Pray Network Forum

DAY NINETEEN:
VERSES:
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you....1 Peter 5:6-7

PRAYER: (Against Anxiety, Day 1)

CLICK TO READ PART 1 HERE

Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him(James 5:14-15)

The Lord promised that "in this world you will have tribulation (or trouble), but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world" (John 16:33b). How does someone do that when the enemies of God are systematically destroying His people....when many are losing hope....when the numbers of "nones" (those who believe in nothing) grow exponentially....etc. etc..

These are the Biblical end times which are in view, primarily, to those who are saved and called by Christ into the Kingdom. We are seeing a plethora of incurable diseases, deadly viruses and inexplicable things all around us. Cancer is on the rise due to the many different things - lifestyle, quality of food and environment etc. In fact, if you act even the dearest Christian, there seems to be a sense of resignation and defeat.

This is both understandable and wrong at the same time. We see an exhortation from James here which is hardly called upon, in times of need, even by those who call themselves strong believers.....and that includes pastors. On average, you hear pastoral prayers about "Lord heal so and so, touch brother X, remember sister Y....etc.." But is there the strong biblical prayer system for healing, whether Body, Soul or Mind, which lines up with James 5:14, 15? Not really!  This sort of healing and restoration requires Faith and Trust in the Promise AND persistence in prayer.

Too many modern seminaries, and thus, the pastors they put out, have removed the spirit of this Scripture which says that such faith for healing, anointing with oil and restoration "is only for Bible times" and not now! I have heard that so many times, I don't even listen to it anymore. Because the Living Word who abides in the Christian testifies that the entire Word of God - all 66 books - are for now and for you and I. Therefore, even if the elders don't pray for the church and the sick as they should - YOU DO IT!

To drive home that point, the Lord gave us the account of the man of God - Elijah - who was sent to a place of famine and a poor woman in Zarephath. 
Read the full account here from the flowing narrative of God's Word Translation:  8 Then the Lord spoke his word to Elijah: 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath (which belongs to Sidon), and stay there. I’ve commanded a widow there to feed you.”

10 He got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the town’s entrance, a widow was gathering wood. He called to her, “Please bring me a drink of water.”

CLICK HERE TO READ THE READ OF THIS MESSAGE

DAYS 1-17 ARE HERE

DAY EIGHTEEN:
VERSES:
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge...(Psalm 18:2)
PRAYER:

Most Heavenly and Holy Father, on Christ the Solid Rock I stand, ALL other ground is sinking sand. You are the Almighty, the Lord of Heaven's Armies, the Creator of All Things, the Upholder of the Universe, the Sustainer of All, the Provider, Protector and Standard of Your people! Through You, all was created by and for You and You rule over all. You uphold the righteous, You hug the loveless, You reach out to the hopeless, You guide the careless, You discipline the reckless and You grant favor to the penniless.

You reward those who bless You and pray for Your people. But You turn Your Holy Face against the hard of heart and those who reject You. You sent down fire and brimstone to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. You destroyed Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea.  You wiped out the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom and gave them to the Assyrians. Today, perversion and corruption reigns as the followers of evolution have denied the Creator and worship the creation (Romans 1:22-25). You have given then the ultimate pre-Judgment - You gave them over to themselves. The righteous see them rampaging through and destroying our family structure, the unborn and the great institutions You ordained with no brakes and no check in sight. But this is just for a time. They have a future eternity to think of and regret all of this.

But You oh God, are my deliverer. You sent Your Son the Savior to set the captives free, to deliver us from all evil. While we are set upon, beat up, pressed down, oppressed and spat upon by the lost, from the outhouse to the fanciest house, You stand there for us. You stand in the Gap as our Shield and Buckler. Your guardian angels protect us daily, even in our temporary folly.  Because You are unshakeable...because You always existed and there is none like You...because You are God before the foundation of the earth....because You are sinless, pure, holy, and good and because You see the beginning from the end, You are more than a fortress. You are a bulwark. You are to Whom we run when we seek refuge and comfort. You are to Whom we raise up our hopes and hands because You are the Fountain of Righteousness and Source of All Power! Words cannot describe You. You scoff at the scoffing pagans and heathens of this world as they shake their puny fists like Nimrod did and You can remove them by a single word. Yet You stay Your hand not wanting that any should perish. You are a merciful as well as powerful God and we love You. We worship and adore You. We magnify Your Powerful Name, Oh Lord of Heaven's Armies Who shall one day return to rule the earth, and it is in Jesus' Strong Name I pray, amen.

VERSE: Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...(Romans 8:1)

PRAYER:
HEAVENLY FATHER, HERE WE STOOD, ACCUSED BY THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN, FOUND GUILTY BY THE GOD OF HEAVEN AND DESTINED FOR DARKNESS FOREVER MORE, BUT YOU, YOU OH GOD, FATHER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, STOOD IN THE GAP BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE, AND PAID THE ULTIMATE COST, AS THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE POURED HIMSELF OUT FROM THE THRONE, THE ETERNAL THRONE TO BECOME A MAN.

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THAT ABBA FATHER, WHICH WE COULD NEVER COMPREHEND, AT LEAST ON THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN- THE VERY FACT THAT HE WHO HELD THE WORLD ON ITS FOOTINGS, WHO SPOKE THE UNIVERSE INTO CREATION, WHO FORMED ADAM FROM THE DUST AND WALKED WITH ENOCH, ABRAHAM AND MOSES - HE WOULD BE BORN UNDER THE SAME LAW HE GAVE US, THEN LIVE WITH PURPOSE AND CLARITY UNDER IT, WHILE NOT VIOLATING ONE JOT OR TITTLE OF IT. WHAT MANNER OF GOD IS HE, THE ANCIENT OF DAYS, OH MERCIFUL FATHER? WHO IS THIS KING OF GLORY, THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY? 

AND NOW,  BECAUSE HE GAVE HIS LIFE FREELY FOR OUR SAKE, FOR MY SAKE, I WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH, FOR THIS IS WHAT THE FATHER IS LOOKING FOR IN THESE LAST DAYS. I ACCEPT THE FORGIVENESS HE OFFERS ME. I ACCEPT THE REMOVAL OF THE CHARGE OF GUILTY AND THE SENTENCE OF ETERNAL DEATH.  I ACCEPT THE REMOVAL OF ALL MY GUILTY STAINS AND SINS THAT ARE NOW AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST. I NOT ONLY FREE ACCEPT THE OFFER OF THAT FORGIVENESS BUT RECEIVE IT INTO MY SPIRIT, KNOWING YOU HAVE REMOVED ME FROM THE MAJORITY OF THE CONDEMNED, YOU HAVE TAKEN ME FROM THE DOMINION OF DARKNESS INTO THE MARVELOUS LIGHT OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. THIS IS NOT JUST A PIPE DREAM OR A PROMISE YOU HAVE MADE, HEAVENLY FATHER, BUT A REALITY I LIVE RIGHT NOW, THAT WE WHO ARE CALLED BY YOUR NAME AND HAVE BEEN ADOPTED AS SONS AND DAUGHTERS ARE CURRENTLY INTEGRATED INTO!

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.

DAYS 1-15 FOUND HERE

DAY SIXTEEN:
VERSES:
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want (Psalm 23:1)

PRAYER

O most Merciful, Compassionate and Holy God, Your Name is Wonderful. Your Name is too Wonderful and being in Your Presence is too awe-inspiring to behold. I thank you for this new day of mercies, compassion and love because of Your Great Faithfulness, they never cease as You give rest and renewal to Your beloved in our sleep.

Oh Good Shepherd, we are in so grateful that You lead us, care for us, rescue us, nourish, guide and direct us. Your supernatural instincts is that none should perish, that none should be lost, that none should fall into a trap set by the foxes of this world. But Your pre-determined plan was, is and will always be for us to follow You, to stay out of the thicket of sin and to dwell in the green pastures You have ordained for Your elect, Your people.

We live in times where every one does what is right in their own eyes. We are surrounded by the false doctrine of the gods and the lost of this world who say that all religions, all systems no matter how vile, violent or void of any sort of human decency, love and mercy, those people, from the top of most so-called religious to the rulers of this world, say these things lead to You. And they are correct, these systems dreamed up by man do lead to You. They have an appointment before the Holy High Priest of Heaven and His Great White Throne when all the books are open and Judgment begins. 

But yea, though Your people are persecuted, have their churches and villages burned and their children beheaded or sold into slavery, yea, do they and too many oppressed in their spirit - those who are captives all over to world, to sin, self and satan...yea though they walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, may they fear no evil. Because by the hook of Your Shepherd's rod, we know You doth pull us out of the pit. We know that Thy Rod and Thy Staff comfort the broken-hearted; keeps the temporarily blind and disobedient from falling into a trap and keeps us moving in the direction we should go.

Thank You, heavenly Father, for Your Amazing Plan to send the Good Shepherd Jesus, for His Work, while finished on the Cross for the Salvation of the World, continues even now as He intercedes and advocates our case minute by minute before Thy Throne, since we are His flock. Father, thank You with all our hearts, that the Great Lamb of God, sacrificed and sent to us, is now the Great Shepherd of His little lambs. I would rather be one of His Sheep, following my Master, resting in the Truth of His leadership of my life, than a king or a rich man in this dirty dying world of sinful death. The Lord, He is my Shepherd, and I will never want any other, or any other thing. In that promise, I abide in my leader, and am thus, able to need nothing else, but Jesus and it is in His Name I pray, amen. Oh thank You, most Gracious God, thank You. Amen.

JOIN IN HERE DAILY: #31 DAYS OF PRAYER

VERSE:

But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.  He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked....(1 John 2:5-6)

PRAYER:

Oh Most Holy and Heavenly Father, I think You that Your Word, Oh God, is written in the Heavens. I thank You that Your Word is Truth. I thank You that Your Words will never fade or pass away and therefore, because You keep Your Word, I pledge to do my part and keep Your Word hidden in my heart and shown through my actions and deeds, that Christ lives within me. 

Lord, may Your Holy Spirit, the Spirit of all Truth, Wisdom and Understand Who keeps me permanently connected to the Eternal, fortify my will to keep Your Word of Truth firmly embedded, to keep it from shame and slander, to keep it from dishonor and degradation and to keep and guard it as jealously as You guard Your Holy Name. Your Love commands, compels and gives me confidence in Your Word to remain faithful to it, to obey it and dwell on it as our Savior did. Your Word says in Hebrews 5:7 that our Savior's prayers, cries and petitions were heard because of His piety, obedience and submission to Your Will and Yours alone.

Let us now walk in that Truth, in the Path of Persistent Obedience where He, the Lord Jesus, walked that we may too be found in Him, to the praise and glory of His Name. By this Truth we know we are His, in Him, in His Will and walking in His Ways. Lord we long to be like Jesus, and to live, walk, talk and rest in You as He did and may ALL our worship be Yours and His, throughout our lives, in the Strong and Mighty Name of King Jesus I pray, amen.

We may not have financial wealth to pass on to our children, grandchildren, and future descendants. However, author Jennifer Kennedy Dean shares in her book, The Legacy of Prayer, about a spiritual trust fund that will only increase in value. She writes, “We can leave behind for our descendants a spiritual trust that can never be stolen, squandered, or lost. We can lay up a storehouse of imperishable wealth by praying for our grandchildren and future generations. Our prayers are deposits in their spiritual trust fund and will be for withdrawals when needed.”  1    

Our descendants do not inherit salvation. Nevertheless, we can pray our descendants will live in a constant awareness of God’s presence. Be firmly established in His Word, which will prepare their hearts for the time when they are presented an opportunity to step into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.   

We read in Proverbs 14:26, “He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.” Jennifer Kennedy Dean also says, “As we seek the Lord ourselves, we are laying up treasures for future generations by the way God is reflected in our lives. As we invest in our own walk with the Lord and our prayers for our grandchildren and future generations, we are investing in eternity.”2 Now that is a great investment return all of us would enjoy seeing.   

I am happy to have the opportunity to invest in a Spiritual Trust Fund for each of my grandchildren, and now my two great-granddaughters. (One pictured above)

Let’s make Grandparents’ Day of Prayer on September 7 a day of investing prayers in the lives of our grandchildren, their parents and future generations. Help us promote this event by forwarding this blog to your friends and sharing it with your friends on Facebook.

I feel like God is waiting for us, as grandparents to unite in prayer to keep our grandchildren from falling captive to the enemy’s deception in the world they are living. I often hear grandparents say, “I may not be around very long, but I am really concerned about the future for my grandchildren.” That statement reminds me of the urgency of developing a spiritual trust fund filled with prayer for my grandchildren.  

Will you invite a group of grandparents to join you or commit to deliberately pray alone on September 7 for your dear grandchildren and their parents.

The greatest gift we can give our

children, grandchildren and future generations

is the legacy of a praying grandparent.

By Lillian Penner

National Prayer Coordinator for Christian Grandparenting Network, info@gdptpr.com

1. Jennifer Kennedy Dean, Legacy of Prayer Birmingham, New Hope Publishers,  p. 15.
2. Ibid p.48-49

  Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. ^[1]

Psalm 37:4 is a particular treasure for every believer. Have you discovered wonders as you have thought about this verse this week? I would like to hear what you discovered. Last week I focused on choosing to delight. Now I want you to see that this verse calls us to delight in the Lord Himself.

DELIGHT IN THE PERSON OF THE LORD.

We ought to rejoice in His majesty. We should rejoice in His mighty power. We should rejoice in His holiness. We should rejoice in His wonderful Grace. You have sung God Is So Good, haven’t you? He is good and gracious and lovely and majestic. He is wonderful!

DELIGHT IN THE PURPOSE OF THE LORD.

Have you ever thought what a great privilege it is for God to reveal His will to you? You may say, “But I do not know God’s will for my life.” You do not know all of it. But you know something that is God’s will for you. And as you obey what He has already shown you, He will show you more.

DELIGHT IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God dwells in your life. What is more, when we gather together as believers He is present in our fellowship. Can you imagine how the disciples felt when Jesus first appeared to them? They were locked in the upper room for fear of the authorities who had crucified Jesus when the Lord appeared in their midst. He is with us when we gather as believers. And the Holy Spirit dwelling in you ministers to me, and visa-versa. We celebrate together in His glorious presence!”

.

http://daveswatch.com/

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 232 | Wed 16 Oct 2013

* Supporting International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
* IDOP 2013: Sunday 3 November
* See http://criticalprayerrequests.blogspot.com

KAZAKHSTAN; plus CENTRAL ASIA'S COMPLEX REALITY

by Elizabeth Kendal

Bakhytzhan Kashkumbayev (aged 67 in October), a convert from Islam and pastor of Grace Church (Presbyterian) in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, was arrested in May 2013 after the mother of a church member accused him of making her adult daughter mentally ill. Charged with 'intentional inflicting of serious harm to health' - essentially for praying for the sick - Pastor Kashkumbayev was detained and sent for psychiatric assessment (see RLPB 223, 14 Aug 2013). Despite an international outcry, Pastor Kashkumbayev's detention in the Almaty City Psychological-Psychiatric Assessment Centre was twice extended. Other prisoners of conscience recently treated this way include the atheist blogger and anti-corruption campaigner Aleksandr Kharlamov (63), charged with 'inciting religious hatred' for criticising religion, and Zinaida Mukhortova (56), a lawyer deemed delusional after she filed complaints against a regional governor.

Forum 18, closely monitoring the case, reports that Pastor Kashkumbayev was transferred back to Almaty's Investigation Prison in September. Then after being released to house arrest on 8 October, he was immediately re-arrested on charges of 'extremism'. If deemed guilty, the pastor will face seven years in prison. 'Expert analysis' of the activities of Grace Church has labelled books found at the church 'extremist' and in breach of the law against inciting religious hatred and social discord. The authorities regard evangelical witness to be just as much a threat to peace and social cohesion as jihadist or revolutionary Islam because it creates problems they would rather not have. For the authorities, it is easier to deal with the problem of unwanted minority Protestants than with the problem of majority religious intolerance.

If the troublesome, witnessing Christian is a foreigner, the usual action is deportation. Vyacheslav (Victor) Lim (37) was deported in August 2013 on the grounds he had attracted eight administrative offences in eight years: traffic infringements, late payment of tax, failing to report travel, insufficient fire safety and the like. All fines were paid immediately, even those Lim disputed. Lim was accused of conducting 'illegal missionary activity' because he had been leading a local congregation of the Grace Protestant Church (Baptist) in Borovoe, north of Astana. He had been a legal resident for eight years with a residence permit valid to 2020; his wife and two children who left Kazakhstan with him were all Kazakh citizens. Kazakh human rights activist, Yevgeny Zhovtis, considers Lim was deported for his religious activities. He described it as a 'typical religious case' and a 'misuse of justice'. Russian Orthodox priest Fr Sofrony (Pyotr Yevtikheyev) was deported from Almaty Region around the same time for reasons of 'national security'. A Russian citizen, Fr Sofrony had been a legal resident since 1991. He was the priest at St Sergy's Church in the village of Tuymebayev. He also ran an orphanage there that cared for around 110 children and an aged care facility that was home to some 120 elderly people.

THE COMPLEX REALITY OF CENTRAL ASIA

Central Asia has real and serious problems. Soviet-imposed borders continue to be a major cause of ethnic tensions and peace is tenuous. Islamic jihadist and revolutionary groups agitating for an Islamic state pose a real and serious threat. Poor governance marked by widespread corruption, human rights abuses and indifference to suffering has turned many Muslims against the government and towards groups such as Hizb-ut-Tahrir which present Islam as the solution. Whilst the laws against 'extremism' and 'inciting religious hatred' were designed to target the Islamic threat, they are routinely abused to intimidate disgruntled Muslims and persecute witnessing Protestants. That the West is seen to be siding with jihadists further complicates the states' relationship with Protestants. Protestants in Uzbekistan have long suffered harassment, repression, arrests and the confiscation of property. Also as noted by Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL, 4 October), the government in Kyrgyzstan has recently proposed tightening the administrative punishment (i.e. no trial necessary) for 'illegal missionary activity' and 'religious propaganda'. The proposed law would ban collecting tithes, the propagation of religion in educational facilities and religious conversions.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL -

* intervene on behalf of Pastor Kashkumbayev and end the persecution of him and Grace Church; may the Lord have mercy on this family and this fellowship of believers; may justice be done.

* intervene for Pastor Lim and provide him and his family with everything they need, particularly a secure place of refuge and a divine appointment where they can witness to the Lord's goodness.

* intervene in Kyrgyzstan to stop the highly repressive, punitive and retrograde amendments to the religion law; may the Holy Spirit infiltrate any debate about religious liberty and use it to open eyes, minds and hearts.

* raise up righteous, wise leaders in Central Asia who will address the real and serious issues of ethnic tension, Islamic jihadist and revolutionary movements, corruption, poverty and hardship while upholding religious liberty and confronting religious intolerance. (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

* empower great and effectual Christian ministry and witness in Central Asia; may the Holy Spirit bring transforming revival to Central Asia. 'Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!' (Psalm 126:5 ESV)


SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE

KAZAKHSTAN AND CENTRAL ASIA'S COMPLEX REALITY

Pastor Kashkumbayev (66) of Grace Church in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, was arrested in May 2013 for allegedly harming health, ostensibly by praying for the sick. He spent months detained in a psychiatric facility before being returned to prison in mid-September. On 8 October Kashkumbayev was released to house arrest only to be re-arrested immediately on charges of 'extremism'. If deemed guilty he faces seven years in prison alongside Islamic 'extremists'. Islamic jihadist and revolutionary movements are a real and serious threat in Central Asia. Anti-terror and anti-incitement laws intended to target the Islamic threat are being abused to intimidate the desperate masses and persecute 'troublesome', witnessing Protestants. Kyrgyzstan is proposing a law to ban missionary activity, religious educational facilities and religious conversion. Please pray for the Church in Central Asia.


To view this RLPB with hyperlinks or to access RLPB and RLM archives, visit the Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin blog at http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com

We suggest that churches and fellowships using the Summary above might also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their worship by people who are leading in prayer.

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.

Elizabeth Kendal is the author of  'Turn Back the Battle: Isaiah speaks to Christians today' 
(Deror Books, Dec. 2012) http://turnbackthebattle.com/thebook.html

Elizabeth is Adjunct Research Fellow in the Centre for the Study of Islam and Other Faiths at the Melbourne School of Theology. She is Director of Advocacy for Christian Faith & Freedom based in Canberra, Australia.

If this bulletin was forwarded to you, you may receive future weekly issues direct by sending a blank email

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"The Holy Spirit is orchestrating a global prayer strategy in these very days. It will far eclipse any other prayer movement in Church history. The Holy Spirit is equipping the Church to partner with Jesus' intercessory prayer ministry at the right hand of the Father. The end result is the great harvest of souls being added to the Kingdom of God. The number of people coming to Jesus at the present hour across the nations is unprecedented in history. I believe this will continue to increase numerically and in both power and intensity." Mike Bickle

What is truly significant about the days we are living in? The Gospel is spreading and more people are passionate about loving Jesus than at any other time in history. Before our very eyes Biblical prophecy is being fulfilled which is hastening the return of the Lord.  

In the last thirty-five years, we have seen Latin America emerge from being a mission field to becoming a mission base. We were there with the ship, M.V. Doulos in the late 70’s and early 80’s, sowing seeds of missionary vision as we preached the Gospel. Other nations like Korean have also become great missionary bases. We were there in 1991 and had the privilege of participating in sowing a vision into Korea for missions. Now they are all over the world! Joining them are other nations like the Philippines, Singapore, China, Malaysia and Indonesia. 

The Great Commission is no longer a western pursuit; it is owned by the global body of Christ. Prayer is going viral! 

It is not that the Church didn’t pray before; it’s just that the intensity, longevity and quantity of prayer has multiplied. Statistics reveal that prayer movements and Houses of Prayer are springing up in many cities around the world and in some remarkable places. Someone recently commented that France is teaming with newly formed Houses of Prayer. In Gibraltar, a House of Prayer has begun. In Malaga, Spain there is the formation of a House of Prayer. Throughout Spain, once the most spiritually needy country in the world, there are at least four national prayer networks. We know of Germans, Dutch, British, etc... Added to that is the Global Day of Prayer, prayer in prisons, prayer in orphanages, old people, young people, pastors... hearing the invitation to day and night prayer leading to the second coming of the Lord. 

"Jesus is not coming back to a prayerless Church, rather to one enjoying mature bridal partnership with Him in intercession for the great harvest. The church will complete the Great Commission reaching to all 255 nations in the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 24:14). This strategic plan of the Holy Spirit will reach a crescendo before the Lord returns, as the bowls of intercession will become full in heaven." Mike Bickle

24/7 prayer has taken a high priority in many places. In Kansas City, the International House of Prayer celebrates fourteen years of day and night prayer. The IHOP is web-streamed across the globe and watched by believers under some of the most oppressive governments. The model has spurred others to day and night seeking the Lord in places like Fredricksburg, Virginia; Atlanta, Georgia; Orlando, Florida; and more. Prayer rooms are being established in churches throughout the world.

Not only are we praying but we are praying in unity. God is uniting a powerful prayer movement worldwide. In a supernatural way, He is connecting all of us. He is realigning ministries and people—He is teaching us to celebrate one another’s victories—He is orchestrating strategic shifts and realign-ments. We have seen all denominations come together to seek the Lord as one—charismatic and non-Charismatic, Gentile and Jew, white and black, young and old. 

Denominations and Christian organizations have started prayer watches. The Salvation Army in Australia and in England started praying 24/7 for a week in 52 of their branches with immediate results. YWAM, with sixteen bases in Western Europe, set aside an entire year where each base took responsibility for a week, filling the whole year with day and night prayer. In 2005, thirteen denominations and Christian organizations in England alone started filling the whole year with 24/7 prayer. Several prisons in Argentina have established 24/7 365-day prayer watches where the inmates pray for their families, communities, their country, fellow inmates, and the world. Inmates are converted and change their lifestyle. Breakthroughs are happening in the prisons.

The marriage of missions and prayer took on a new level in 2008 when leaders of the prayer movement joined together with leaders of the missions movements at the Orlando Call2All. Now we are sending intercessory missionaries who are settling in spiritually needy places with the goals to pray for breakthroughs. These intercessors are made up of former Muslims, Hindus as well as westerners; young and old.

The vision to “restore the Tabernacle of David” as mentioned in Amos 9:11 and Acts 16 is coming to pass. It was originally commanded by God to David to honor the Lord. David spared no time or expense in providing materials, singers, musicians, instruments, gold, silver and plans, as well as lavishly sacrificing livestock by the tens of thousands! In the acts of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, we see that every king who leads God’s people in extravagant worship and prayer, prospered under the hand of God because the Name and presence of God was there. The demise of the Tabernacle where God’s name and presence was revealed was the demise of the nation. The re-establishment of it meant blessings and power. 

Prayer itself is emerging from being simply a time to make requests to an exciting adventure of gazing upward and looking for declaration of the beauty, strength and wonder of the Lord. Indeed, saints and angels throughout eternity will never tire of beholding the beauty of the infinite Creator God-Man! The heavenly throne room is the model of what we believers will be doing for eternity. In the last few verses of the Bible, in John’s end-times Revelation, we hear what the Church will be crying before the return of her Bride-groom, “The Spirit and the Bride say COME!”  

We are in for exciting days! We are in for difficult days. The two will go hand-and-hand and the Church, through her amazement with the beauty and fidelity of the Lord, will rise triumphant.  

The only condition that is to give worldwide power to this Gospel is prayer, and the spread of the Gospel will depend on prayer. The energy that is to give it marvelous momentum and conquering power over all its malignant and powerful foes is the energy of prayer… But mighty prayer is the one great spiritual force that will enable the Lord Jesus Christ to enter into full possession of His kingdom, and secure for Him the heathen as His inheritance and the uttermost part of the earth for His possession." E. M. Bounds

What is truly significant about these days? We are here to prepare the way for the Lord to return and take His throne in Jerusalem from where He will eliminate His enemies and reign supreme. It is happening before our eyes. While none of us can set a date we can see and hear what the Lord reveals in Scripture, the signs are clearer than predicting the weather. We know that the Gospel will go to all the nations first. This is happening. Then we’ll also see the rise of such evil that there will be no days comparable since the beginning of time. Many will be martyred for following Jesus. All nations will hate us. But there will be signs, wonders and miracles and such an unveiling of God’s power that even Mose’s signs in Egypt will pale in compar-ison.

It's time for all of us to become part of this worldwide prayer movement!

"Isaiah the prophet had a lot to say about this global prayer movement. He described a time when God's people worldwide will experience unusual grace and authority in prayer. He summarized this by declaring; God will name His Church a “house of prayer”. This prophetic naming is in itself a promise of functioning in grace empowered prayer. Imagine naming the Church a “praying church”. All over the earth, it will become common to hear of intercessory worship ministries that continue non-stop, 24 hours a day. God has established in the genetic code a passion to reach “all nations”. It will result in bringing the outcasts of the earth to Jesus (Isaiah 56:8). These 24-hour-a-day prayer ministries are vital to reaching the cities in the 10/40 window." Mike Bickle 

If you are interested in building the House of Prayer in your city, read my book 24/7 Prayer Arise: Building the House of Prayer in Your City. It is  a 288 page book about everything from A-Z that relates to Houses of Prayer. For a 20% discount, use PL6G7Y59 in checkout. See Intercessors Arise facebook page for daily encouragement in your prayer life. 

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:

 As Veteran's day approaches, we are reminded of our military families and those who have served our country in the military. There are many U.S. troops in our military deployed all over the world leaving families back home and don’t hear the laughter of their loved ones. They only have memories of their loved ones and long for the time they will be back home again. Many times their families see the importance of their mission but the remaining parents, spouse and children struggle with many issues, miss their family member, and often feel abandoned.

Here are suggestions to pray for those in the military and their families.

1. Protection and safety for our troops as they currently patrol the war torn areas.
2. Pray for a covering of protection  over their families left behind. The numbers of spouses who leave a marriage because of the stresses of long-term deployment and repeated      deployments is staggering. The impact this has on the kids is beyond imagination.
3. Pray for grandparents of these military kids left behind to provide spiritual covering, encouragement, and intentional ministry of hope in Christ. The grandparents also need our prayers as they also face the uncertainty and anxiety of their sons, daughters and possibly grandchildren in potential danger daily.
4. Pray for the witness and powerful presence of God for the troops who are followers of Christ among the unbelievers where they are stationed. Pray for the local friendships that they develop, that they will be able to build relationships and have opportunities to share the Gospel in ways and places that no other missionaries would be able to do. Pray that these troops would be the sweet fragrance of Christ among these peoples.

Happy Veteran's Day to all those who have served our country.

By Lillian Penner       

In the beginnings of a year we often make plans for what we will do and where we wish to go in a year or a lifetime. But our own plans will not do. We need God’s plans. He alone knows the way of significance for your life. Last week I wrote to you about listening to God. This week I want to talk to you about obeying what God has told you.

It is foolish to ask God to reveal His plans to you, when you are showing yourself to be a poor manager of what He has already shown you. When you need a personal word from God, ask Him to remind you of what He has already told you. You may need God to change your heart or give you the courage and ability to obey what He has already shown you.

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

 It is only 58 days until Sunday, September  8, 2013. I would like to share with you why Grandparents' Day of Prayer is a significant day for me, if you have missed hearing about it.

I greatly appreciate the legacy passed on in my family as ancestors modeled their walk with the Lord and invested their prayers in my life. In response, God gave me a passion of praying for my grandchildren and for sharing this passion with other grandparents, so they, too, can share the joy and rewards of intercessory pray for their grandchildren.

When I found National Grandparents Day was the second Sunday in September, the thought came to me that it would be a good day to proclaim as Grandparents Day of Prayer. It would be a good time to encourage grandparents to unite in prayer for their grandchildren.

Since our nation and our world are in moral and spiritual decline, we are in a battle for the minds and hearts of our dear grandchildren. The enemy is trying to steal their lives and the plans God has for them, especially the family unit.

However, God values all of us including our grandchildren enough to send his son to die for them. As grandparents, we can stand in the GAP with prayer for them to allow their hearts to be tender and teachable to God's Word and recognize the deception of the world and guard their hearts. It is urgent that we stand in the gap to pray for their spiritual, emotional, and physical protection and their parents so they do not become victims of our culture.

For that reason, I am encouraging you to participate and invite your friends to join in prayer with for grandparents throughout the worldwide on Grandparents Day of Prayer on September 8 in your home or in your church.

Things you can do now:

• If you are on Facebook go to https://www.facebook.com/GrandparentDayOfPrayer?ref=hl to "like" the page, you will receive additional information in the Facebook frequent posts.
• You can also sign up for a "Free download" of a chapter from the book "Grandparenting with a Purpose."
• To learn more about this special event go to   http://www.gocgn.com/day-of-prayer
• Tell your friends about Grandparents' Day of Prayer on September 8.

May God grant you favor in your grandparenting,

Lillian Penner, Prayer Coordinator, lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net