Leading people to faith and maturity in Christ.
Contributed by: Ben Parker
Thoughts from Matthew 6 — the Lord’s Prayer
Prayer requests:
Greetings! This is Ray Anchan, one of the elders at Good News Bible Chapel. This is the Prayer Cast for Wednesday, May 4, 2016.
I woke up this morning and started my daily routine of having a cup of coffee. My thoughts went to the book of Daniel. We read in Daniel 6:10, the Persian king, Darius, signed a law prohibiting worship of any other than himself. Daniel: “entered his house, (now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem) and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously”. Let us make it our prayer today that we also will develop a routine of daily prayerfulness wherever we may be.
Why Should We Pray? There are several reasons:
1. Fellowship with God: We read in Genesis 3, God walked in the garden of Eden amongst man so he might have fellowship with him. God loves it when we talk to Him!
2. Intercession: Let us also pray for each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Even Jesus prayed for Peter (Luke 22:32) so his faith would not fail.
3. Presenting Needs: Pray for the many missionaries in various parts of the world who daily face danger as they proclaim The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Just this past weekend, two American missionaries Randy Hentzel, 48, and Harold Nichols, 53, part of the Teams for Medical Missions were found murdered in Jamaica. Let us uphold their families in prayer at this very difficult time. As we exercise our liberty and freedom to worship, let us remember those who daily face challenges in other countries to share the Gospel.
4. Worship and Thanksgiving: Remember our prayer offerings are a sweet aroma unto The Lord! (Psalm 141:2)
His ear is not deafened and His hand is not shortened that He cannot hear our prayers. (Isaiah 59:1)
God bless every one of you as you approach The throne of grace today!
1. Pray for our persecuted sisters and brothers around the world, specifically Christians in Uttar Pradesh (a state in North-Central India) where they are under increasing daily persecution from militant Hindus who want to stop the spread of the Gospel.
2. A recent survey of 192 countries reveals what many have long thought to be true: Christian women are more engaged and committed then Christian men. A lesser known fact? Those women bear the brunt of persecution in the 50 countries where it is hardest to be a Christian. Pray today for our sisters, and for the men to “step up.”
3. Pray for GNBC as we launch “First Thursday Prayer.” (Commences next Thursday evening, May 5th in the Chapel.) This is a call to our church to rise up and become a people of prayer. Pray that we will respond to the Spirit’s prompting, and pray together as a church family.
