Here’s an article that our prayer team would like to share.
Who needs our prayers? Everyone we know and even those we don’t know! We should pray for those we love and those with whom we struggle. Even our enemies, Jesus said (and illustrated) should be the recipients of our intercession. Government leaders and waiters at our table.
Don’t you imagine that Jesus talked with His Father constantly about each of the disciples and everyone He met—receiving continual instruction about how he was to interact with them and intercede for their needs?
His testimony was that He did nothing on His own initiative but only said what His Father was saying and did what He observed His Father doing. What was the vehicle for this observation of the Father? Constant prayer in every situation. Jesus lifted everything vertically, looking up to ask what should be done and interceding for what could be done. Every sweep of Christ’s eyes across the landscape of humanity led Him to intercede.
Prayer should not be our last resort with people, but our first response. Is there anyone we will meet today who does not need what God could bring them through our prayers?
If we could master the ALL of prayer, we would find the foyer of heaven and the power of God on earth. His kingdom would come and His will done on earth as it is being done in heaven. And, our Father would have gained the communion with His children that He desires.
Lord Jesus, You are the Master of heaven and earth! You have designed this unique mystery called prayer so that I can meet with You about anything! Stretch my prayer life to include my enemies, government leaders, nations, cultural situations, and anything else that needs Your touch! Help me to break out of the “sameness” of my praying so that I can pray for Your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven – over everything and every person! May prayer always be my first response and not my last resort!
---Adapted from Prayer with No Intermission by Bill Elliff. This book is available at prayershop.org.
Prayer Points
Praise God for being the dwelling place for his saints in all generations (Ps. 90:1).
Thank him that before the mountains were born or he had brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting he is God (90:2).
Confess your rebellion against God’s greatness.
Commit yourself to numbering your days rightly, so that you may gain a heart of wisdom (90:12).
Ask the Lord to have his favor rest upon you and to establish the work of your hands (90:17).
Pray that the Lord will supply wisdom and perseverance to your church’s missionaries (name them) and that they will be blessed with encouraging results in their work.
Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend. This book is available at prayershop.org.