Pray Network Forum

Finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble.

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

Have you thought about praying for the many adults who influence your grandchildren? Are the adults involved in your grandchildren’s lives good role models?

Adults who have influence on your grandchildren may be their other grandparents, teachers, principal, coaches, carpool or bus drivers, Sunday school teachers, children’s directors, pastors, youth leaders, neighbors, scout leaders, extra-curricular activity teachers, doctors, etc. Many other adult influences indirectly affect our grandchildren, including elected and appointed officials, (local, state, and federal), TV producers, developers of electronic games, musicians, textbook authors, members of the media, fashion designers, etc.

Ask your grandchildren for their teachers’ names, and, if possible, meet their teachers and others involved in their lives so you know for whom you are praying. It makes praying more personal if you have an opportunity to tell them you are praying for them or you can send a note.

Dear Father,

• I pray the adult influences of my grandchild will always speak the truth, model lives of integrity to the children, and transport the children safely, looking out for the children’s best interest.
• I pray they will make the children feel safe, protecting them from verbal, emotional, and physical abuse.
• I pray they will be encouragers to the children, live blameless lives, do what is right, and speak the truth with a sincere heart.

                                          In Jesus’ name, Amen

Taken from "Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren".

http://www.grandparentingwithapurpose.com/2013/09/pray-for-the-adult-influences-on-your-grandchildren/

“Prayer is of transcendent importance, for it is the mightiest agent to advance God’s work… Prayer has won great victories and has rescued, with notable triumph, God’s saints when every other hope was gone. Men who know how to pray are the greatest blessings God can give to earth—they are the richest gift earth can offer heaven. Men who know how to use this weapon of prayer are God’s best soldiers, His mightiest leaders.” E. M. Bounds

Those who are truly listening to the Lord would agree that we are at an urgent hour in history. The greatest thing the enemy would desire of us at this time would be to miss the urgency of the hour by putting our attention on secondary matters. 

We are in a season where we have a significant role in touching the nations deeply through our watchful prayers.

God’s watchmen in prayer see into the distance, observe what is happening, and lean forward in prayer. Sometimes they see with eyes of discernment, and at other times they may see things way in advance. God gives them insight in order to intercede. The Greek word for “watch” means, “to be vigilant, wake, to be watchful.”
 

"A watchman on the wall does many things. He carefully watches what is happening and alerts the community when good ambassadors approach the city… A watchman also warns the city far in advance when an enemy approaches. He sounds an alarm to awaken the people because he knows ‘to forewarn them is to alert and arm them.’ Then they quickly can rally to take their stand on the wall against the enemy before he wrongfully tries to enter into the city.” James Goll

We must give ourselves to watchful prayer, and we must encourage all Christians to do likewise. We are not living in days of peace, but there is an intense spiritual war that we are facing that cannot be ignored. As we read the newspaper or listen to the news, we find problems of such a great magnitude that only God can be the solution. The situation in Syria and Egypt, the threat of war, and the increase in disasters, human trafficking, and so much more is an urgent call to steadfast and watchful prayer.

Even though many Christians may not realize it, the seriousness of the hour all over the world is just as urgent as it was after that terrorist attack in 2001 in the U.S. This week is the 12th anniversary of 9/11. We need to ask ourselves, "Have we changed since this terrible attack on America? Have we as a nation sought after the Lord in deep repentance? The answer is no; we have not. We've sought to rebuild without a deep repentance and a wholehearted turning to the Lord. This warning is not only for America, but for all nations. 

We who are followers of Jesus and His Kingdom need to prioritize prayer now, both personally and corporately. We must unit and come to the Lord in repentance and fasting. The following are adapted parts of a letter I wrote shortly after 9/11 that stresses the urgent call to watchful prayer:

Extravagant, united, and watchful prayer will bring tremendous breakthrough in the heavens that have been hindered in the past by satanic opposition. Corporate prayer will make the reaching of souls easier and with much greater fruitfulness. Fervent united prayer will bring days of harvest in nations that have previously been closed to the Gospel message. Intercessory leader and author, James Goll, stress the need for a united prayer force. He says:

"May a united prayer force arise in this hour across the body of Christ to make history before the throne of God and build up a wall of protection against the forces of evil. Let the light of God's power and love permeate this present darkness and may His glory shine from sea to shining sea."

We are now at a gate, a place where we have to face the reality of the days we are living in. We can stay where we are and do nothing or we as Christians can rise up, prioritize united, watchful prayer and come to a new door of opportunity—a place of advancement—a pathway to enlargement and harvest. Nation after nation is facing feelings of uncertainty, fear, and hopelessness. But you and I can rise up at this very time with the greatest weapon of all, prayer, and see God do mighty, supernatural things right in our midst. God can turn around the downward course of any nation and bring revival, but we need to be persistent in repentant and watchful prayer.

Look at what God did during World War II when an intercessor in Great Britian changed the course of history through prayer. Rees Howells, a powerful intercessor wrote in his diary on September 12, 1940:

"We prayed last night that London would be defended and that the enemy would fail to break through, and God answered prayer. Unless God can get hold of this devil and bind him, no man is safe. If we have protection for our properties, why not get protection for the country? What wonderful days these are."

Paul’s Urgent Watchfulness in Prayer

"Without persistence, prayers may go unanswered. Importunity is made up of the ability to hold on, to continue, to wait with relaxed and unrelaxable grasp, restless desire, and restful patience. Importunate prayer is not an incidental occurrence, but the main thing; not a performance, but a passion; not an option, but a necessity." E. M. Bounds

The Apostle Paul is one of our great example of persistent and watchful prayer. Even though he was extremely busy, he prioritized the urgent call to watchful and persevering prayer for the churches. He believed in the power of God to answer prayer even in the most difficult situations. Look at his example. He prayed continually, watchfully, and unceasingly night and day for the churches. Paul did not give up.

• "God… is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times" (Romans 1:9).
• "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" (Romans 12:12).
• "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers" (Ephesians 1:16).
• "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for you, I always pray with joy…" (Phil. 1:3-4).
• "Praying always for you" (Colossians 1:3, NASB).
• "For this reason since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you" (Col. 1:9).
• "Night and day we pray most earnestly" (1 Thessalonians 3:10).
• "With this in mind, we constantly pray for you" (2 Thessalonians 1:11). 
• I thank God… as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers (2 Timothy 1:3).
  
  

God is inviting you to enter into urgent watchfulness in prayer. His heart is that we would be watchful in our prayers. The Holy Spirit is the only one who can arrest our attention and shut down our busyness so that we can hear His urgent call for fervent prayer. Nobody can touch our hearts with a burning vision and a determination to see God’s Kingdom come on earth unless it is born by the Holy Spirit. History belongs to the intercessors. Let us watch the Gospel advance as we pray.

The following is a prayer alert given by 4 well-known intercessory leaders in America. See this urgent call for prayer for the U.S., Israel, and the Middle East. There is a wake-up call throughout the nations—urgent days calls for urgent and watchful prayer. Let us arise as God's watchmen for such an hour as this.

Join or like my Intercessors Arise International Facebook Page for regular prayer quotes, international prayer alerts, and motivation in prayer. This is the 12th anniversary of Intercessors Arise! It started one week after 9/11. You may want to watch this powerful video called Intercession.  

"If men would pray as they ought to pray, the marvels of the past would be more than reproduced. The Gospel would advance with a facility and power it has never known. Doors would be thrown open to the Gospel, and the Word of God would have a conquering force rarely if every known before." E. M. Bounds  

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

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!

I want to thank you for your awesome response with the "likes" on this Grandparents Day of Prayer fan page. Your response has reached thousands of people resulting in over 1,300 "likes" on this page, which is fantastic. Your comments and sharing with your friends has been remarkable.

I hope the Grandparents' Day of Prayer was a meaningful experience for you. I am praying the future posts on this page will encourage and support you as you intentionally pray and grandparent your grandchildren. I would also, appreciate it if you will continue to share the posts with your friends.

Would you comment on this post or send me an email message to let me know how you participated on September 8, Grandparents' Day of Prayer in your church or with your friends?

Make everyday a Grandparent's Day of Prayer for your grandchildren.

Lillian Penner, Day of Prayer Coordinator. lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

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.

I look up toward the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth!

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 227 | Wed 11 Sep 2013

PERSECUTION AT UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS -
         intercessory prayer is integral to the spiritual battle 

by Elizabeth Kendal

The Body of Christ is suffering so much violence and trauma these days that when it comes to choosing a focus for prayer, it is difficult to know where to start. For example on 30 August eleven Laos families (50 people) were expelled from their village and sent out into the bush for refusing to renounce Christ. On 1 September nine Catholics were massacred by Fulani Muslim gunmen in Nigeria's Kaduna State. On 4 September jihadists killed eight Syrian soldiers before seizing control of the Aramaic-speaking, Christian village of Maaloula in western Syria. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

* CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (CAR) is one situation the world is ignoring which requires persistent, enduring prayer.

On 6 September the UN expressed alarm at the continuing violence in CAR, a French-speaking predominantly Christian state that has been seized by a coalition of local and foreign Arabic-speaking Islamic rebels. UN investigators report that whole villages have been burnt and abandoned. Massive displacement has resulted in widespread hunger and soaring rates of malaria - a serious humanitarian crisis unfolding. Rebel leader and self-proclaimed president Michel Djotodia cannot pay the Islamic militants who brought him to power, so he is content to let them fend for themselves, leaving them free to rape, kill and loot with impunity. Whilst Muslim villages are being spared, the Church is being targeted with all the religious hatred that the militants can muster. Pastor Gerald Bomana, the leader of an evangelical church in Bangui, was in his church office when it was thoroughly looted by a band of rebels. He was shocked and saddened to see his own neighbour amongst the looters. On 27 August between 5000 and 6000 civilians fled violence and sought refuge at the Bangui M'Poko International Airport which was being protected by 400 French troops. However, the French troops told them that protecting civilians was not part of their mandate. Eventually the displaced and traumatised civilians were 'evacuated' so that flights could resume.

Two other situations where known believers are being targeted require immediate, urgent prayer.

* AFGHANISTAN - INDIA: In RLPB 221(30 July) prayer was requested for Afghan converts, in particular the Afghan Christian refugees in the growing Afghan Church in New Delhi, India. As reports emerge about the growth of Christianity among Afghans, Afghan MPs are issuing fresh calls for Islamic laws mandating death for apostates to be implemented. When MP Nazir Ahmad Hanafi recently raised the issue in the Afghan Parliament, parliamentary speaker Abdul Rauf Rahimi ordered the country's national security services to take serious steps to stop the spread of Christianity. Furthermore, lawmaker Abdul Sattar Khawasi demanded that the Afghan government pressure the Indian authorities to provide a list of Afghans who have converted to Christianity there. We must pray for Pastor Obaid S Christ, the pastor of the 250-strong protestant Afghan Church in New Delhi. Not only is it reported he has received threats from the Afghan Embassy in New Delhi, but over ten consecutive nights around the end of August, Afghan media broadcast images of the pastor, calling for him to be killed.

* SOMALIA: On 9 September Morning Star News reported on the martyrdom of Christian wife and mother Fatuma Isak Elmi (35). It also reported the kidnapping of 13-year-old Mustaf Hassan who has already lost two Christian relatives to al-Shabaab. Last year Mustaf's parents, Hassan Mohammed and Farhio Omar, were threatened because they were Christians. While they went into hiding, so Mustaf could continue his schooling he went to live with a Muslim relative in Marka District. On 3 September Mustaf was kidnapped by al-Shabaab while walking home from school. There has been no ransom demand, leading observers to suspect that al-Shabaab is trying to draw Mustaf's parents out of hiding.


PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT -

* our ever-present faithful God will comfort the hearts of persecuted and threatened believers everywhere, sustaining their faith and drawing them into prayer.

* Christians in Central African Republic (CAR) will know that while they are being persecuted they are not being abandoned (2 Cor 4:9) - not by God nor by the Church; may the Lord of Hosts intervene in CAR. 'When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. This I know, that God is for me.' (Psalm 56:3,9c ESV)

* God will preserve, sustain and build his Afghan Church, protecting Afghan believers, including those who are refugees, and providing all their needs. May our sovereign faithful God be a shield and strong fortress to Pastor Obaid in New Delhi and that all plots against him will fail. 'The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.' (Proverbs 18:10 ESV)

* God, who is both a compassionate Father and consuming fire, will intervene on behalf of Mustaf Hassan and his parents, Hassan Mohammed and Farhio Omar, and that this faithful family will be reunited; may those who seek to destroy the Church find themselves destroyed. (Isaiah 40:10,11)

'I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.' (Matthew 16:18 ESV)


SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE

PERSECUTION AT UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS

The Body of Christ today is suffering a degree of persecution not seen previously in our lifetime. In Central African Republic a serious humanitarian crisis is unfolding as the predominantly Christian population suffers terror at the hands of Islamic rebels. Afghan converts risk death not only in Afghanistan but also in India (where there is an Afghan church in New Delhi) because Afghan media is inciting violence against them. In Somalia, al-Shabaab routinely kills Somali converts. Mustaf (13), who has already lost two Christian relatives to al-Shabaab, was recently kidnapped by militants seeking to draw his Christian parents out of hiding. Jesus promised: 'I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.' (Matthew 16:18) Intercessory prayer is integral to the spiritual battle. Please pray.


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 to

join-rlpb@hub.xc.org

In Isaiah 62:6, God says He has divinely placed His passionate and persistent Watchmen on the walls of a particular city for His eternal purposes.

Is there an actual city called Jerusalem? Not a metaphor, but an actual piece of real estate in this world today called Jerusalem? We know that there is, so God may just be speaking about THAT particular piece of land in Israel!

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.”  

Now this is not some wild stretch of the imagination because Scripture clearly reveals that the city of Jerusalem is a priority to God!

How do we know it’s a priority?

First, God inspired the writers of Scripture to mention Jerusalem 767 times in the Bible (KJV version); 626 times in the Old Testament and 141 times in the New Testament. As we well know, God’s word is never in vain; it always fulfills His purposes. (Isaiah 55:11). The most common reason for repetition in the Bible is to emphasize something that is really important to God. What is dear to God’s heart should be important for us to both hear and respond to. You see in the Hebrew culture, “hearing,” the Word of God, was synonymous with living out the appropriate action to His Word. One could not truly “hear” without “doing,” so God wants believers to do something regarding Jerusalem!

Secondly, Jerusalem was so important to God that He attached His Own Name to that city- not just once, but repeatedly.  In the Bible, He calls Jerusalem the City of God (Psalm 46:4), The City of The Lord (Isaiah 60:14), My Holy Mountain or The Holy Mountain of God (Isaiah 11:9;Isa. 56:7; Isa. 57:13; Isa. 66:20; Ezekiel 20;40; Daniel 9:16; Daniel 9:20; Joel 2:1;Joel 3:17; Zephaniah 3:11, Zechariah 8:3),The Mountain of the Lord of Hosts (Zechariah 8:3), The Throne of the Lord (Jeremiah 3:17), The Zion of The Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 60:14), and the City of the Great King…i.e., Jesus (Psalm 48:2; Matthew 5:35). And when God calls Jerusalem by other names, He still reveals His affection and love by calling her: The City of Joy ( Jer. 49:25), The City of Praise (Jer. 49:25), The City of Peace (Heb. 7:2), Great Among the Nations (Lam. 1:1), and The Perfection of Beauty ( Lam. 2:15).

The quantity of Scripture, related to Jerusalem, reveals how significant it is to God’s heart and His future purposes for it. He cares about what is happening in Jerusalem right now, and what will happen there in the future.

We are Christians who have been, “grafted into the Covenant of Abraham.” We may read the promises to Jerusalem, as though “Jerusalem” meant our city or our churches here in America. That’s not wrong to do, BUT we should always remember that the personal application of Scripture, to our lives, should never deny the primary one, which was to Jerusalem. His mandates and promises for “Jerusalem” are first and foremost, to the very real city of the same name, and His Word and promises are still true to that city. This is why believers from every tongue, tribe and nation participate in the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem each year. Check it out!

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

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.

Countdown to Grandparents' Day of Prayer on September 8.

During our promotion of the Grandparents' Day of Prayer, many people have indicated an interested in starting a Grandparents@Prayer prayer group. They see the need to continue upholding their grandchildren with prayer in our troubled world, where a godly lifestyle is challenged.

You may ask what is a Grandparents@Prayer (G@P) prayer group.
• The purpose is to call grandparents around the world to intentionally and regularly gather to intercede in prayer for their grandchildren, children and communities.
• The goal is to encourage and provide resources that help grandparents become intentional prayer warriors on behalf of their grandchildren through personal discipline of intercessory prayer in the battle against the enemy.
• G@P groups consist of small or large groups of people meeting once or twice a month for approximately one hour at a designated location for guided prayer and fellowship.

As grandparents, we can make a difference in the world by praying regularly and deliberately for our grandchildren and their parents. It is our responsibility to powerfully touch the lives of another generation for eternity through prayer.

I can testify that joining in prayer with other grandparents for my grandchildren is a blessing for me.
For additional information go to http://www.christiangrandparenting.net/prayer or email
me at lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

Will you join grandparents worldwide to get involved in a Grandparents@Prayer group?

Lillian Penner, Prayer Coordinator, Christian Grandparentiing Network

Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 226 | Wed 04 Sep 2013

CHRISTIAN REFUGEES AND THE CASE OF RABEEL FROM PAKISTAN; plus SYRIA

by Elizabeth Kendal

All genuine rescue operations are discriminatory, with the weakest and most vulnerable being rescued first. A refugee policy that is 'non-discriminatory' is a policy that has been corrupted with populist politics and political correctness. Non-discriminatory refugee policies actually compound the discrimination already being suffered by the weakest, most vulnerable, marginalised and persecuted peoples in the world. Imagine if a non-discriminatory policy were imposed on a rescue service: the strong would jostle for position while the weak would die waiting. No civilised state would accept such a scenario. Yet this is exactly what a non-discriminatory refugee policy produces.

Rabeel (21) is the eldest of five children of Christian parents. A bright, dedicated scholar and strong Christian, he was studying Veterinary Medicine at Jhang University in Lahore, Pakistan, when on 26 August 2012, he travelled to Lahore to submit his application for a renewal of his Merit Scholarship. He travelled with his trusted friend, fellow student Hammad-ul-Rahman, a Muslim. When her son did not return or contact home after two days, Rabeel's mother grew concerned.

As a Pakistani Christian, Rabeel was no stranger to persecution. However, as is commonly the case, the persecution escalated dramatically at university where, as a high achiever, he was under constant pressure to convert to Islam. Unbeknown to Rabeel, Hammad - who had been a friend since High School days - secretly had become actively involved with the Islamic terror group, Lashkar-e-Taiba. Instead of travelling to Lahore with Rabeel, Hammad handed him over to Lashkar-e-Taiba. Rabeel was in the terror group's custody for three days, during which time he was plied with drugs, beaten, electrocuted and pack-raped as the militants sought to convert him to Islam and use him in a terror attack against the West. On 29 August 2012 Gujranwala District Police Station informed Rabeel's parents that they had Rabeel in custody and that if the family did not collect him soon they would be sending him to a psychiatric facility as he was clearly out of his mind. Rabeel's family rushed to his aid.

After three local hospitals refused to treat him because he was a Christian and marked by Lashkar-e-Taiba, the family sought help from an expensive private hospital in Lahore. In its Intensive Care Unit, Rabeel slowly improved. Though he was discharged on 9 September 2012, Rabeel was still severely traumatised and his behaviour grew increasingly erratic. Eventually he stopped eating and began self-harming. By 18 October Rabeel was admitted to a public hospital. On 22 October two jeeps arrived at the hospital and a mob of Lashkar-e-Taiba militants stormed in, accompanied by police. Rabeel, his family and the hospital staff were threatened with death if they dared file charges or issue medical reports. Rabeel had to leave the hospital and the family went into hiding. With the militants hunting them and using Rabeel's mobile SIM card to make threatening calls, the family fled abroad. They have been languishing in a refugee camp for some 10 months now with relatives in Australia providing aid. They are going through the official UNHCR channels and waiting. However, Rabeel is fading and is not eating. If this family is not rescued soon, then Rabeel may well die waiting.


PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL -

* intervene and in grace and power expedite the rescue of this Christian family who have lost everything due to violent persecution.

* bring healing to Rabeel's body and mind and comfort and strength to the whole family.

* intervene on behalf of all Christian refugees whose lives are imminently imperilled but who struggle to make claims because they lack medical records and police reports (because as persecuted Christians they simply cannot get them).

'You have taken up my cause, O Lord; you have redeemed my life. You have seen the wrong done to me, O Lord; judge my cause.' (Lamentations 3:58,59 ESV)

* change the thinking of Western policy makers, so that they will recognise that, in these days of escalating sectarianism, Islamic radicalisation, religious persecution and impunity, persecuted religious minorities require priority consideration.

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE:

CHRISTIAN REFUGEE FROM PAKISTAN NEEDS URGENT PRAYER

As a strong Christian, high achieving university student in Lahore, Rabeel (21) faced constant pressure to convert to Islam. As he resisted, persecution escalated. Eventually, a trusted Muslim friend betrayed Rabeel to the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Over three days, Rabeel was plied with drugs, beaten, electrocuted and pack-raped as the militants sought to convert him to Islam and use him in a terror attack against the West. When his family found him, Rabeel was horribly wounded and severely traumatised. As a Christian marked by Lashkar-e-Taiba, it proved not only difficult to get medical treatment but impossible to get medical reports and police support. Forced to flee, this family of seven has been languishing in a refugee camp for the past 10 months; Rabeel is fading. Please pray.


* SYRIA - Update

The only reason there are Christians surviving in Syria today is because they are being protected by the Syrian Arab Army in government-held areas. Because the rebels have surrounded and blockaded these areas, Western Christian aid groups have spent the last year or so funnelling in aid to help them survive. If the US attacks Syria, the protection provided by the Syrian Army will be greatly reduced, at least for a time. This could well open the floodgates for rebel invasions of Christian areas. On 3 September the Deputy UN Envoy to Syria, Mokhtar Lamani, commented that sectarianism is now so serious that the risk of genocide is real. Please pray for God's intervention.


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.

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If we're honest with ourselves, we've all Tivoed God (placed our endeavors, schedules, concerns, plans, etc.) ahead of God's in a specific moment in time.  It happened to me a number of times this past week. 

It's not pleasant to realize when one's put God off for their own selfish desires, schedule, or busyness.  Often, what God planned to do or share in that moment is lost.  Other times, He may offer a window of grace for us to repent and immediately follow Him in His prompting.  God is working to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ- so sometimes the lesson is best learned through us realizing our error, but also losing the blessing we may have received as a result of our delayed obedience.  Tough lesson!

Lord, today I seek your face to worship You, thank you, and honor you.  Show me any thing or way within me that obstructs your Spirit from filling me fully.  I desire to place You and your ways before mine.  Align my thoughts, schedule, plans, and desires with yours today- and help me to pray, meet you, and others at the exact times you've set aside.  You are faithful and will give me the words, thoughts, and actions in those moments as I humble myself before You.  I'm sorry for selfishly Tivo-ing you and your Spirit's promptings.  I desire to better hear your voice and respond to Your Spirit's quickening of my heart, mind, and life.  It's You I long to glorify.  Not myself or my ways any longer.  You are my Lord, King, Shepherd, and Savior.  Thank you for first loving me and drawing me to Yourself through faith.  Help me to hear and seek you every moment of this day.  You, alone are my Lord, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Hi from the UK, I would like to say how sad it is that Church leaders think that people coming to Church can not listen and consentrate for more than 20 to 25 mins on Sunday services. It is after all one day a week when we go and pray give praises to our Lord Jesus and here the word spoken for us to learn and understand the Bible and the ways off our Lord.

maybe I am differant but I injoy hearing the storys  through the Bible and some body explaning them to me . has anyone anything to say and is this the same in your Country, please let me know

Alan

When we were first approached by a young Christian mom with a vision in early April with the possibility of bringing the national prayer movement - God Belongs in My City (GBIMC), we were rightly inspired and gung-ho about the opportunity to participate in a growing national/worldwide movement which had its roots in a New York City subway! GBIMC sprung from the hearts of a youth group who happened to see a poster in the NYC subway system from 

American Atheists which said “A Million New Yorkers Are Good without God. Are You?" They went back and reported this to their senior church leadership and were so moved that an idea was birthed. This was in October 2009. One month later, youth from all five NYC boroughs began what is now the God Belongs in My City prayer walk through Manhattan. It has since spread like wildfire to Canada, Switzerland, Africa, Puerto Rico and last year over 30 cities in America alone! 

Sarah, Sam, Vicki Lutchman

Last Saturday August 24, GBIMC came to the capitol city of Illinois - Springfield and had a solid impact on the Spiritual life of this wheeling-dealing political and business oriented city of 115,000! It was not easy getting this through a closed and tightly religious system where every major church and denomination holds on firmly to its territory...all except one - Calvary Temple Christian Center. Senior Pastor there Mark Johnson caught the vision and empowered his outreach pastorStacy Barnett and contacted me and together with Ezella Millswho brought the idea in from New York, we set forth on a course which really made this take off. 

Jessica McGee and Gigi

This was solidified after the National Day of Prayer in May, which I hosted for the eighth year in a row and we were joined by former Channel 20 Morning TV host Jessica McGee who now works as the Marketing Director for the wonderful Staab Family. She represented them magnificently and our final planning meetings were attended by PJ Staab himself, without whom we would not have had the major business involvement necessary to underwrite the upfront costs and police permits and street closure permits necessary to make this happen in the natural. PJ is a super joy to work with. He is well loved by the regions military veterans for his involvement in a huge memorial outside the city of New Berlin as well as his sense of humor.

Calvary Temple Pastor Mark Johnson

Through all of this, we were covered in some major prayer, as there was one obstacle after another or one spiritual attack after another. We had tireless and faithful leadership from Stacy Barnett and her church support - not just from the pastoral offices and administration, but from the core of Calvary Temple. They believed in this. We have many people to thank and they will be mentioned in no particular order at the end of this post.

The Day of the Prayer Walk, which we called GOD BELONGS IN SPRINGFIELD and had hundreds and hundreds of t-shirts made up at cost by Edgar Williams of Ambitious Designs. We met at the Comer Cox Park at the corner of 18th Street and Capitol for the 1 1/2 mile walk down Capitol Avenue to the State Capitol Steps. The love and camaderie and Christian fellowship across deep racial lines was a beautiful thing to behold. Even though almost every church officially turned down this movement to re-establish Jesus as the LORD of this City, many of their members turned out anyway!

PJ Staab

Senator Sam McCann

One thing I will not forget is our tireless leader Stacy working so hard to get 1500 bottles of water iced down and ready for the anticipated crowd at the end of the walk; the volunteers there; the worship band already praying on the ground of the End of Walk service. My fond memories is the excitement of all different Christians in the same event T shirt all ready to work for Jesus. Stacy and I edited some ten or so prayer points which I read out all over the part to different groups of people with my bullhorn. The awesome sight of the Christian Motorcyclists Association led by brother Nick Courtney and the three Crosses behind them as almost 1000 people of all ages and backgrounds took off in a brisk walk down Capitol, was a sight to behold.

BMIC President Bernie Lutchman

The subsequent hour long service on the Capitol Steps by the Lincoln Statue was so powerfully moving that worship, constant worship was breaking out all over the place!! PastorJerry Doss of Abundant Faith Christian Center, assisted by his magnificent choir set the mood for Prayer and the Word as they led off they service. I was next with the spirit-led Praise-Repent-Yield call to the Assembly. We went through 7 minutes of that and they pressed in!!! We were followed by the Bishop of Springfield - Thomas Paprockion Religious Liberty after he was introduced by PJ and then some powerful praying by our State Senator Sam McCann. The powerful and timely message by Pastor Mark Johnson topped off an amazing and life altering (for this city) day.  The clarion call Pastor Mark proclaimed was to stand together, united, under the Banner of Jesus, or fall. This is the underlying theme of GBIMC - not unity at any cost where we toss aside the Basics of the Christian Faith, but unity in the Essentials to get right with God, through Repentance and then lead others to Jesus. This is the only way we can make any kind of difference and thus, show the world that God really DOES belong in our city!

Thank you to Springfield First Baptist led by Pastor Mike Henderson, for being the only other church, apart from Calvary Temple and Abundant Faith, to step up and support us from early. Over 30% of their church walked with us. Thank you to Todd Green and the Green Family Stores for underwriting the costs from the City of Springfield. Thank you to PJP Autos, The Staab Family and so many more who gave selflessly to this cause. Finally thank you - and in no small measure, to our wonderful MC - Calvary Temple Outreach Pastor Stacy Barnett! We are already planning next year's event and learned several things we can improve from this our first endeavor. Our primary purpose, my friends - to Lift up the Name of Jesus and proclaim Him as King over Springfield! Mission? ACCOMPLISHED!