Many of our grandchildren are attending college and universities, some are Christian, and some are secular colleges.  The grandchildren attending secular universities are taught a secular worldview and probably navigating ungodly influences. We need to pray for our grandchildren’s deep spiritual needs, the needs of their souls.

Barna Research President, David Kinnaman’s new book writes in his new book

Faith for Exiles. The percentage of young-adult dropouts has increased from 59 to 64 percent. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. 18–29-year-olds who grew up in church tell Barna they have withdrawn from church involvement as an adult after having been active as a child or teen.

 I would like to encourage you to pray for the campus where your grandchild is attending. Pray he/she will get involved in a Christian college ministry on their campus for Christian fellowship and community.

Let’s pray the next generation will have the passion and energy to be godly leaders to change the world. The following are suggestions to you can pray.

WHAT TO PRAY FOR:

• ASK GOD WHAT HE’S ALREADY DOING THERE—
• Do some listening prayer, asking God questions such as,
• “Lord, what are YOU praying for this campus?”
• “Who are you moving in here right now?”
• “What are the barriers to your work here?”

Spend time listening and write down anything you hear or feel.

  * PRAY AND LISTEN

Ask God to show you what revival would look like on this campus.

Write down anything you see or feel.

   * PRAY FOR CHRISTIANS

Pray that Christians already on this campus would be bold, have faith, and be courageous. If there are any Christian groups or churches already on campus, pray this for them as well.

   * PRAY FOR PEOPLE IN POWER    

Pray for professors, administrators, student government, and other leaders on campus.

I hope you will find these Scriptures helpful to pray for your college student.

 Scriptures to Pray for Grandchildren in College

Dear Father, I pray that: (Insert your child’s name)

1. 1. Peace

________ will not worry about anything, but pray about everything.    Philippians 4:6

2. Protection from the Enemy

________ will be alert and watch out for the temptations from the enemy, standing firm in his/her faith.  I Peter 5:8, 9

3. Responsibility

________ will learn to be responsible for his/her own actions and behavior. Galatians 6:5

4. Salvation

________ will believe that Jesus loves him/her and died for his/her sins so he/she can have a personal relationship with you and enjoy eternal life. John 3:16

5. Security

_________ will always remember that you will never leave nor forsake him/her.  Joshua 1:56

6. Self-control

________will live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct and devotion to God.  Titus 2:12

7. Servant’s Heart

________will develop a servant’s heart, serving wholeheartedly, as to the Lord and not men. Eph. 6:7

8. Anxiety

__________will cast all his/her anxieties and disappointments on you. I Peter 5:7

9. Spiritual Growth

_______will be rooted and built up in his/her faith, growing strong in the truth as he/she is taught.  Colossians 2:7

10. Guard

________ will guard his/her heart, for it is the wellspring of his/her life. Proverbs 4:23

11. Thankfulness

_______ will learn to give thanks in everything, no matter what happens.  I Thessalonians 5:18

12. Timidity/Fear

_______ will not have a spirit of fear and timidity, but the spirit of power, love, and self-discipline. II Tim. 1:7

13. Trust the Lord

 ________ will trust You with all his/her heart and not depend on his/her on understanding Proverbs 3:5

14. Wisdom

 When ________ needs wisdom, he/she will ask you for it, You are waiting for him/her to ask.  James 1:5

15. Hunger for God's Word

___________will hunger and thirst for your Word. Matthew 5:6   

Listen to this awesome inspiring short video called the Haystack prayer meeting.

Haystack Prayer Meetings 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtA2QizrMgQ

If you would like more information about praying for our college campuses go to everycampus.com.

Written by Lillian Penner, Co-Prayer Director for Christian Grandparenting Network.     lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

As we head to the polls today to vote in the mid-term elections, here are a few final thoughts for prayer:

Thank God for the process

• Thank God for the blessing of free elections and the democratic process.  Thank him for giving us the right and the means to vote and determine our leadership.

Pray for the elections

• Ask God to protect each voting place from all harm; to protect our elections from outside influences of all kinds; to give strength and stamina to the precinct workers, many of whom will have very long days.
• Pray that God will clear away any barriers that would stand in the way of those who have the right to vote exercising that right, and that He would lead believers especially to be faithful in carrying out our responsibilities of citizenship.
• Ask God to keep the elections fair and honest, to protect the elections from all fraud, and to prevent those who do not have the right to vote from casting ballots

Pray for the voters

• Ask God to grant wisdom to all those who are voting today - to give them insight to see past rhetoric and know how the candidates would lead.
• Pray that God will make character and integrity important to the voters.
• Pray especially for believers who are voting, that God will show them the candidates who would honor him in office

Pray for the results

• Ask God to raise up men and women at all levels - federal, state, and local - who will lead with integrity, wisdom, and courage.
• Pray that God will appoint leaders who know Him and who will lead this country in a direction that honors him.
• Ask God to create a Congress (Senate and House) of representatives who will be able to work together for the good of the country
• Pray for accurate tabulation of the results and for acceptance of those results.

Pray for the church

• Thank God for all those who have been praying for this election cycle.
• Ask God to continue this movement of prayer even after the election, and to expand it in such a way as to transform churches into houses of prayer all across the country.

Pray for the candidates

As the midterm campaigns enter their final couple of days, one way we can impact the races for God's glory is to pray specifically for the candidates and those who are campaigning on their behalf.  This may be the hardest part of prayer for the elections, because it can be difficult to separate our own preferences from God's leading.  But there are some Scriptural principles that we can use to pray God's will into the election.  Here are a few; please use these as God leads. 

• Safety and health.  Pray for safe travels and for God's protection from all harm.  Pray specifically for protection from violence on the part of voters who might disagree with a candidate's positions.
• Words of truth.  Pray for honesty in campaign speeches and that God will grant wisdom to voters to see through any deceit.  Ask God to guard the words of the candidates to keep them focused on the issues that are important to voters and to the future of the country.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to restrain speech that divides and to encourage candidates to speak in ways that will help bring unity.
• Hearts of servanthood. Pray for God to place in the candidates hearts of servanthood and a commitment to lead for the benefit of the people rather than for their own benefit.  Ask God to make clear to the voters those candidates that will truly serve them.
• Integrity and righteousness. Ask God to reveal shortfalls in truthfulness or other character issues that should disqualify candidates.  Pray that he will raise up leaders who will lead with integrity and whose values line up with God's Word.
• Wisdom.  Pray for God's wisdom for the candidates as they speak and especially for those whom he puts in positions of leadership.  Many (if not most) of the candidates probably do not know God, so pray for their salvation as well.  Pray for the humility needed for repentance where that's appropriate.
• Media.  Finally, ask God to reign over the messages given out by the media.  Pray for integrity, fair coverage, and unbiased reporting.

 We need to pray for candidates at state and local levels as well as those higher-profile national candidates.  Often, it's the local officials who will have the most impact on how school boards influence our children, etc.  While their responsibilities may not be as broad as the national leaders, their decisions often have more direct impact on our lives.

Contrary to what some may say or believe, the mid-term elections will not determine the future of the United States.  To be sure, the elected officials will have a significant impact.  But God is ultimately in control. 

 A large part of how God controls the affairs of men is through the prayers of his people.  In fact, God has repeatedly called his people to prayer for their country:

 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

“May those who love you be secure.

May there be peace within your walls

and security within your citadels. ”

For the sake of my family and friends,

I will say, “Peace be within you.”

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

I will seek your prosperity.

-- Psalm 122:6-9

In response to Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple, God promised his mercy when his people humbled themselves, repented of sins, and prayed:

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." -- 2 Chron 7:13-14.

When the Jews were threatened with potential extermination under King Xerxes, Queen Esther called for a 3-day fast prior to her approaching the king to plead for the lives of her people (Esther 4:15-17).

In addition, we see multiple instances of God's people praying and repenting in times of trouble - see Nehemiah 1 (Nehemiah's prayer) and 9 (corporate confession and prayer), Ezra 9-10 (Ezra's prayer and corporate confession), and Daniel's prayer of confession of the nation's sins (Daniel 9).

All of these prayers were answered.  And God will continue to answer the prayers of his people on behalf of their country.  With division and even violence at its highest level in decades in the United States, our best hope for healing is to invite the intervention of our God.

With three days remaining until the mid-term elections, which are destined to be some of the most contentious elections in memory, now is the time for God's church to plead for his will to be done.  Now is the time for his people to demonstrate unity, grace, and peace.

At the recent National Day of Prayer Leaders' Summit, one of the leaders announced that she was feeling called to an "Esther fast" (not eating or drinking for three days in order to focus on prayer for her people), starting on Sunday and running through the elections on Tuesday night.  If God so leads you, how about joining in?

ionprayer

A day, in the Presence in the prayer room

Posted on May 20, 2016 by ionprayerblog

Looking toward the beginning of the 6th month, pondering  the rest of 2016. . .

At the beginning of the year, the Lord gave us the word “REFRESH” for 2016. He began speaking this beginning in December as I looked into what the ION Prayer Focus might be going into the new year for January.

Continuing in the message of “wait” was my answer. For the past 8 years I had been in the habit of writing prayer focus guides for ION. Originally weekly, then twice monthly and in the last few years it has been a monthly prayer focus guide. That all was been put in “wait” mode as we entered into 2016. God has been working on me as to what is really needed. Is it my habit, or is it His guiding?!?

Let me give you some background. For over the past two years, our core prayer team has been walking out James 1:2-8

James 1:2-8 The Christian can even welcome trouble  (J.B. Phillips) When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don’t resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends! Realize that they come to test your faith and to produce in you the quality of endurance. But let the process go on until that endurance is fully developed, and you will find you have become men of mature character with the right sort of independence. And if, in the process, any of you does not know how to meet any particular problem he has only to ask God—who gives generously to all men without making them feel foolish or guilty—and he may be quite sure that the necessary wisdom will be given him. But he must ask in sincere faith without secret doubts as to whether he really wants God’s help or not. The man who trusts God, but with inward reservations, is like a wave of the sea, carried forward by the wind one moment and driven back the next. That sort of man cannot hope to receive anything from God, and the life of a man of divided loyalty will reveal instability at every turn.

James 1:2-8  (VOICE) Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line—mature, complete, and wanting nothing. If you don’t have all the wisdom needed for this journey, then all you have to do is ask God for it; and God will grant all that you need. He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking.

Wisdom, as James understands it, is the ability to live life well and make good decisions. Wisdom doesn’t come from old age or hard knocks. Wisdom begins with knowing and depending absolutely on God, who is never stingy when it comes to wisdom for those who seek it. He supplies all the wisdom we need when we ask. But when we try to go it alone—without God—trouble is around the corner.

The key is that your request be anchored by your single-minded commitment to God. Those who depend only on their own judgment are like those lost on the seas, carried away by any wave or picked up by any wind. Those adrift on their own wisdom shouldn’t assume the Lord will rescue them or bring them anything. The splinter of divided loyalty shatters your compass and leaves you dizzy and confused.

We will be the first to confess, this has not been an easy time for any of us. But we will also be the ones to say God has been right in the middle of all this with us! And we are stronger for these days. In the midst of all of the trials, tests and hardships a new level of TRUSTING GOD, comes in the chaos.

God is in the chaos. . .

It is He who can give us the correct perspective in the middle of the storm, but we must look to Him (and Him alone). Have you been in the midst of some trials? What if it is God working on your maturity or the maturity of those around you. This is a body issue, the whole body of Christ is in the midst of understanding their true identity and what must happen to REFRESH. A recalibration is needed. A recalibration is happening!

Understanding our true identity in sonship. . .

1 John 5:20 – And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, [even] in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Luke 1:35 – And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 8:10-12  – In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.”

Romans 8:16 – The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God

Remember that our primary purpose in being a son of God is to bring God glory. Our proper identity and correct alignment is in who God calls us. -Sons of God, children of His!

Sons of God, hear the Father’s voice, Sons of God speak what the Father tells them to speak, Sons of God do what the Father tells them to do. Hearing Him is critical. Being of Him and people of prayer is key for this season. We have heard His voice and are in a new place of hearing Him. Hearing Him call us and others to pray and to lead others to pray into the future for those who still wait to hear God’s name and to have an opportunity to follow His Son. Only through the work of the Holy Spirit will that happen. So this week after Pentecost, we continue to cry out. . .

Habakkuk 2:1-3  (WEB) – I will stand at my watch, and set myself on the ramparts, and will look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.  Yahweh answered me, “Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it.  For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come. It won’t delay.

Habakkuk 2:14 (WEB) – For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Yahweh’s glory, as the waters cover the sea.

Habakkuk 3:1-2 (WEB) [God Racing on the Crest of the Waves] A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk, with orchestra: God, I’ve heard what our ancestors say about you, and I’m stopped in my tracks, down on my knees. Do among us what you did among them. Work among us as you worked among them. And as you bring judgment, as you surely must, remember mercy.

As we round the corner to the coming of the first of June and the beginning of the second half of the year, it is becoming more clear! God is in the quieting of us down so to speak.

When we look back to where we were a year ago this week (at the last week of our 50 days of intentional listening prayer initiative) we see God is answering our prayers. He has shifted us in many ways, yet the vision remains the same.  Read more about the vion of ION here: https://orality.net/about/#vision

Coming into focus are some spectacular stories of what God He is doing out in His Harvest field. We are delighted at the opportunity to join Him in His activity.

IMB Sub-Saharan African Peoples

Worker’s reply after you prayed for the speed of deer rather than turtle speed on May 18th for the completion of the final recordings of a StoryTogether project…: “Answered prayers yesterday! We are making big strides. One story teller went from stuttering to confidence in the first story!” Please continue claiming Psalm 18:33 as you pray for these recordings and the peoples on a different religious ‘course’ who will now have an opportunity to hear the Good News in their heart languages.

Scripture App for the Amis: Taiwan

A pilot project was launched recently by Wycliffe Taiwan among the Amis community, one of the largest language groups in the country. The project aims to provide the Amis people an app so they can access Scriptures easily in text and audio forms. Once the Amis project is completed, similar projects will be started in other people groups. Thank God for Taiwan Bible Society and the Amis churches who are the key partners in this project. Pray also for the 16 language communities in Taiwan. Pray that they would all have access to God’s Word and know Him as the Author of hope, love and life.

Using their language in church: Russian Federation

Over the past three summers a translation team has worked with local believers from a small people group in Siberia to craft a set of 30 oral Bible stories. Praise God that the believers who helped the team enjoyed the work so much they practiced translating verses from the Bible while the team was away. They told them, “You have helped to redeem our language for the church. Now we talk, pray and sing in church all the time in our mother tongue!”

American Bible Society Celebration of 200 years. They are into their 3rd Century of joining God in the Bible cause in America and throughout the World. Habakkuk 2:14

  Sharing a blog post from the American Bible Society:

Prayers That Give Me Peace in Times of Chaos: When the busyness of life drags you down, you can turn to God for comfort

  Faith Comes By Hearing

Time to celebrate ‪#‎GodsWord‬ recorded in 1000 languages. Praise God for His provision and partnerships. Now let’s do ‪#‎1000More‬.

Thinking back to the prayer room when Morgan Jackson came into our ION Prayer Room and shared what they would be doing in a goal of every heart language having the New Testament in Audio format available. WOW! Look at what God has been doing. So very grateful for the opportunities to come alongside our ION Partner groups in prayer.

PRAISE GOD for this movement of putting the Scriptures into every heart language. Now lets continue to come alongside the work of groups like Faith Comes By Hearing and ask for continued favor.

Let’s pray big and set our hearts together to pray for the whole Bible in every language. We have seen God do remarkable things over this past 10 years as the ION Prayer Team. You are invited to join in asking. . .

ION Mission

Seeking to radically influence the way oral preference learners are evangelized and discipled in every people group

Source: https://ionprayer.com/2016/05/20/a-day-in-the-presence-in-the-prayer-room/ via @ionprayer

Your passionate, powerful, privilege

You are not letting your passionate, powerful, privilege go to waste are you? Please stay tuned for a minute and I will explain this question. In this brief space we will review Jesus’ passion and power in prayer. It should whet your appetite for private and public prayer participation which will in turn have a similar effect on your friends.

Jesus’ private prayer practices and his answers caused his disciples to ask their great teacher for a lesson in prayer. His pattern covered the basics so thoroughly that many millions have memorized his prayer pattern. Fewer have studied and benefited from his personal prayer in John 17, asking the Father to unite us by his Spirit as an insider, and for us to publicly wear his badge of love which identifies us as his disciples. His prayer prepared obedient disciples for Pentecost and subsequent revival and evangelism.

Jesus’ unmistakable passion for his Father’s house of prayer for all nations fuels my own passion for prayer. He did not hesitate to cleanse the house of prayer from abuses, so that it could be redeemed for kingdom uses.  How many churches do you know in McKinney that open their doors daily to host regular corporate prayer, demonstrating prayer is their foundational, first priority? I am aware of one. There is a lot of room in McKinney for regular, creative, praise and thanksgiving-based prayer venues.

Personal, public, and persistent prayers of God’s people are desperately needed in our community and world today. Your prayers will be much more enjoyable and effective when they are praise- based, Bible- fed, and Spirit- led.  Since the Word of God IS the Sword of the Spirit, lets’ read, meditate, and pray some of God’s prayers, patterns, and principles recorded in His Word!  These, including giving Him thanks, are sure fire ways of praying in His will. 

All types of prayer are beneficial as illustrated in the famous ACTS acronym: Adoration; Confession; Thanksgiving; Supplication.  We have the privilege to join the 2 greatest intercessors of the Godhead; Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  “Who will say they are not right? Jesus Christ died. Yes, he was raised from death. He is at the right side of God. And he talks (intercedes) to God for us.”  Romans 8:34 “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Heb. 7:25  “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”  Rom. 8:26

As we close our thoughts together, let’s review some attitudes of prayer that attract the Holy Spirit.  These include: humility, servanthood, brokenness, honesty, holiness, desperation, hunger and thirst for God, and vulnerability.  As you allow God to work such qualities in and through your life, perhaps you will rise to seek or start a prayer venue as a leader or follower to serve, inspire, and equip other body members in experiencing the vulnerability James instructs:   ^“Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.”   James 5:16

If you were to create an annual prayer calendar with the most significant prayer events included, one of those "must-have" events would be Seek God for the City, the Lenten prayer campaign promoted each year by Waymakers.

The news is filled with stories of people from the Arabian Peninsula who have developed a reputation as terrorists. Some would call them enemies.

Jesus commanded us to pray for our enemies. To pray for our enemies is to pray for them the way Jesus did: to pray that they would find forgiveness as they repent and discover the mercies that are new every morning in the Messiah.

The Messiah did not die in a way that seemed noble. But His nobility was vindicated through the resurrection. Some who pray for the Arabian Peninsula, are called to go there in Jesus name. We must also pray for them. While there is no guarantee that they will be "successful" in terms of winning thousands by themselves. Those who follow Jesus faithfully will have success in the resurrection.

Peace,

Mert Hershberger

This is a big week for politics in America. I need to say I am not sympathetic with believers who put their hope in politics. However hopeful or cynical you may be about the election this week, it is crucial that believers join together in prayer for those who govern our country. In his first letter to Timothy Paul admonished us to pray for them.

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

Do you pray every day for our president? Are you praying for God’s hand on individuals in Congress?

The reason the scripture gives for this is so we may live peaceful quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. It is important to understand that government affects our lives as much today as it did in the Roman Empire where Paul urged Timothy to lead people to pray for their ungodly leaders. For many of us the complexities of politics are too complicated to unravel. But they are not too complicated for God. I read a review in Books & Culture this week of a book called The Myth of Persecution. The book disputed the stories of persecution in the early church. The author made the pedantic distinction between persecution and prosecution. She said it was not persecution if Rome was simply prosecuting Christians for shaking up the fragile stability of the empire. I suspect the same distinction could be made about much 21^st century persecution.

Government effects our lives even if it is not necessarily aimed at persecuting Christians. We are living in days when Christian values are no longer a major influence upon the thinking of those who make the laws and determine the values of our culture. Make no mistake, spiritual and cosmic issues are involved in politics. But we pray to the God who is sovereign over the Kings and governors of the earth.

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6442271770732162232#editor/target=post;postID=5304160384738360370

DAY SEVENTEEN:
VERSES:
Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken....(Psalm 55:22)
PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, in You alone do I both my trust and faith as the Leader and Lord of my life. Father You have been there for me all the time, even when I walked away from You countless times and did not follow Your precepts and statutes. You called me into the Kingdom of Your marvelous Light, but yet in my disobedience, many times I preferred to walk in darkness. In those times oh Lord, You were still with me, You never leaved me or forsake me because You had Your calling on my life as You do with all whom You have called out of the Egypt of despair, into the Promised Land of Eternal Destiny and Joy.

When there is adversity, You are there. When there is trouble and despair, You are there. When there is doubt. You are there. When there is fear and trembling, You are there. When there is persecution and hate against Your people, You are there. Where there is no vision or hope, You are there.

You sustain the world by the Word of Your Mouth. You speak life and hope into the atmosphere and the people rejoice. You shake the Heavens and let the snow and hail fly, in times of war and battle such as now, and Your remnant stand in amazement. The world does not know You, the religious and the rulers issue documents and like Nimrod claim man's authority over the Climate You created and still control. They and their modern day scribes and pharisees claim precedence over Your Word and rewrite the code of civilization and family which You have ordained. They blaspheme You by bowing down to other useless and worthless idols who can never create a child, or explain the crops of the field or the birds of the air, and they pay more respect and honor to non-existent idols and prophets You never sent or ordained.

But You will never allow Your righteous, Your true elect to whom You have positioned as the saved, to those whom You have made righteous and now are blameless as those bought under the Precious Blood of the Most Righteous One, Whose Body was never abandoned to sheol but went down and knocked over the gates of hell and told death Who had won the Victory! O death, where is thy sting now! Thank You Jesus for defeating death and for now sitting on the Right Hand of the Sovereign One and Satan, you, evil one, have no authority, no claim, no right, no open door, no nothing on the Called ones- the Christian made right by God - because Jesus has defeated you.  Be gone, and get thee behind me and all who are Christ's.

Because Jesus Christ is my Lord, and the Lord of the millions and millions of this world, whom He has saved, we can lay our burdens at His Feet. Because He is Our Shepherd, we shall want no good thing, and no good thing means being apart from the greed and desires of this world. Because He is my Savior, we cast ALL our cares upon Him, for in the end, what it is all said and done, He cares for me and it is in the strong and mighty Name of Jesus I believe that promise, stand on that precept and follow that Good Protector and Provider and Proconsul, the Lord of Heavens' Armies, amen and amen - from now until the end of time and my days, amen.

Encouraging people to pray for their friends, co-workers, family and neighbors is essential. It can be a blessing to you personally, and to other people in ways you may never know.

Stories are a great way to lend encouragement to people. Maybe you have stories of how God has worked in and through you. How have you seen God answer prayers in your life? What has God shown you through prayer? Have you been able to pray with anyone lately?

Maybe you take prayer walks in your neighborhood …praying for strangers you don’t even know. 

The following are a few stories highlighting the necessity of prayer in our everyday lives, and how ; through prayer, we can be a Light for people to see.

Please listen to the short audio stories below (Lighthouse Report radio features). And feel free to contact me (Matt.Bendell@cru.org) if you have stories you’d like to share in encouraging other believers to be a Light for Christ… through prayer!  

-Living life in constant conversation with God …That’s one way prayer can be defined. You know, the apostle Paul says we’re supposed to pray without ceasing. In this example, Luci Swindoll expresses the importance of maintaining an ongoing dialog with the Lord. (Listen to 1- MINUTE and 2-MINUTE audio)

-Prayer … oftentimes, in difficulties, it's the first place we turn. Pastor Tullian Tchividjian talks about prayer. (Listen to 1-MINUTE and 2-MINUTE audio)

-How about a prescription for life change? Pharmacy technician turned pastor, Paul Haroutunian tells a  unique story regarding the power of prayer. (Listen to 1-MINUTE and 2-MINUTE audio)

What do all of these Christian Leaders – from different denominations, cultures, continents, and ages– have in common on Oct. 6th? They are praying for the peace of Jerusalem that day. Are YOU?

The annual Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem is the largest Israel focused Christian prayer movement in history. Global participation, for October 6^th, has strongly been endorsed by over 1300 Christian Ministry Leaders. International and well respected ministry leaders such as: Dr. Paul Cedar of Mission America Coalition, Pastor Samuel Rodriguez, President of National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Kay Arthur of Precept Ministries International, Ron Luce of Teen Mania Ministries, T.D. Jakes - Bishop/Chief Pastor of The Potter's House, John Bornschein – Vice Chairman of The National Day of Prayer Task Force, Indian born Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias, Christian author and speaker Joyce Meyer, author and speaker Doug Stringer- Founder/CEO of Somebody Cares International, First Nations Leader Dr. Negiel Bigpond, and K.P. Yohannan, who has brought the Good News of Christ to millions in South Asia over the last three decades.

Their united call is for ALL believers to fulfill The Lord’s mandate in Psalm 122:6, to pray for God’s peace, blessing, and love to Jews, Arabs and Christians alike in God’s Holy City – Jerusalem.

As a strong supporter of God’s covenant purposes with Israel, Dr. Raleigh Washington - President and CEO of Promise Keepers - states: “Every Christian must reach out to the Jewish Community, bless them and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”

According to Dave Butts, Chairman of America's National Prayer Committee:

"There is no more urgent call to the whole body of Christ than the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem. This prayer movement blends the dynamic of tomorrow's headlines with the imperative of praying God's Word back to Him."

In an interview with Eagles’ Wings, Pastor Samuel Rodriguez - President of National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference - said:

“More than ever, we are in an Anti- Semitic wave, emerging not only on college & university campuses, but also in many public arenas and different governmental settings around the world. It’s aiming again at Jerusalem and the Jewish people. The Firewall against Anti -Semitism in the 21st century, IS the body of Christ… the Church of Jesus Christ…”

 Jane Hansen Hoyt, the International President of Aglow International - a global, trans-denominational Christian organization established in 166 nations on 6 continents - explains:

“Never has it been as critical as it is now that we stand in the gap for the nation of Israel and its people. The biblical mandate to ‘pray for the peace of Jerusalem’ must take on greater priority in our lives as we watch the intensity of warfare increase, both in the natural and spiritual realms, over God’s end-time purposes for His people – Israel and the body of Christ."

Joel C. Rosenberg – popular Christian author of the Last Jihad series and founder of The Joshua Fund – shares:

"As the Iranian nuclear threat grows, and leaders throughout the epicenter threaten the Jewish State with annihilation, now is the time for followers of Jesus Christ to bless Israel and pray faithfully for the peace of Jerusalem."

Dr. Dick Eastman - International President for Every Home for Christ - shared:

Will you reply? God has a job to do in Jerusalem and He is looking for those who will do it with Him.

What was necessary, in the natural, during Old Testament times is still necessary in the spirit today, IF we are to see God’s purposes and plans prevail in Jerusalem, the “city of The Great King” – Jesus. (Psalm 48:2 and Matthew 5:35)

“I have posted watchmen on your walls O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call upon the Lord, give yourselves no rest and give HIM no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.” Isa. 62: 6

In this Isaiah 62 verse, God says He has placed “Watchmen” on the walls of Jerusalem. This Old Testament term “Watchmen” refers to the guards, sentries, or “look outs” who watched over their cities, staying alert to either enemy invasion or to friendly messengers. The important thing to note is that the Watchmen’s job, was to guard and protect the city and its inhabitants, from the enemy’s schemes, and they did so continuously – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.    

Does this city need watchmen today for God’s purposes? YES – by all means!

Today, we are seeing the actual fulfillment of prophecy from Zechariah 12:2 which says that Jerusalem is becoming a “cup of trembling” or as NIV reads “a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples [i.e., the 22 Arab nations around Israel] reeling”. Just read the headlines and listen to the world news and you will see this exemplified by the actions of the UN and the European Union. All the nations are beginning to turn against Jerusalem, just as the Prophet Zechariah forewarned. (Zech.12: 1 – 4; Zech. 14:12; Ezek. 38:16)

It is not just a battle over land as political leaders say, it is not just a battle between the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority, it is not just a battle between the Israel Defense Forces and the Terrorist groups of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, or between the Democratic values of Israel and the Theocratic beliefs of the surrounding Arab nations! It is ultimately a battle over WHO will be worshipped on that Holy Hill…Jesus, the King of the Jews, the Savior of Christians, or Allah- the god of Islam?

This spiritual battle is happening in this city because Jerusalem is THE very place where Jesus will return one day. Do we know when this will happen? NO, but we know exactly WHERE it will happen. Jesus is not returning to New York City…nor Tokyo or Colorado Springs. No – Zechariah 14:3 and Micah 4:1, 2 tell us that when Jesus returns, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is a very literal place, in the very real city, of Jerusalem today.

God wants “Watchmen” on the walls of Jerusalem today because Jerusalem IS the center of The End Time Battle between good and evil, between the One True God and all of the false ones so prevalent on the earth today. You can be part of His Watchmen Army through the global Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem on October 6th. Join today!

This is Part III of a Five Part Series. Be sure to read Part I and Part II.

No, He commanded you to!

In Isaiah 62:6, The Lord is commanding us to give God and ourselves, no rest, until “He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.”

To whom is God speaking? The verse says that He is speaking to “You Who Call Upon The Lord.”

 Have you called upon the Lord for salvation? Have you called upon Him for healing, for loved ones, or for a broken marriage? If the answer is yes, then God is talking to You and to Me.

Other Bible versions translate that same phrase as: “You who make mention,” which even today, is a Hebrew business term describing the duty of a secretary, to remind her boss, what he has on his agenda for that day. As The Lord’s co-laborers and servants in our generation, we too are exhorted to remind God of what He has said He will do …to “make mention” of His promises and declarations to Jerusalem, that haven’t come to pass yet. It’s not that God forgets, but rather, He wants us to co-labor with Him, His Word, His Eternal Timeline, and His heart for Jerusalem.

God has only attached His Holy Name to two groups of people; the Church and the Jewish people (Deut.28: 10 and Numbers 6:27). Paul calls the Jews the root of Christianity in Romans 11, and Christians are called the “branches that were grafted in” through Jesus.

Has God not supernaturally ordered events to protect His Holy Land and His Holy City Jerusalem? Has He not revealed His Faithfulness to fulfill His Word and His promises to her?

• “There is no nation in history that was twice destroyed."
• "Jerusalem - Israel’s capital and religious center - was twice destroyed."
• "The people en masse were twice taken captive off the land."
• "The last captivity was for 1900 years."
• "The language was all but extinct."

"So for this nation to be reborn and have the same capital [the same language and the same religion] has to be seen as Supernatural” …the Sovereign act of God!" ( “Israel -The Blessing or the Curse” by John McTernan & Bill Koenig, pg. 48)

So what are commanded to do?

In this Isaiah 62:6 passage, God is telling us to pray: to pray day and night…to pray without ceasing…to pray without sides… and to pray from God’s perspective, not man’s.

We are called to stand in the gap and to pray for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done, on earth in Jerusalem - the spiritual center of the world – where the future Kingdom of God and the redemption of all mankind rests.

And we are to stand in that gap until He makes Jerusalem the praise in all the earth.

And when will that be? It is when all that God has planned and purposed for His Land, for His Covenant people, both Jewish and Christian, as well as for all the nations, come to pass through Jerusalem. It is THEN that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the GLORY of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Hab. 2:14)

Let's begin now. Join millions of Christians around the world - October 6^th - on The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem.

While you and I can often become distracted with the “important” and the “urgent” of the present, we serve a God Who sees “the end from the beginning.” While you and I worship Him as “Father,” The Lord calls Himself “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” When He blesses us, He also brings an inheritance of blessings to our children and grandchildren, “to a thousand generations”. (Deuteronomy 7:9) In fact, God cares so much about the generations, that He has filled Scripture with repeated instructions about the importance of teaching our children His heart, His wisdom, and His Ways. Scripture is also filled with many admonitions and consequences if we don’t.

Knowing God’s heart for the generations and for Jerusalem, The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem team has developed wonderful resources to teach young people of every age why and how to pray for God’s Beloved City. What’s even more exciting is that all of these educational resources – which include lesson plans, songs, crafts, and even a video for teens – are absolutely FREE as downloads from our Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem webpage: DPPJ for Kids.

Simply go to our DPPJ website, click onto “All Ages” from the Menu along the top, and then click onto DPPJ for Kids. As you scroll down, you will find a variety of lesson plans, crafts, songs, etc., from which you can choose. Materials are categorized for children 3 – 5 years, 6 – 12 years, as well as Jr. /Sr. High students – ages 13 to 18. These equipping resources can be used by parents and teachers for Sunday School, Youth Group, Christian School, and for Home School.

ARE YOUR KIDS IN COLLEGE?

 We have resources specifically designed for their age category as well! Just click onto the “DPPJ on Campus” option under the same “All Ages” Menu tab at the top of our Homepage. These resources are not only FREE but have also been tested by young adults on many college campuses around the country. These materials have proven themselves as highly effective tools to educate and equip Christian university students who face the most aggressive anti-Israel and anti-Christian rhetoric and indoctrination of any age group today.

Christian children and young adults have the very same Holy Spirit in them as adult believers, and God expects us to train them to cooperate with His Holy Spirit in the disciplines and the ministry of the Kingdom. Teaching a child to pray cannot be just intellectual, but must also be experiential if it is to be transformational in their lives. Plan to include EVERY GENERATION in your family and church fellowship on October 6^th as you pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Download these FREE Resources today!

 Resources for Ages 3 - 19: DPPJ for Kids

Resources for College Students: DPPJ on Campus

 The more we can increase the active participation and partnership with children and young people in the work of The Kingdom, the better we serve them and the stronger The Church will be.

God is looking for those believers who will pray HIS will, for the people and the places that He has on both His heart and His Eternal Timeline… and Jerusalem is on both!

There is a part that we, God’s earthly Representatives, must play, in the kingdom of God, if we are to fulfill our destiny in this generation. Do you want to see what God has already established in heaven, fully manifest here on earth?

The Lord has already proclaimed in His Eternal Word, what He will do in this strategic city called Jerusalem. Can God accomplish these things without us? Of course He can, He’s God! But for the purposes of training The Bride to co-rule and reign with Christ, God chooses to co-labor with His Church. Intercession is one of the Lord’s great training methods, as John Wesley once said: “God will do nothing but in answer to prayer.”    

Does God want to fulfill His Word to Jerusalem NOW?

God has not given us a specific date, but He has given us signs that would indicate He is ready to move.

1. Jesus said in Matt. 23:39 that He would not return UNLESS and UNTIL the very people that had once rejected Him would welcome Him back as King Messiah saying “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” For them to welcome Him back, the Jewish people have to be in God’s land where Jesus lived and ministered. The Bible repeatedly tells us that although the Jewish people were scattered by God throughout the nations, that “there would be a day” when He would re-gather them into the land of their ancestors never to be uprooted again. This spiritually historic event happened in 1948 when God brought “beauty out of the ashes” of the Holocaust and Israel not only became a nation, but supernaturally survived the immediate attack of five Arab countries.

2. Jerusalem too would have to be restored as the capital of the Jewish people, just as Zechariah prophesied, rather than be controlled by Islamic invaders. This incredibly significant event has also already happened - in 1967 - when Israel MIRACUOUSLY won Jerusalem BACK in a defensive battle against the Arab nations, making it the first time since 606BC that Jerusalem was once again the capital of an independent Israel.

God still has other plans for this land and its people, many of which are being fulfilled before our very eyes and others which have yet to happen (see Romans 11). But in order for these things to take place, significant revelation will have to take place not only in the minds and hearts of Jewish people, but also in the minds and hearts of Christians as well. The sad fact is that Christian nations have historically been the source of persecution for Jewish people throughout the last 2000 years.

Many atrocities have been done to them in the name of Jesus that was NOT of God. We now have the opportunity, through The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem, to reveal the true nature of the One we worship and serve – Jesus – Who wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41) and Jesus Who Ever Intercedes! (Rom. 8:34)

Wanted: Watchmen – those who hear His voice, know His Word, and know His heart for His Holy City and ALL who live there - Arab, Christian, and Jew. Join millions of Watchmen on October 6th for The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem.

This is Part IV of a Five Part Series. Be sure to read Part I, Part II, and Part III

My question to us in this Five Part Series is simply this:

Does the verse Isaiah 62:6 apply to you and me today? And if our answer is “Yes”….then what are we called to do about it? And if not… why not?

Isaiah 62: 6: “I have posted watchmen on your walls O Jerusalem; they
will never be silent day or night. You who call upon the Lord, give yourselves
no rest and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the
praise of the earth.”

Because this verse is from the Old Testament, some might argue that this Isaiah passage about Jerusalem is not as pertinent to their Christian walk today as a verse from the New Testament.                        

So for now, let’s consider this important point in our discussion: Is the Old Testament written for us today?

First, the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Tim 3:16 that, “ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Most of us know this verse well, but did you know that Paul wrote it in 66 or 67 AD, before the New Testament was fully written or circulated in 100 AD. Therefore, let me submit to you that Paul (the former Jewish Pharisee) would definitely have included this verse, from The Old Testament, in his definition of “all Scripture.” Do we reject all pre-Matthew Scriptures as the Word of God? No, of course not! It would not be sound doctrine if we did not have a unified understanding of the Bible, which includes both the Old and New Testament.

Jesus Really Was Jewish!

Let us remember that until about 135 AD, the entire early church was primarily made up of Jews. They followed the Jewish Rabbi Jesus! They believed in a Jewish Messiah, who attended a Jewish synagogue, who honored the Jewish festivals and Shabbat, and who accepted the Jewish Sacred writings. Was this an accident, or the Divine choice and purpose of God? God chose to act and speak to the world through His Son Jesus, who lived like a Jew, worshipped like a Jew, and whose words, actions, and teachings were in accordance with the Jewish culture, law, and traditions. Jesus said He had not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them. (Matt.5:17)

God is talking to us about something very real and very relevant for our Christian lives TODAY, even though it is written in the Old Testament. In fact, many verses in the Old Testament are key reasons why millions of Christians in over 175 nations, participate in The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem each year on the first Sunday of every October.

Now that we have settled the "IF" question regarding this Old Testament verse, next time we'll look at the "WHERE" question - i.e., Jerusalem.