Archive for the 'Prayer' Category
Four Prayer Priorities for America in November 2017
How will you pray for America in the month of November? Imagine what could happen if thousands across America and the world would unite in prayer for America over the same prayer priorities.
Whether you pray daily or weekly for our nation, please join us in praying with the authority of the Scriptures for these four priorities for America:
1. Appeal to God for the leaders of America to come together to provide strategic leadership in this hour.
First of all then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 1 Timothy 2:1-2
- Father, we appeal to You for our President and Vice President, members of his Cabinet, along with the members of both the House and the Senate to make decisions that will lead toward a more peaceful and orderly America.
- Lord, we also ask that these leaders would lead us to ways that more represent You and Your ways; including decisions that will lead toward the dignity and sanctity of all human life from conception until death.
- Lord God, may these leaders provide ways for our nation to be secure from terrorism inside and outside of the borders of America.
2. Ask God to provide discernment and wisdom for our leaders about these critical issues before America.
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—it will be given to him. James 1:5
- Give them wisdom about tax reform.
- Give them wisdom about North Korea.
- Give them wisdom about healthcare.
- Give them wisdom about immigration reform.
- Give them wisdom about Russia.
- Give them wisdom about racial tensions.
- Give them wisdom about how to assist those who are facing the challenges after the national disasters of hurricanes and wildfires.
- Give them wisdom over all national security issues.
- Give them wisdom to make laws and policies that preserves religious liberty and forwards the sanctity and dignity of all human life.
- Give them wisdom regarding the drug issues, especially regarding the opioid epidemic.
- Give us wisdom so that we may have the knowledge to work through these critical issues and pray for all in need.
- Generously give God’s wisdom to all leaders and Americans.
3. Call out to God for all those in need right now in America.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all of our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
- Lord, bring comfort to those who lost loved ones in the attack in New York City.
- Lord Jesus, heal those who are recovering from the attack in New York City.
- Lord, bring comfort to those who lost loved ones in the shooting in Las Vegas.
- Father, heal those who are recovering from the shooting in Las Vegas.
- God, bring comfort to those who have lost loved ones through all of the hurricanes and wildfires.
- Lord Jesus, heal those who are recovering from injuries experienced in hurricanes and wildfires.
- Father, minister relief to all those who are recovering losses from their homes and businesses due to these disasters.
- Lord, give resources to all who are providing relief to those in need.
- Jesus, please comfort those who lost loved ones in the military and who worked as first responders.
- Father, please protect all those who are serving our nation as military and first responders across the world and within our nation.
4. Believe God with us as we move and work toward the 2018 National Day of Prayer on May 3, 2018.
“Ask and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
- Father, call thousands and thousands of people to lead observances of the National Day of Prayer in their communities.
- Lord, call thousands of pastors, churches, and hundreds of denominations and ministries to lead observances of the National Day of Prayer in their communities.
- Lord Jesus, call thousands of leaders in our communities to lead observances of the National of Day of Prayer in their communities.
- Father, call thousands of leaders to lead observances of the National Day of Prayer in their businesses.
- Lord, move upon people from all over the country to support the National Day of Prayer on May 3, 2018, but also in prayer now and with the provision of resources to make this ministry happen financially.
- Father, give Dr. Ronnie Floyd and the staff team of the National Day of Prayer God’s wisdom and power in all decision making.
I appeal to each of you to have numerous people join you personally, in and through prayer ministries, as well as through your churches and denominations, in praying for America.
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.
How to Pray for Your Pastor
Every Christ-follower engaged in a local church has a pastor. These followers of Christ should pray for their pastor.
Pastors may appear as though they are so strong they do not need prayer. But I can assure you, any pastor genuinely called to the ministry knows he needs prayer; earnest, passionate, and effective prayer. “Pray for me” should be the number one personal request from a pastor of the church he serves.
Stand on God’s Word When You Pray for Your Pastor
I think the strength of prayer stands on the authority of Holy Scripture. You need to stand on the infallibility and truthfulness of God’s Word when you pray for your pastor. I want to challenge you to pray while standing on Colossians 1:9-12:
For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.
Paul was praying this for the believers in Colossae, and these words can be prayed for your pastor.
5 Specific Ways to Pray for Your Pastor
Pray for your pastor to be:
1. Filled with the knowledge of God’s will
Pastors face the same dilemma people faced in the first century, when these words were penned originally. The knowledge of the world pours into the minds of pastors, but pastors need to have the full knowledge of God’s will. The will of God does not inflate a pastor’s ego, but it enlightens us to do what God wills for us to do.
Father, give my pastor the full knowledge of Your will in all things at all times, personally and for our church.
2. Filled with all spiritual wisdom
Pastors will view life from one of two perspectives: The world or the Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit will always lead a pastor to the Word of God and the will of God. The Spirit of God will lead a pastor to view life and ministry from God’s perspective, not his own. His perspective will determine his decision making.
Heavenly Father, fill my pastor with Your wisdom and perspective about all things in his life, in our church, and in this world.
3. Filled with spiritual understanding
Pastors can operate and lead the church apart from information and facts, but not very effectively. Spiritual understanding is the experience of seeing the facts and hearing the needed information, but being able to put these things together biblically, spiritually, and practically. A pastor’s leadership and decision making will be determined by the level of his spiritual understanding about whatever is before him.
Lord Jesus, fill my pastor with spiritual understanding that will help him put facts and information together biblically, spiritually, and practically.
4. Walk worthy of the Lord
God wants his people, especially God-called pastors, to live in a way that is worthy of Him. Pastors represent the Lord everywhere they go. Pastors cannot say one thing, but live a different way. Walking worthy always leads to pleasing God and bearing fruit in every way in life.
Oh Lord, empower my pastor to walk in a way that would exemplify You to all persons, pleasing You in all ways, and bearing fruit in every way before others.
5. Strengthened with God’s power
Pastors should be full of spiritual vitality. Pastors need the spiritual strength to overcome the challenges of each day in ministry. Submission to God daily will lead to God’s power. This power is so strong that a pastor is able to endure stress and suffering that ministry brings. It is so powerful that he will refuse to retaliate in any way toward difficult people and circumstances. It is even so strong that he will live life and do ministry with true joy that overflows with thanksgiving to God. Every pastor needs this kind of power.
Oh God, strengthen my pastor with Your power that fills him with spiritual life daily, including the difficult days of life and ministry; and leading him to persevere with joy and thanksgiving.
A Brief Word
The people of God have prayed for me through all these days I have served as a local church pastor. It is rare that I would not say to my church with all sincerity, “Please pray for me.” I say it because it is the number one thing people can do for me. It is the number one thing you can do for your pastor. Pray for your pastor daily.
Now is the Time to Lead and to Pray,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, National Day of Prayer
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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church, President of the National Day of Prayer, founder of the Cross Church School of Ministry, and host of the Ronnie Floyd on Life and Leadership Today podcast.
To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.
Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.