Pray Network Forum

heal (4)

Prayer For Relief in Yemen, August 2016

Posted by Merton J. Hershberger on August 4, 2016 at 10:54
The heat of the summer months is hard on those who live along the coast of Yemen, even in normal times. With power outages, shortages of drinkable water and the effects of war, the heat can be devastating. Pray for those who live along the Arabian and Red Seas and the Gulf of Aden. Pray that they have shelter from the sun and water to drink. Pray that are receiving the aid they need. Pray that peace will come to their land.
 
"When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance. 
 
If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemies besiege them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind, ..." 
- 2 Chronicles 6:26-31
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PTAP: Fasting

Posted by Merton J. Hershberger on July 1, 2016 at 10:05

Yesterday, I did a water only fast most of the day, as planned. The Lord opened up numerous opportunities to serve others and share the good news of Jesus and that Jesus is the way. At the end of the day, I had the opportunity to share a teaching with a friend via phone about what fasting is all about. (2 Chronicles 7:14).

 

This morning as I left the house, I observed that it had rained after a season of drought. Lesson: God still answers prayer and is still a miracle working God, like He always has been. He is waiting for us to pray.

 

Please consider praying for the reign of God and agricultural abundance for the sake of the poor in the Arabian Peninsula as people turn to the Lord Jesus.

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HEAL OUR LAND

Posted by David Young on December 1, 2015 at 15:58

“If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray,  and seek my face, and turn from their wicked way, then will I hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

It is important for us to see the promise related to this powerful invitation to prayer. God promises to forgive our sin and heal our land.  

There are a number of modern complications to this promise. We need the illumination of the Holy Spirit to apply it. I am going to make some suggestions for doing so. But I urge you to struggle prayerfully with this concern that God may radically impact the way we pray. Notice I did not simply say, the way you pray. There is an urgency in these days for God's people to join in prayer for our nations. And the depth of your convictions will influence the prayers of many.

Here is the first difficulty. When the Lord gave this promise, His people were the nation. His people were the Children of Israel to whom he had given that land. I remember having a friendly disagreement with my college roommate about whether this promise was for America or the Church in our day. Is God promising heal a nation like America, Myanmar Guatemala or China where most people may not be praying? At least as it applies to specific prayers, times and situations, I do not know. I don't believe we can successfully pray for the "Great Tribulation" that Jesus warned us about, not to happen. But I think we are to pray for our nations. Abraham was invited to intercede for Sodom and Gomorrah. In Jeremiah 29:7 the Lord addressed the people taken into exile and captivity in Babylon. He commanded them to pray for the prosperity of that wicked city.

I believe this means we are to pray for the leaders of whatever nation we live in. That sometimes means praying for people who are enemies of God's people. And this means praying for the healing of social problems. Are you praying and working to bring people up out of poverty? Are you praying for people who are addicted to drugs? Are you praying for wounded soldiers returning from war? Are you visiting and praying for prisoners? Are you praying for health care and problems related to it?

This is moral and spiritual as well as social, political and economic. We need to pray for hearts and minds to be changed. I recently had an exchange with an apologist who was angry at someone who was having an evil influence upon young people. He took offense at my suggesting that we need to love this man and pray for him.

I need to be honest, I am tempted to be cynical about the condition of our world. I want to say, "Leave them alone until Jesus comes back. He will make a new heaven and a new earth." But that is not God's will. It is also true that I will be made new when Jesus comes. Should I give up on trying to become like Jesus because it will not fully happen until we see Him? Just as becoming more like Him now relates to being made like Jesus when He comes, so praying and working to make the world a better place now, relates to His reign after He returns.

watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/


http://daveswatch.com/

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Prayer Can Radically Change a Community

Posted by Rob Griepentrog on June 18, 2014 at 17:41
Around two years ago, the lead pastor of the largest church in Juarez, Mexico, was quietly praying when he was prompted by God to immediately resign his position, set up a small tent in a downtown park, and then pray and fast for 21 days.
 
Juarez, just over the border from El Paso, TX, made international news due to its high murder rate and very significant drug cartel influence.  Stories of dozens of daily murders became commonplace in the news.  Residents became fearful, and many moved away; if they were able to afford to move.
 
The pastor immediately obeyed God's command; resigning his position, setting up a tent in the park God instructed him to go to, and then fasted and prayed.
 
Around the fourth day of praying, the pastor was visited by a local news reporter.  The reporter, shocked to see the pastor there (the park was filled with many dangerous drug dealers and illegal activities), asked him, "What are you doing here?"  The pastor then shared all that God had told him to do.
 
In the days that followed, the reporter returned to check on a pastor's safety and ask for updates.  Following each visit, the reporter filed a report in the local paper.
 
At the end of the 21 days, the pastor felt prompted by God to visit the city's mayor.  At the same time, the mayor had been reading the reporter's updates about the praying pastor.  The mayor invited the pastor and reporter to personally meet with him.
 
During the meeting, the pastor felt prompted to ask the mayor, "What's the biggest problem facing this city?"
 
The mayor answered, "Our prison.  It's the center of all the drug activity in our city.  People find ways to get arrested and imprisoned there, just so they can profit from the drug running and money laundering happening in that place.  Also, over 60% of the prison guards are actively involved in the cartels as well.  We, as the government, feel powerless to do anything to change that situation, or to help our community's safety."
 
The men then prayed together.
 
Soon, God gave the men a plan.  They jotted it down, then set about implementing it God's way.
 
The next day, Mexico's military came to the prison, surrounded it, and shut all of its activities down cold turkey.  Next, hundreds of doctors and nurses, specializing in drug rehab, were brought into the prison to work with the 1,000+ men; helping them come off of their drug highs and move toward sobriety.  Next, pastors and church leaders were also brought in to pray, share the gospel with each prisoner and prison guard, and counsel each person inside the walls.
 
Over the next couple of months, over 60% of the people within the walls of the prison placed their faith in Jesus Christ.  Many discovered healing from addictions, and others found a passion to share the gospel instead of deal drugs.


Over the next year, the crime rate in Juarez dropped by over 90%!

 
This is one of many things God is doing in our world, and it's one that serves to embolden and strengthen the prayer lives of Christians everywhere!  Did you notice how the story started?  It started by one man humbling himself, praying to God, and listening for His voice/prompting.
 
Let's look at what God told Solomon in the Old Testament:
 
“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. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there." - 2 Chronicles 7:13-16
 
Humble ourselves and pray.  It's pretty simple, yet also easy to miss in the busyness of our lives.
 
At that time, people prayed in temples.  Today, we are temples of the Holy Spirit; God's Spirit living and dwelling within each follower of Jesus Christ.  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
 
God is working all around us, but He's also waiting for His children to seek Him in prayer for the people, places, and world around us (in addition to our own lives, thoughts, and motives).  We don't have to wait for tragedy, death, or destruction to hit our communities or neighborhoods before we begin to pray.  We can do so right now; and watch what God does as we seek His face!
 
Good friend, Dave Butts, the Chair of America's National Prayer Committee shares this brief, but encouraging word.
 
"It's an exciting thing to be in on what God is doing; to bring about tremendous change that can only happen from the Lord!" - Dave Butts

 

"I can just imagine Satan gathering all the demons in hell and discussing what they can do to destroy Christians. And Satan says, 'Keep them from praying. Because no matter what else they do, if they don't pray, we can beat them every time. But if they learn how to pray, they'll beat us every time. Keep them from praying.'" -Dr. Sidlow Baxter

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