Saturday, February 18, 2017

Prayer Initiative

Prayer Initiative

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:16-18

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God by the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! Psalm 89:5

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. Acts 9:31



God of all, we plead for an awakening in Your church. Convict us of our responsibility to live and speak Your truth and grace into our culture. Protect Your church, O God, from being absorbed into the ways of this world.

Father, Your word is crystal clear that when Your people repent, You will hear our prayers and heal our land. Your church is in desperate need of true repentance. Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord. Show us the folly of our ways and lead us home to You.

We plead with You, O God, to protect seminaries and churches from deception and distortions of Your truth.

We ask for religious leaders who understand and are devoted to Your truth and who proclaim Your truth boldly, with courage and insightful grace.

Thank You, Heavenly Father, for equipping each of Your children in unique ways. We ask for discernment to understand Your truth, and pray against confusion in the minds of those who know you. We pray to be true Christ followers and beacons of light in our given circles of influence.

We pray for Your Spirit to work in and through the heart of every pastor, church, believer and gathering of believers in America, asking You to draw us to You in prayer. Reveal Your heart to us, Lord, that we may accurately reflect Your character and beauty in our world.

Show us how to be effective in proclaiming Your truth and Your grace so that even our enemies will be drawn to You. Give us insight to discern, evaluate and judge rightly, knowing that any and all judgment is Yours alone.

We pray for courage and wisdom for Your people, Lord. Give us the boldness to show up, stand up and speak up for Your truth in the public square, with winsomeness and grace. Forgive us, Lord, for ever misrepresenting You in the way we live, speak or act. Correct us and guide us, we pray.

Lord, we ask for Your protection from persecution and from all attempts to silence the voice of Your church.

We ask that You open our eyes to our responsibility as individuals and as churches to minister to those in poverty and distress. Forgive us individually and forgive Your church, Lord, for abdicating our responsibilities to government.

We ask You to move in our hearts to make us a generous people, not only with our finances, but with our time and our talents. Open our eyes, Lord, to clearly see genuine needs around us, and show us how to serve those needs most effectively.

We ask that Your Church be exemplary to a watching world in the way we tend to our marriages. Help us to honor You in how we love our husbands and our wives.

We pray for authentic, radical Christianity.

~~~

“The foundation of all progress, all government and all civilization...is the Christian religion. Our country is not lacking in material resources...It cannot be said to be lacking in intelligence. But certainly it has need of a greater practical application of the truths of Christianity. It is only in that direction that there is hope of the solution of our economic and social problems. Whatever inspires and strengthens the religious belief and religious activity of the people, whatever ministers to their spiritual life is of supreme importance. Without it all other efforts will fail. With it, there lies the only hope of success. The strength of our country is the strength of its religious convictions.” President Calvin Coolidge
 
 

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