Prayer For Christian Brothers And Sisters

2011 Week Of Prayer For Christian Unity, January 18 – 25

Week Of Prayer For Christian Unity 2011 is January 18 – 25, 2011.

Every year the Missionaries Of Prayer participates in this event by calling Christians to prayer using the outline provided by the World Council of Churches.

  We invite you to visit the site each day during this week to pray for the Unity of the Body of Christ.

We also ask you to consider sharing this page with others via email, or so that we can have others in the body of Christ praying.

A worldwide fellowship of 349 churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service

Four elements of unity

The 2011 prayers for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity have been prepared by Christians in Jerusalem, who chose as a theme Acts 2:42, ‘They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

’ This theme is a call back to the origins of the first church in Jerusalem; it is a call for inspiration and renewal, a return to the essentials of the faith; it is a call to remember the time when the church was still one.

Within this theme four elements are presented which were marks of the early Christian community, and which are essential to the life of the Christian Community wherever it exists. Firstly, the Word was passed on by the apostles. Secondly, fellowship (koinonia) was an important mark of the early believers whenever they met together.

The Christian Community in the Holy Land wishes to give prominence to these basic essentials as it raises its prayers to God for the unity and vitality of the church throughout the world. The Christians of Jerusalem invite their sisters and brothers around the world to join them in prayer as they struggle for justice, peace and prosperity for all people of the land.

The themes of the eight days

There is a journey of faith that can be discerned in the themes of the eight days.

From its first beginnings in the upper room, the early Christian community experiences the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, enabling it to grow in faith and unity, in prayer and in action, so that it truly becomes a community of the Resurrection, united with Christ in his victory over all that divides us from each other and from him. The church in Jerusalem then itself becomes a beacon of hope, a foretaste of the heavenly Jerusalem, called to reconcile not just our churches but all peoples. This journey is guided by the Holy Spirit, who brings the early Christians to the knowledge of the truth about Jesus Christ, and who fills the early Church with signs and wonders, to the amazement of many. As they continue their journey, the Christians of Jerusalem gather with devotion to listen to the Word of God set forth in the apostles’ teaching, and come together in fellowship to celebrate their faith in sacrament and prayer. Filled with the power and hope of the Resurrection, the community celebrates its certain victory over sin and death, so that it has the courage and vision to be itself a tool of reconciliation, inspiring and challenging all people to overcome the divisions and injustice that oppress them.

Day 1 sets forth the background to the mother church of Jerusalem, making clear its continuity with the church throughout the world today. It reminds us of the courage of the early church as it boldly witnessed to the truth, just as we today need to work for justice in Jerusalem, and in the rest of the world.

Day 2 recalls that the first community united at Pentecost contained within itself many diverse origins, just as the church in Jerusalem today represents a rich diversity of Christian traditions. Our challenge today is to achieve greater visible unity in ways that embrace our differences and traditions.

Day 3 looks at the first essential element of unity; the Word of God delivered through the teaching of the apostles. The church in Jerusalem reminds us that, whatever our divisions, these teachings urge us to devote ourselves in love to each other, and in faithfulness to the one body which is the church.

Day 4 emphasis Sharing as the second expression of unity. Just as the early Christians held all things in common, the Church in Jerusalem calls upon all brothers and sisters in the church to share goods and burdens with glad and generous hearts, so that nobody stays in need.

Day 5 expresses the third element of unity; the Breaking of the Bread, which joins us in hope.

Our unity goes beyond Holy Communion; it must include a right attitude towards ethical living, the human person and the whole community.

Day 6 presents the fourth mark of unity; with the church in Jerusalem, we draw strength from spending time in prayer. Specifically, the Lord’s Prayer calls all of us in Jerusalem and throughout the world, the weak and the mighty, to work together for justice, peace and unity that God’s Kingdom may come.

Day 7 takes us beyond the four elements of unity, as the Jerusalem church joyfully proclaims the Resurrection even while it bears the pain of the Cross. The Resurrection of Jesus is for Christians in Jerusalem today hope and strength that enables them to remain constant in their witness, working for freedom and peace in the City of Peace.

Day 8 concludes the journey with a call from the Jerusalem churches to the wider service of reconciliation.

Even if Christians achieve unity among themselves, their work is not done, for they need to reconcile themselves with others.

In the Jerusalem context this means Palestinian and Israeli; in other communities, Christians are challenged to seek justice and reconciliation in their own context.

The theme of each day has therefore been chosen not only to recall for us of the history of the early church, but also to bring to mind the experiences of Christians in Jerusalem today, and to invite us all to reflect upon how we may bring that experience into the lives of our local Christian communities.

During this journey of eight days, the Christians of Jerusalem invite us to proclaim and bear witness that Unity – in its fullest sense of faithfulness to the Apostles’ teachings and fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and the prayers – will enable us together to overcome evil, not just in Jerusalem, but throughout the world.

The preparation of the material for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2011

The initial work leading to the publication of this booklet was done by a group of Christian leaders from Jerusalem. They gathered at the invitation of the World Council of Churches. Their work was facilitated by the Jerusalem Inter-Church Centre. We want to thank in particular those who have contributed:

His Beatitude the Latin Patriarch Emeritus, Michel Sabbah

His Grace Bishop Munib Younan, of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

Rev. Naim Ateek, of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East

Rev. Frans Bouwen, of the Roman Catholic Church

Fr Alexander, of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Fr Jamal Khader, of the University of Bethlehem

Mr Michael Bahnam, of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch

Ms Nora Karmi, of the Armenian Orthodox Church

Mr Yusef Daher, of the Greek Catholic Melkite Church.

The texts proposed here were finalized during the meeting of the international preparatory group appointed by the World Council of Churches Faith and Order Commission and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, of the Roman Catholic Church.

Participants wish to extend their thanks to his Beatitude Ignatius IV, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and his staff in Damascus and Saydnaya for their warm welcome and gracious hospitality, and to church leaders from different Christian traditions for their support and encouragement.

Click on the links the prayers for that day will be available for you to pray along with us:

Day 1 – Week Of Prayer For Christian Unity 2011

Day 2 – Many Members in One Body

Day 3 – Devotion to the Apostles’ Teaching Unites Us

Day 4 – Sharing, an Expression of Our Unity

Day 5 – Breaking the Bread in Hope

Day 6 – Empowered to Action in Prayer

Day 7 – Living in Resurrection Faith

Day 8 – Called for the Service of Reconciliation

Источник: //www.missionariesofprayer.org/2011/01/2011-week-prayer-christian-unity-january-18-25/

7 Prayers For My Family

I just finished praying for a friend of mine who is participating in a revival soon. Satan is on the move to make sure this revival doesn’t happen, but Satan being the “Great Deceiver” has deceived himself.

I know God wants this revival to happen and it is time for war! Through prayer and supplication I know that God will make sure this revival happens! If our God can make a revival happen for many people, He can also make a revival happen in just one person’s heart.

Here are 7 prayers that you can pray for your family, whether it is for revival of those lost or the protection of those in your home.

Protection

“I know Who goes before me. I know Who stands behind. The God of angel armies is always by my side.” (God Of Angel Armies, Chris Tomlin)

Dear Lord,

I ask for protection over my spouse, my children, and myself today. Lead us with Your mighty hands today. Deliver us from any enemy that tries to harm us. We know that You are for us, so that no one could ever stop us. (Ref.

Romans 8:31) Please guide us all safely throughout this day, so that we may all arrive safely back home, Father. You are Great, Powerful, Strong, Mighty, Awe-inspiring, Amazing and AWESOME! Be with us all this day.

I love you, Father! Amen

Revival

“You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)

Merciful Father,

You have been so patient with my own brother. He says he believes in You, but his actions still say differently. He has not surrendered everything to You, Lord.

Lord I pray that he would sincerely seek You with his entire being! I praise Your Name because You have allowed him to live another day in hope that he will return to You. Father, I pray that You do everything necessary to bring him back. If he must lose his job, so be it.

If he must go through health issues to find You, so be it. Father, whatever it takes, please bring him to You. Better to suffer immensely in this world to find You, then to suffer eternally in hell without You. Father, I cannot imagine heaven without any of my family.

I love them all so dearly! Please, Lord, bring your long, lost son home! Bring a revival in his heart! I love You! Amen

Prayers For Grandchildren

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

O Lord,

You have blessed me with enough years to enjoy my precious grandchildren! Thank you, Father! I pray for these little ones, Lord. I will be crossing the finish line of heaven in a short while and I pray that Your Name will be glorified in everything I do with them. I thank you for my own children.

I have raised them up to praise You, Father! I am filled with joy to see them reading the Bible to my grandchildren. O Lord, it brings me to tears of joy to hear those tiny voices singing “Jesus Loves Me”.

I want to be there as they do cross it to see Jesus embrace them and say, “well done!” Father, You are worthy of so much more than I can give, but I offer up this prayer in faithfulness to You. I love You, Father! Amen

Blended Families

“All the hearts who are content and all who feel unworthy and all who hurt with nothing left, will know that You are holy.” (All The Poor And Powerless, All Sons And Daughters)

My Lord,

Much hurt and turmoil has ripped apart what man should never have separated. (Ref. Mark 10:9) I thank You, Lord that You sustained me through the storm of divorce and brought me safely to the other side.

Sin is the reason for my blended family and I pray right now that sin will affect it no more! Lord, I pray for my ex and her soon-to-be husband. I pray that you would watch over them both and guide them back to You. I pray for the children they will have together. I pray that they would raise them in the church.

I pray that their children will come to know You, Lord. Father, I pray for my children, Lord. I pray that they learn to stay strong in You when they miss me and can’t have me.

I pray that you would shower them with love and affection! Thank you for Your comforting word, “He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet You by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17b) Thank you for quieting my stormy spirit when I ache for my kids. Your love is unending and it never fails me.

Lord, words cannot express how thankful I am for Your love and compassion for me. Be with my entire family, Lord. For those that live in the flesh, I pray that they would turn and seek You. Father, I need You more than ever before to be strong and courageous for You. May my life show clearly how much I love Jesus! I love You, Lord! Amen

It’s Time For War!

“Everybody with your fists raised high, let me see your battle cry tonight! Stand beside or step aside from the frontline!” (Frontline, Pillar)

“Everybody with your fists raised high, let me see your battle cry tonight! Stand beside or step aside from the frontline!”

Dear Lord,

There is a war going on for the souls of my family. I will not be silent about this! Lord, I pray for the salvation of my family. Lord, my children know You. I pray that they will learn to crave You without me talking with them first. I pray that they will learn to stand strong in the face of the storms in life.

When people knock them down, I pray that they stand up even stronger in You than before. I pray that they show love instead of revenge on those who hate them. I pray that their lives will show Jesus to this dark world. We are in a battle and I will not back down! I commit this day to You, Lord.

I am a sinner and I do not want to sin! I praise Your Name, Lord! I love You! Amen

Are You Sitting Down?

“With full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:20b-21)

Loving Lord,

The passing of my mother last night is grieving me. Lord, how do I tell my children that their grammy is in Heaven? I can shower them with love and affection immensely, but I cannot take the pain away from their tears. I need You now more than ever, Father.

I keep thinking about how grieved Your own heart must have been when You watched Your own Son shed His blood on the cross for us all. Father, I am so sorry that my sin helped drive those nails into His hands and feet. Lord, I ask that You give me the words to speak as I deliver this news to my babies.

I know that my mother is in Heaven and that makes me so hopeful, but the pain is still here. I pray that You would wrap Your arms around me, Lord. I need Your affection so badly right now. Give me “peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7a) Prepare the hearts and minds of my little ones, Lord.

This will be one of the toughest days of my life. May Your Name be glorified this day. I love You! Amen

Fellowship Of Believers

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrew 10:24-25)

Father,

I have an awesome family of believers to call my brothers and sisters! I thank you for them all. Through our unity we are strong through Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Father, I pray that as the Day does draw near we continue to shine the light of Jesus to this hurting world, even to each other. Lord, sometimes it hurts more when a fellow brother/sister hurts me. Lord, give me compassion to forgive them as I should. Sin is to blame, end of story.

Father, bless my fellow brothers and sisters this day! May it be a day of rejoicing in You through every single thing that we experience! I love You! Amen

Conclusion

Whether it is your own family or your church family, there are many things that we can all pray for, for the wellbeing of them all. Lift up your loved ones today! Pray for them! May God bless you as you live a life worthy of the calling!

Parents Prayers for Their Children

Resources –  The Holy Bible, English Standard Version “Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. video “Whom Shall I Fear?” by Chris Tomlin.

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Источник: //www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/7-prayers-for-my-family/

30 Days of Prayer With Your Brothers and Sisters in India

If you don’t already know, prayer is a huge deal at Open Doors. In just about every article or social media post you read from us, we ask you to pray.

In fact, one of Open Doors’ seven core values affirms this focus: “We are a people of prayer.”

The reason for this official statement is twofold:

No Closed Doors When We Pray

First, there is power in prayer! Through our prayers, we are able to call on the name of Jesus to bring change in places we cannot go, places that are absolutely desperate for the hope of Christ.

We often quote Open Doors Founder Brother Andrew saying, “Our prayers can go where we cannot … There are no borders, no prison walls, no doors that are closed when we pray.”

While it’s a powerful thing to have the opportunity to meet our brothers and sisters in person, an overseas trip is not always possible. (That’s why we partner with indigenous churches in more than 60 countries—to have a physical, on-the-ground presence).

But we can be with our brothers and sisters when we pray—petitioning our Lord and Savior to meet them right where they are. We can intercede, asking that Christ would protect andstrengthen them to stand strong in the eye of their storms.

Joining With Believers Through Prayer

Second, our persecuted brothers and sisters ask for our prayers more than any other form of support.

We continue to hear from our field reps who meet with our brothers and sisters facing dire situations that their first request is, “pray with me.”  Notice I said, “with me.” These believers want us to pray with them—not necessarily for them.

They have a front-row seat to watch what God is doing through persecution and trials. In many countries, His gospel is spreading wildfire in the midst of violence and abuse. They ask us to join them in praying that they will not deny Christ and that his gospel will go forth. Listen to house-church leaders Vang Atu (Vietnam) and Vipur’s (India) requests:

• Vang Atu*, a 28-year-old father to two kids, was the first Christian convert in his village in Vietnam. Through his passion to share the gospel, four families in his village came to Christ. As a result, his house (where his family and others met for worship) was destroyed. He and his family were forced to leave their village. Vang’s request: “Pray that I will never give up in believing in Jesus until I meet Him in Heaven.” Read his story and watch raw footage.
• Vipur, a house church leader in India, faces consistent persecution, including a recent attack that left him fighting for his life. He begs for Christians to pray with him: “Please pray for me,” he says. “Pray that I will recover fully; that’s my deepest wish. I want to be able to do what I did before the attack and even more.” Read Vipur’s story.

Praying for India

This month, we invite to join us in praying with the Church in India—a nation that has seen persecution grow at an alarming rate. The world’s second-most-populous country went from #25 on the 2015 World Watch List to #11 on the 2018 WWL.

Just last Sunday (March 11, 2018), a Hindu mob of 50 extremists raided five churches–brutally attacking and abusing Christians as they worshipped. They told one pastor: “If you want to serve Jesus Christ, go to Bethlehem or the Vatican. Worship Him there. Why do you want to make India impure?”

To help you connect with your brothers and sisters in Christ, Open Doors has created a 30-Day India Prayer Journal. In it, we introduce you to some of our brothers and sisters living in India. They have graciously shared their stories—and even their prayers:

• Savita has been following Jesus for almost 17 years. She is a nurse, a Sunday school teacher and is also involved in worship at her church. Despite the discrimination and persecution that she faces as a Christian, Savita is passionate about sharing the gospel and praying for others who are hurting. She prays, “Lord, I pray for the people who suffer persecution that they might be able to stand strong in their faith. I pray that you would help me pray with dedication.”
• Manku and his family came to Christ when his wife was delivered from an evil spirit through prayer. The whole family was socially ostracized, and Manku was denied work in the village. Life is difficult for him, but he remains strong in his faith. He prays, “Lord, I pray for the protection of my family – we face constant opposition in my village. Help us to continue with our faith. I pray for the salvation of my village. Please help all the people in our village to know your faith.”

‘Lord, Increase Our Faith’

Our prayer is that as you begin to learn about and pray fervently for these brothers and sisters—asking God to move over this nation—your own personal prayer life will deepen and grow. Through prayer, we tap into God’s heart for His people—and for our own lives.

Scripture is clear that the Lord hears our petitions and answers.

In Luke 17:6, Jesus says to His apostles, “If you had faith a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

Let’s join with the apostles, saying,“Oh Lord increase our faith!”

I pray that we will each go before the Lord, believing He will work in India to bring our brothers and sisters through their persecution. And that through this adversity, the Lord would continue to advance the growing Church in India and draw more people to Him!

Sign up to receive your FREE 30-Day India Prayer Journal here. 

Источник: //www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/stories/30-days-prayer-brothers-sisters-india/