Archive for the 'Prayer' Category
Praying for the Needs of Others
Last Saturday evening, Jeana and I returned from Israel, the Holy Land. When we take groups to Israel, we always offer to pray for others in the Garden of Gethsemane.
So, on Tuesday morning, July 10, in rapid fire before the Lord, we called out the personal needs of a few hundred people who sent requests. When we finished this hour in the Garden of Gethsemane, I told Jeana I was absolutely exhausted. Even though it was not even mid-morning, the process of prayer exhausted me. Why? Prayer is hard work, especially when you carry the burdens of so many. Jeana said I was exhausted because I preached my praying that day, calling out to God with such great intensity.
Going through this list reminded me of the dire need to pray for others.
When We Pray for Others, the Walls Begin to Fall Down
Attending and speaking at the 2018 Epicenter Prayer Summit in Jerusalem on July 11 and 12 also reminded me of the powerful need for and the experience of praying for others.
As I listened to and prayed with and for leaders who are Palestinian Christians and Messianic Jews, I heard and witnessed powerful stories of how prayer has torn the walls down between their people and their desire to make a difference in Israel, the Middle East, and beyond. When we pray for the needs of others, including the needs of their churches, the walls of division come down.
This kind of praying takes us beyond ourselves and onto the needs of others. Therefore friend, pray for the needs of others.
Pastors, Church Leaders, and Laypeople, Move Your Church to Pray for the Needs of Others More Effectively
This is something each of us can do better. Not only personally, but in our own church. I have great interest in how my own church can learn to do this more effectively.
Therefore, I am taking this challenge. I am asking my staff team to take this challenge. I am asking our church leaders to take this challenge. I am asking you to take this challenge. Let’s develop intentional and effective ways to pray for the needs of others.
The sole purpose of the Church Prayer Leaders Network, a new ministry of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, is to help churches pray more effectively and help disciple and motivate their people to pray. Check it out at prayerleader.com.
This is what Jesus would do. Let’s be like Jesus today.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
3 Prayer Priorities for America, July 2018
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Dear Prayer Partners for America,
While our allegiance is first to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom, where we are already citizens, our hearts are still broken over where our earthly nation is today. We are broken, torn, divided, and mean-spirited. Even with all of our faithful intercession for unity, the division in these last few weeks has been greater than ever.
Yet, my hope is in the Lord and all of this indicates to me that Satan is fighting God’s people in a greater way now more than ever before. The spiritual warfare is great; therefore, we must fight this great battle with all of the power of God that we have now and will receive from the Lord Himself.
Call upon thousands of churches, pastors, and Christians to join us now in praying for our nation during July. These are what I sense from the Lord to be three of our greatest priorities. I appeal to you to join me in this great spiritual battle.
PRAYER PRIORITY #1: OH, DEAR GOD, WE CRY OUT TO YOU FOR AMERICA.
“Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.’” Luke 23:34
- As Jesus Christ forgave those who killed Him and all of us that brought about His death because of our own sin, we ask You to give each of us the same kind of forgiving spirit toward each other that Christ has for us.
- Oh Lord, America is so divided and speech about and to each other is so hateful and un-Christlike, please flood this nation with a wave of understanding, God’s forgiveness, and love.
- Father, we cry out to You alone for our nation! We are sick. We are sinful. We are in major need spiritually and relationally. So God of Heaven, please forgive us of our sinfulness and the way we treat You and one another. Forgive us! Give us, oh Jesus, a forgiving spirit toward all people.
- Oh Jesus, remove all anger, bitterness, slander, harsh words, and hatefulness in our hearts and please empower us to walk in the freedom of God’s forgiveness, always forgiving others, daily and continually.
- Lord, bless Your people by the thousands who will be participating from July 1 – 31 in “31 Days of Prayer For My Nation”, and answer the prayers of Your people as we call out to You for our nation.
PRAYER PRIORITY #2: SOVEREIGN GOD IN HEAVEN, WE ASK YOU TO INTERVENE SUPERNATURALLY OVER THESE DELICATE BUT SERIOUS ISSUES FACING AMERICA.
“The Lord of the Armies says this: ‘Make fair decisions. Show faithful love and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the resident alien or the poor, and do not plot evil in your hearts against one another.’” Zechariah 7:9-10
- Lord Jesus, give us Your heart of love and compassion for the people who are least able to defend or speak up for themselves: the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, the poor, and anyone else.
- Father in Heaven, intervene supernaturally with the President and White House Administration, the members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the members of the U. S. Senate as they work to resolve among themselves these delicate and serious issues facing America. Ask God to lead them to:
- Solve the immigration crisis and caring for the children and families in deep need
- Overcome the opioid and drugs crisis
- Protect all persons experiencing sexual harassment and abuse
- Cease the mistreatment and devaluing of other persons
- Bring racial unity in America
- Protect religious freedom nationally and internationally
- Provide the security in our nation internally and externally
- Expedite the judicial and political appointments process
- Hallow the sanctity and dignity of all human life from conception through death
- Meet the needs of our veterans, our nation’s military, and their families
- Address the needs of poverty compassionately
- Strategically care for widows and orphans
- Lord God, please give the President and the U.S. Senate the wisdom they need to work together as the President nominates the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and the Senate has the opportunity to confirm the nomination. Father, raise up a person who will honor You and Your Word in their decision making.
- Lord, we know nothing else but to appeal to You to bring solutions to these complex and difficult challenges in our nation.
PRAYER PRIORITY #3: OH LORD, WE CALL UPON YOU TO MOVE YOUR CHURCH TO AGREE CLEARLY, UNITE VISIBLY, AND PRAY EXTRAORDINARILY FOR THE NEXT GREAT SPIRITUAL AWAKENING IN AMERICA.
“They all were continually united in prayer.” Acts 1:14
- Holy Spirit, we know that preceding Your epic movement upon the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, You brought Your people together to pray continually.
- Spirit of God, convict the churches in our nation to wake up spiritually, agree clearly, unite visibly, and pray extraordinarily for the next Great Spiritual Awakening in America occur in our generation.
- Lord Jesus, we call upon You to bring spiritual awakening now in America, shaping the future of America, just as the Great Awakenings in our history have shaped our spiritual heritage as a nation.
Thank you for standing with the National Day of Prayer Task Force in mobilizing unified public prayer for America. May God hear our prayers and meet our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Now is the Time to Lead and to Pray for America,
Dr. Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.