2.                    Pray for a Spirit of Brokenness and Repentance – Righteous God, please send overwhelming conviction of sin, deep brokenness and genuine repentance among Your people.  Grant to us the true godly sorrow that leads to repentance.  Fill us with holy fear and reverence for Your name.  Purify the Bride of Christ for His Glorious Second Coming.  Please prepare and cleanse us for the marriage supper of the Lamb of God.  (Psalm 51:17; Proverbs 28:13; 2 Corinthians 7:1, 10;)

3.                    Pray for Boldness, Holiness and Power in Our Pastors – Mighty God, please come upon our pastors with deep repentance, dynamic power and renewed passion for Yourself.  Grant to him a mighty wall of protection from the world, the flesh and the devil.  (1 Timothy 3:1-2; 2 Timothy 1:6-7; 1 Corinthians 2:4)

4.                    Pray for Fervent Prayer to Sweep Our Land – Righteous God, grant to us a burning hunger for Yourself and a passion for fervent prayer.  Help us draw near to You and seek You with all our hearts.  Lord, cause us to hunger and thirst for You above all else.  Help us lead our churches to become houses of prayer for all nations.  (Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 5:6, 21:13; Acts 2:1; Philippians 2:13; James 4:8)

5.                    Pray for Unity in Churches and Families – Holy Father, please bring us to loving unity in our churches and a deep harmony between our churches.  Help us tear down the strongholds of bickering and disunity that so ravage Your Church. (John 13:34-35, 15:12, 17:20-22)

6.                    Pray for an Explosion of Evangelism – Gracious Lord, please fill us with a burning passion to pray for and witness to the lost.  Cause our eyes to weep for souls that we may reap in joy. (Luke 19:10; Acts 1:8; Romans 5:5, 9:1-3)

7.                    Pray for a Passion for Missions – Righteous God, empower Your people with a burning passion for local and global missions.  Grant to us a fiery zeal for planting new churches.  Please forgive us for our frequent lack of concern beyond “me and mine.”  (Matthew 18:12, 24:14, 28:19; Luke 19:10; Acts 1:8)

8.                    Pray for an Increase of Laborers – Lord of the harvest, please call thousands into ministry, missions and Christian witness.  Send forth a mighty flood of laborers into the harvest.  (Matthew 9:37-38; Acts 1:8)

9.                    Pray for Pure Motives and Kingdom Purpose – Holy Lord, we ask You to deepen and purify our very motives in praying for revival and blessing.  Lord, teach us to seek Your “face” and not just Your “hand.”  Cause us to seek You and not just Your comfort or blessing.  Dear God, teach us to pray for Your glory and pleasure, not our own.  (Hebrews 4:12; James 4:1-4)

10.                 Pray for Salvation and Wisdom in Government Leaders – Holy Father, we humbly ask for a mighty move of conviction and salvation in government leaders and others who influence culture.  We ask You to pour out convicting, saving power upon Washington, D. C., colleges, universities, media networks and the Hollywood movie industry.  We ask that you so move that millions will be converted to Christ in these strategic communities of cultural influence.  (Psalm 2:8; 1 Timothy 2:1-4)

11.                 Pray for Sweeping Revival in The Church – Righteous Lord, we ask You to send sweeping revival even if it takes hard times and great trials to prepare the soil of our hearts.  Father, we pray not for shallow selfish ends, but for Your great glory and kingdom.  Cause us to come to You in true humility, brokenness and contriteness of heart.  (Matthew 26:39; James 4:1-4)

12.             Pray for Global Spiritual Awakening and Evangelistic Harvest – Sovereign God, we ask You to rend the heavens and send forth Your awesome “manifest presence.”  We ask You to so move that over thirty million Americans will be saved in a single year.  Cause Your glory to sweep the whole earth bringing unprecedented millions to Christ.  We humbly ask You to move even greater than You did in any previous awakening.  Blessed God, we pray for one last great harvest before the glorious return of Your Son.  Purify Your Bride O Christ, and then come Lord Jesus, come quickly! (Isaiah 64:1; Ephesians 5:26-27; Revelation 22:17, 20)

Copied from “How to Develop a Powerful Prayer Life” by Dr. Gregory Frizzell

On the Baptist General Conference of Oklahoma Website

I list twelve covenant prayers for revival and spiritual awakening (see Covenant Prayers). This primary covenant is designed for easy use in personal, small group or corporate prayer. It can also be adopted as an official covenant by churches, denominations and groups. For convenience, I also list a second covenant that includes additional prayers for broader kingdom focus. Appendices B through H are practical tools for all aspects of seeking God’s face in powerful prayer. The time is now — Jesus is surely calling us to seek His face and kingdom. May we say unto Him, “Thy face O Lord I will seek.” (Psalms 27:81) Let us seek Him while He may yet be found! (Isaiah 55:6)

An important note to readers: This unique covenant calls for serious ongoing commitment to powerful personal and corporate prayer. It also commits to embracing a meaningful pattern of deep heart search and surrender to Jesus. While of course, no one is perfect, this covenant is far more than meaningless general phrases. Do not just “say” these words, Trust God’s grace to help you mean it. He will surely do His part!

• Heavenly Father, lead us into deep repentance; let today be just the beginning. Reveal to us the condition of our hearts in the light of Your word. Lead us in repentance. We acknowledge that we have not prayed as we ought.Teach us to pray.
• You have called our churches to be Houses of Prayer, yet our prayer meetings have become weak and emaciated. Teach us to pray in this urgent hour. Make our pastors strong. Grant us god-fearing spiritual leaders. Grant them godly influence  across the nation. Let Biblical wisdom and reason be heard in the public square. May Your Spirit burn Your word into their hearts. Use them like You did Spirit-filled clergymen in the Great Awakening and in the founding era.
• Send revival to Your churches. Grant repentance to denominations that have strayed from Your holy word.  Multiply corporate repentance, prayer and solemn assemblies. Your heart longs to turn us back to You, to cleanse and to heal our land.
• Help us to stand in the gap for our fellow countrymen – for those who seem to have no conviction of sin. Intervene Lord! Awaken us to sin, righteousness and judgment, and the grace that can be ours through Christ!  Raise up intercessors who will stand in the gap for America. Your promises and the shed blood of Jesus are more than sufficient to cleanse our hearts and to heal our land. May Your people arise to share the gospel in our neighbors in a measure unprecedented in modern history.
• Raise up faithful, godly counselors who will speak truth to our leaders. Turn our civil leaders to You. Raise up leaders in the coming election who are qualify for public leadership according to Your word, men and women: 1) who are capable leaders; 2) who fear God; 3) who love truth; and, 4) who hate covetousness (Ex 18:21). Make us to be salt and light! We cry out to You, today, in Jesus’ Wonderful Name, Amen!

(from Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! © 2009, Dr. Gregory Frizzell, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html ), by special permission)

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. (Tit 2:12-14).

Then He [Jesus] spoke a parable to them that men always ought to pray and not lose heart… (Luke 18:1 ff).

[P]raying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit… (Eph 6:18b).

This covenant is different from most in that it calls for an ongoing lifestyle of deeper prayer with three specific steps of actual repentance. It is also different in that it provides concise, practical tools that enable believers to carry out their pledges. Rather than an occasional emphasis of merely “saying” some general prayers, believers are led to embrace concrete patterns of lasting prayer and repentance. It is very important to realize simply “saying” we repent is not the same thing as embracing actual steps for doing it.

Sadly, surveys strongly suggest most American believers have inadequate knowledge of how to embrace deep, detailed repentance. Many acknowledge they have never been taught how to embrace full heart examination and deeper prayer. For this reason, many modern covenants and prayer emphases are far too general to guide believers into meaningful surrender to Christ’s Lordship. While leaders’ intentions are no doubt excellent, they are based on the false assumption that Americans already understand true repentance. One thing is certain — a true return to God requires a commitment to embrace deep heart searching and specific yielding to Christ. Anything less is a mere “pretense” of prayer and a “false show” of repentance. God is neither impressed nor fooled by shallow efforts.

As believers, we simply must do more than briefly “say” we repent and voice a few general prayers. We must decide to fully embrace a God-seeking lifestyle of deeper prayer and detailed repentance. Yet, by God’s grace there is glorious hope! He invites us to a loving intimacy and purpose too wonderful for words. Let us lay aside the shallow general prayers of spiritual children and join our Lord in the grown up prayers of a mature, loving Bride.

• Heavenly Father, as we come to Call2Fall, we pray for a deep move of your Spirit upon each church and the lives of all who will humble themselves before you this Sunday. Lord we pray that you will give unction to pastors, leaders and heads of household as they endeavor to lead those in their care to understand the things that Dr. Frizzell has articulated here. Please use this day to be a genuine day for men, women and children to declare our nation’s utter dependence upon God on the eve of the day our nation celebrates our independence.

• Lord we acknowledge that to the degree that we have become independent of you, to that degree we have become slaves to every kind of unrighteousness that you can never bless. God we are desperate. Please do a work in those who bow this Sunday. Lead them to an ever deepening understanding, deep repentance and a lifestyle of prayer. Make our churches “houses of prayer” and use them to flame the fires of prayer for God-enabled repentance and revival in Your churches, and a great awakening in our needy nation.
• Hear our prayer and mix them with those of our forefathers who dedicated this nation to You! Help us to walk in Your covenant of grace as living sacrifices, our reasonable service, and use us to reach our fellow countrymen with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ – the same gospel that has brought blessing to our nation in years past and is our only hope for the future. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

(Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission from the author. Download Covenant)

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the Lord your God.

Blow the trumpet (Shofar) in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.

Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. Let the priests, who minister before the Lord, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord (Joel 2:12-17 NIV; 2 Chr 7:14).

We must get back to the simple truth of the gospel.  Rev. Billy Graham teaches four simple steps to living in Christ.  After 47 years in ministry I still find them helpful in reminding me what is important to God.

1)      We must KNOW GOD by recognizing the wonders of our creator and our need to be saved from our sins.

2)      We must GROW spiritually by being on our knees in daily PRAYER and BIBLE reading, which is our necessary for living in Christ.  To have a strong physical body and to develop our muscles we must eat properly, exercise regularly and get proper sleep.

3)      We must OBEY GOD by showing up for duty in the army of God. We will serve others before self, be pro-active against immorality and obey all the commandments of God.

4)       We will then want to WITNESS as Jesus commanded we do: “Go and make disciples of all nations and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you and surely I am with you always” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV para.).

God will answer our prayers if we obey him and witnesses in words and deeds (as lights) in our everyday lives at home, in our neighborhoods, at work, and at play.  We don’t just go to church we are the church every day.

• Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that your will be done here on earth as it is in heaven. Help us to know you more. Forgive us for doing what we want to do or just what is comfortable to do.  Teach us to pray with power and read the Bible with understanding.  Help us to be true disciples of Yeshua (Jesus) and take up our cross daily and follow (obey) him. Yeshua said we would do even greater things then he did. Help us do what is right, go where you want us to go and be good witnesses for you everywhere we go.  Lord, as we repent and turn from our sins and the sins of our nation we pray that you will heal our land.   We ask this in the mighty name of Yeshua.   Amen.

By Dennis McKirahan (Mr. Shofar), Founder

Shofar Call International

http://www.ShofarCall.com

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. (See Mt 26:40; Ps 27:8)

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus gave His disciples a most passionate plea — “watch with Me!” Believers, we again find ourselves at a most crucial moment of history. Our nation is sliding into serious judgment and most churches are asleep at the wheel. As the world careens toward judgment, the Savior is again calling to His remnant — “watch with Me!”

If there is to be a final great awakening and sweeping global harvest, it can only come one way. That way is effective fervent prayer, deep repentance and empowered obedience in evangelism and missions. Yet one thing is certain — fullest power never comes from shallow prayer, surface repentance, voluminous programs or promotions alone. It only comes by God’s grace through the effective, fervent prayers of deeply repentant hearts. (2 Chr 7:14; Jas 5:16) For the most part, that is not the kind of prayer most practice in our generation. However, it is the type outlined in the covenant prayers in this [series].

Each of us must come to a crucial decision — do we truly want to embrace God’s heart and mission or just continue with business as usual? Today, there are various prayer covenants or particular prayers we are urged to embrace. Unfortunately, many modern suggested prayers are general and non-specific. They fail badly at bringing believers to biblical prayers and deep detailed repentance. Whatever we do, we must not settle for anything less than genuine heart surrender and kingdom focus in our praying. It is time for both our intercession and obedience to grow up into the maturity of a holy Bride.

• Heavenly Father, You have exercised remarkable patience toward us: America and the churches of America. How sinful we have been, how pallidly, insincerely, selfishly and hypocritically we have often prayed. How shallow is our repentance; how deeply influenced our churches have been by the declining culture around us – how dim our light, and unsavory our salt. Now, Lord, we are like Sodom; we have become brazen like Gomorrah. Your judgments are raining down across our nation. Our churches, our families, our government, our military, and our economy – all are in deep decline yet we ignore your warnings.
• God help us to humble our hearts and teach us to pray in this hour. Cause us to rise from this and other sincere prayer efforts toward individual and corporate repentance to embrace a new covenant to embrace and pray Your heart daily. Turn our hearts back to You. Send sweeping repentance and revival to Your churches and Awaken America. Cause America and the churches in America to become a light once again among the nations. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009  www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission. Download Covenant (Prayer addendum on this page, Rev. Pierre Bynum)

But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you” (1 Cor 5:11-13).

The answer is YES! The other day I was reading a book and came across some people’s reasons for their rejection and resentment of Christ. The “inconsistency of some Christian” was listed among the others. Our actions and attitudes are the biggest witness about Who Christ is. We can quote the Bible to others. We can tell them how sinful they are. We can tell them they will spend an eternity in hell. But the love of Jesus shining through our actions and attitude will do more than anything to show who Jesus really is. We in the church are quick to judge outsiders and then we let Christians slide on their inconsistencies.

In 1 Corinthians Paul gives us clear instructions on how to handle this issue. He says in 5:11,”But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler–not even to eat with such a one.” Here he tells us not to associate or eat with a Christian who is living opposite God’s Word. He then goes on to say in verse 12, “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church?” And he gives a final instruction in verse 13, “But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”

My prayer is for Christians to take the name seriously and act like we know Him and let the Holy Spirit change us into who He wants us to be. When we see a brother sinning go to him in gentleness and love so the name of Christ is not harmed. If we are no different than the world we have nothing to offer them.

Jim Mihalko

President of d.u.I. Ministries

www.duiministries.com

Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.  And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.” So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the LORD. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh” (1 Sam 7:3-6).

From Matthew Henry’s Commentary:

We may well wonder where Samuel was and what he was doing all this while, for we have not had him so much as named till now, since 1Sam 4:1. Not as if he was unconcerned, but his labors among his people are not mentioned till there appears the fruit of them. When he noticed that they began to lament after the Lord he struck while the iron was hot. Two things he endeavored to do for them, as a faithful servant of God and a faithful friend to the Israel of God. I believe the same is about to be done by the organizers of this program. We cannot afford but to join hands and hearts to pray.

I. Samuel endeavored to separate between them and their idols, for their reformation must begin.

He spoke to all the house of Israel (1Sam 7:3), going, as it should seem, from place to place, an itinerant preacher (for we find not that they were gathered together till 1Sam 7:5), and wherever he came this was his exhortation, “If you do indeed return to the Lord, as you seem inclined to do, by your lamentations for your departure from Him and His from you, then know:

1. That you must renounce and abandon your idols; put away the strange gods, for your God will admit no rival; put them away from you. Do what you can, in your places, to rid them out of the country. Put away Baalim, the strange gods, and Ashtaroth, the strange goddesses,” for such also they had. Ashtaroth is particularly named because it was the best-beloved idol, and that which they were most wedded to. Note, True repentance strikes at the darling sin, and will with a peculiar zeal and resolution put away that, the sin which most easily besets us.

2. “That you must make a solemn business of returning to God, and do it with a serious consideration and a steadfast resolution. We must note that both are included in preparing the heart, directing, disposing, establishing, the heart unto the Lord.

3. That you must be wholly for God, for Him and no other, serve Him only, else you do not serve Him at all.

4. That this is the only way and a sure way to prosperity and deliverance. Take this advice and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines; for it was because you forsook Him and served other gods that he delivered you into their hands.” This was the centre of Samuel’s preaching, and it had a wonderfully good effect (1Sam 7:4).

They decided to put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, not only quitted the worship of them, but destroyed their images, demolished their altars, and quite abandoned them. What have we to do any more with idols? Hos 14:8; Isa 30:22.

II. Samuel endeavoured to engage them for ever to God and his service.

Now that he had them in a good mind he did all he could to keep them in it.

1. He summons all Israel, at least by their elders, as their representatives, to meet him at Mizpeh (1Sam 7:5), and there he promises to pray for them. And it was worth while for them to come from the remotest part of the country to join with Samuel in seeking God’s favor.

Note, Ministers should pray for those to whom they preach and not only them but also pray for those in government authorities that God by his grace would make the preaching effectual. And, when we come together in religious assemblies, we must remember that it is as much our business there to join in public prayers as it is to hear a sermon. Samuel would pray for them that, by the grace of God, they might be parted from their idols, and that then, by the providence of God, they might be delivered from the Philistines.

2. They obeyed his summons, and not only come to the meeting, but conformed to the intentions of it, and appeared there very well disposed, 1Sam 7:6.

(a.) They drew water and poured it out before the Lord, signifying, [1.] Their humiliation and contrition for sin, owning themselves as water spilt upon the ground cannot be gathered up again (2Sam 14:14). [2.] Their earnest prayers and supplications to God for mercy. The soul is, in prayer, poured out before God, Psa 62:8. [3.] Their universal reformation; they thus expressed their willingness to part with all their sins, and to retain no more of the relish or savor of them than the vessel does of the water that is poured out of it. [4.] Some think it signifies their joy in the hope of God’s mercy, which Samuel had assured them of.

(b.) They fasted, abstained from food, afflicted their souls, so expressing repentance and exciting devotion.

(c.) They made a public confession: We have sinned against the Lord, so giving glory to God and taking shame to themselves. And, if we thus confess our sins, we shall find our God faithful and just to forgive us our sins.

3. Samuel judged them at that time in Mizpeh, that is, he assured them, in God’s name, of the pardon of their sins, upon their repentance, and that God was reconciled to them. It was a judgment of absolution.

The coming together of pastors to seek the face of God in prayer in July 2011 is timely. I commend the organizers of this program and encourage all pastors and families to join and mobilize others to do same. If we will come, humble ourselves and pray. God will surely answer and He will heal our land.

Rev. Dr John U. Onyeanusi

Pastor, Nassarawa Kaduna Assemblies of God, Nigeria

http://facebook.com/johnonyeanusi

But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Rom 5:20b-6:1)

If we were mere animals, as some believe, then there would be no moral laws other than what any groups of people choose. If we are created in the image of God then there are moral laws that transcend all humanity. This has been called the “higher Law” argument. Our founding fathers raised this issue in the Declaration of Independence when they wrote: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator, with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” They saw it to be “self-evident” that the moral basis for law came from our Creator and therefore certain laws could be deemed immoral based on the premise of higher law.

The First Amendment to the Bill of Rights in our Constitution has six clauses: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The first clause has been called the “Establishment Clause.” The second clause has been called the “Free Exercise Clause.” We often hear of the Establishment Clause, but the Free Exercise Clause has been, unfortunately, seldom mentioned – almost to the point of being forgotten.

Our nation was founded under the premise that the government would not establish a religion. When the founding fathers ratified the Bill of Rights they knew what they were doing. They lived in the shadow of the heritage of the pilgrims who came to this continent to escape the ill effects of government sponsored religion. But there is a world of difference between the establishment of a religion and the establishment of morals based on higher law.

In the early 1950’s our nation officially adopted “In God we trust” as our national motto, added “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance and established a National Day of Prayer. This all took place in a matter of three years. What was going on in the world back then?

Communist Russia was threatening the well-being of the western world. We had already seen what Stalin had done. He murdered millions of his own people. Khrushchev, his successor, promised to bury us. We knew the moral premise that undergirded both Stalin’s and Khrushchev’s communism justified the murder of millions. The move in the early 1950’s was an effort to reaffirm the Judeo-Christian ethic that is at the foundation of the United States of America. The Judeo-Christian ethic would insure that our nation would be guided by values that would transcend the politics and the power of any human government – our own included.

Our leaders then, just like our founding fathers, knew what they were doing. They were not at all establishing a religion, but they were tethering the morals of our nation to higher law.

To embrace the idea that moral law and civil law do not mix is a huge mistake which, history has proven again and again, ultimately leads to the destruction of life. Therefore, the best starting place for discussing same-sex marriage is indeed the moral law. It is this very moral law that is being ignored in the debate on same-sex marriage. If we are mere animals, then let’s do what animals do and may the fittest survive. If we are endowed by our Creator with certain transcendent moral laws, it would be only inviting disaster to turn our backs to this reality. The attack on sexual morality will NOT stop at marriage. There will be no higher law to stop the next descent to the lowest moral common denominator. There must be something in this life that is much more than common. There must be some things sacred. The moral foundation of this nation is one of them.

• Thank you for causing the Congress and our President during the early 50’s to make important efforts to renew our covenant with you: the National Day of Prayer, “In God we Trust,” and “One Nation under God!”
• Forgive us, Your people, for failing to be the salt and light You intended us to be. Forgive us for not exercising the leadership we could and should have taken, by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Please forgive us for what we did thereafter – the “God is Dead” movement of the 60’s, the sexual revolution, and the decline in morality that has ensued without letup. Forgive us for now imposing immorality by law upon our children. Have mercy upon our nation. We must return to You with all of our heart; please help us to do what we cannot do apart from You. Please move quickly to save us. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Jim Reed, pastor

lakemurraychurch.org

christianlifetools.org

It is God’s heart desire that His people passionately yearn and prepare for Christ’s return. Believers’ greatest passion and prayer must be the ultimate coming of Christ’s kingdom and glory of His name. Rather than being consumed only with Christ’s “work,” we are to be consumed with a passion for His personal “coming.Rev 22:17-20) Believers are to yearn for His immediate manifest presence. We are to cry out for the final wedding of the Bride (the Church) with the Bridegroom (Christ.) Churches are to faithfully proclaim the return of Christ.

A huge part of co-laboring with God is praying and preparing for the ultimate coming of Christ’s kingdom. In fact, our obedient labor to spread the gospel is a huge part of brining about Christ’s return. (Mt 24:14) Believers, we are to ever be “washing our robes spotless from the world” and “seeking to save the lost” (Lk 19:10; Rev 3:18). Only by so doing and praying, do we embrace God’s deepest heart and purpose. Yet, we are always to keep our eyes fully centered on personal love and surrender to the Savior. Believers, it is entirely possible to allow the “work of the church” to distract us from first love intimacy with the “Lord Himself” (Rev 2:1-4). May God save today’s busy, distracted Christians from the “Martha syndrome” (Lk 10:38-42).

• Lord, we praise You that Jesus will return and His kingdom will come! We cry out for Your manifest presence to be mighty in our midst. Forgive us when we become so enamored with the world, we fail to long for Christ’s close presence and soon return. Forgive us for settling for religious activities and church work instead of Your manifest presence. Help us trim our lamps and cry out for the marriage of the Church with the Bridegroom. Lord, cause our hearts to yearn for Your face of intimacy. Lord Jesus, let Your kingdom soon come on earth as it is in Heaven. Be glorified in all the earth! Come Lord Jesus, come quickly!
• Lord, I repent and commit to seek Christ’s fullest daily presence and to yearn for His ultimate appearing. I trust You to fill me with a trimmed lamp and a heart prepared for Your return. (Matthew 25:1-13) As a church, we covenant to be pure and faithful in a land of darkness. Help us be ready and watching for Your glorious appearing!

(Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission from the author. Download Covenant)

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (see Acts 5:29, also Jer 45:5; Hos 10:12; Mt 5:10-12, 10:16-26; 26:39; Rom 8:18; Php 3:10; Jas 4:1-4).

It is God’s heart that His people stand strong in persecution and walk joyfully in the fellowship of His sufferings. (Mt 5:10-12; Acts 5:29; Php 3:10) The purposes and ways of God do not always lead quickly to great revival and blessings. (Jer 45:5) There are many times in history when a people or nations had to go through major periods of judgment and trial. (Jer 29:4-9) Obviously, there are also many instances when believers endure intense persecutions and difficulty for the sake of the gospel. For years, I have sensed that prayer for revival in America might mean we must first see a time of deep breaking, trials and humility. But whether it does or doesn’t mean far greater trials, believers must be fully willing to obey and seek God regardless of the cost!

The central object of our prayers must be God’s kingdom and glory regardless of cost or sacrifice. Whether we soon see revival or endure a remnant period of deepening trial, we are to love and seek God all the same! While God certainly delights in sending great blessing and sweeping revival, societal and church conditions at times make that impossible without prior breaking and trials. As believers, we must be willing to pray God’s heart even if it means a lengthy period of chastisement, persecution and trial. Though revival is certainly crucial, our prayers must be about the Reviver and His full kingdom will not just revival or personal blessings. Whatever revival requires, His grace will be sufficient!

• Righteous Lord, we praise You for grace to help us be faithful in a land of darkness. We ask You to send sweeping revival even if it takes stronger judgments and greater trials to prepare the soil of our hearts. Break up our fallow ground and rain righteousness upon us. If we must walk many years as a remnant in a land under judgment, we will praise and trust You still! Father, we pray not for shallow selfish ends, but for the glory of Your name’s sake and the spread of Your kingdom. Lord, cause us to seek You in true humility, brokenness and contriteness of heart. Cause us to surrender to Your will regardless of cost or sacrifice. Help us desire to know You in the fellowship of Your suffering as well as the power of Your resurrection. Teach us that no suffering can be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us! Dear Father, help us willingly embrace persecution if it is required to see revival in our land.
• Lord, I repent of shallowness and commit to embrace Christ’s full Lordship in my life. I commit to live for Your glory and kingdom whatever the cost. As a church, we covenant to be a faithful remnant in a land of darkness. Help us be bold, faith-filled and uncompromising. We will seek Your face and proclaim Your truth no matter the cost.

(Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission from the author. Download Covenant)