls us to action. He will show us how to use the power that believers have within through the Holy Spirit to transform our schools. Through united consistent prayer, God will give us the power, wisdom, knowledge, and creativity to solve the many school problems that plague our city schools and school board. Through prayer the right leaders will arise and the community should be able to come together to take productive and strategic action.

Believe that intercessors can change your school district with the weapon of prayer. Believe that positive results will occur such as peace and safety, better test scores, higher graduation rates, and more school funds to meet the needs of our children. Pray that student-led prayer groups will spring forth. Yes, the crisis in our schools is discouraging and is wide spread. But remember that where sin increases, grace increases all the more (see Ro. 5:20).

I know that many intercessors already have prayer assignments from the Lord. But I would challenge the intercessors, parents and teachers to ask Him if He might also want you to "adopt" a public school for your prayer agenda.

Prayer Points for Our Children, Teachers, Parents and Administrators

Finally for what should we pray? We want to pray specifically and effectively on one accord. I have a few suggestions; some are what the Lord has given me and others I have gathered from other prayer warriors and other articles on prayer.

Children and Youth

Pray:

• Daily for the safety of our children and that God will deliver them from evil and thwart every scheme of the enemy.
• Pray that our children will be open to learning new knowledge and that God would give them the wisdom to know how to understand and use that knowledge. We need to pray that our children have the ability to discriminate between good knowledge and bad knowledge. Teach a child to choose the right path, and when he is older he will remain upon it. (Proverbs 22:6)
• Pray that our children will be serious minded and work hard to acquire both secular and spiritual knowledge. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)
• Pray for the hearts of the students to be receptive to the gospel of peace and that God will call many to Himself. (Acts 2:38-40)
• Pray for our sons and daughters to make wise choices and to develop solid friendships with those who are following God. (Psalms 144;12-15)
• Pray for relief of those children who are homeless and need shelter, food and health care. Pray that Christ will restore their home for the future. (Psalms 107:41)
• Ask God to cause your children to be examples for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. (I Timothy 4:12)
• Pray for those students that experience rejection and bullying from other students and teachers. Ask God to provide them with people that love and respect them unconditionally. (John 13:34; Romans 15:7)
• Pray for those students that are struggling academically. Ask God to encourage them and strengthen their minds. Pray that God will give their teachers and parent’s wisdom to know how to best help them learn.
• Pray they will not feel like failures, but will learn discipline. (I Thessalonians 5:14)

Teachers

Pray:

• Pray for our school teachers to have the wisdom needed to effectively impart knowledge to their students. A wise teacher makes learning a joy… (Proverbs 15:2a)
• Pray for our school teachers that God will give them the grace to deal with day-to-day frustrations and problems.
• Pray that our school teachers would exhibit the life of Christ before our children. That they would be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness.
• Pray to the one in charge of the harvesting, and ask him to recruit more effective teachers with integrity for our schools. ( See Matthew 9:38)
• Ask God to rise up Godly educators who are dedicated to their field and can capture the hearts and minds of our nation’s youth on each level of education. (Colossians 1:9-10)
• Pray our educators will pray unceasingly for guidance and wisdom to become the examples to their students. (I Peter 2:21) Pray they will know how to pray for their students.
• Pray that teachers will impart godly wisdom to form godly character in their students. (Luke 6:40)

Parents

Pray:

• Pray for parents that they will love and support their children’s education at school, at home, and at church.
• Pray for family stability and that God’s principles for the family will be honored and promoted in our schools. (Genesis 28:14)
• Pray “Lord, without your help we are helpless, so as parents, be our guide as to how we can best communicate and encourage our teachers and how we can train our children.”

Administrators

Pray:

• Pray for the standard of excellence to be restored in our educational institutes and that our educators will pass on that spirit of excellence, requiring excellence, rather than sloth and ignorance. (Ecclesiastes 2:13-14)
• Pray for the needed tools and proper facilities to teach our children.(Philippians 4:19)
• Pray for the election of godly leaders on our school boards and in the administration of our schools. (I Timothy 2:1)
• Pray for the support staff in the schools to treat the children with dignity and respect.

"Again I say unto you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven" ( Matt. 18:19 NKJV)

I love praying corporately with a group of women on Tuesday and Friday morning or with my intercessory prayer team at church. When we are on one accord,in harmony on the prayer focus, even if the tune varies, its heavenly, powerful and freeing.

Corporate prayer is important to our Father because he wants believers to come together to pray. He wants to bring the church together to pray. He gives us His promise of faithfulness and much more to those who are willing to press their way to come together to pray on one accord in "agreement". Praying women and men in agreement energizes our praying.

The scripture lets us know that a special power is promised through corporate prayer. God can do things through agreeing prayers of the church , just like we see in the book of Acts when the church came together, that He may not do( He is sovereign ) through individual efforts. Author Sue Curran wrote in "The Power of Agreement in Corporate Prayer" as follows:

The prayer ministry of the church accomplishes much. The prayer gathering does more than enlarge the channel through which God will bless and give victory to His people; it actually moves us into an entirely different realm of power .

...

We move in a realm in which results are calculated exponentially. We move from the realm of addition to multiplication.... Corporate praying is the key to exponential power in prayer. See Sue Curran "The Praying Church: Principles and Power of Corporate Praying".

When every one is praying in "symphony" and is playing the same piece- a concert, in agreement, according to the will of God , He moves to answer, deliever and heal.

Let us come together this weekend in unified prayer "Down by the Riverside" in the city of Detroit and in all the cities of this country.

If you cannot attend this prayer gathering, join us where you are and let us know . Send your prayer focus or requests to ldfaygo@aol.com or post them in the comment