Day Three - Prayer for the Persecuted

Readings:

Mark 5:35-43

Amplified Bible (AMP)

35 While He was still speaking, there came some from the ruler’s house, who said [to Jairus], Your daughter has died. Why bother and distress the Teacher any further?

36 [a]Overhearing but ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear; only keep on believing.

37 And He permitted no one to accompany Him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

38 When they arrived at the house of the ruler of the synagogue, He [b]looked [carefully and with understanding] at [the] tumult and the people weeping and wailing loudly.

39 And when He had gone in, He said to them, Why do you make an uproar and weep? The little girl is not dead but is sleeping.

40 And they laughed and [c]jeered at Him. But He put them all out, and, taking the child’s father and mother and those who were with Him, He went in where the little girl was lying.

41 Gripping her [firmly] by the hand, He said to her, Talitha cumi—which translated is, Little girl, I say to you, arise [[d]from the sleep of death]!

42 And instantly the girl got up and started walking around—for she was twelve years old. And they were utterly astonishedand overcome with amazement.

43 And He strictly commanded and warned them that no one should know this, and He [[e]expressly] told them to give her [something] to eat.

You may be saying as you are reading that we can do nothing with whatever happened or is happening with the persecuted. But wait, our readings stated that while Jesus was speaking people from the rulers house came and told him that his daughter is dead. We may blame Jesus for taking so much time with the woman who has been bleeding for 12 years and received her miracle.

But take note of Jesus' response as they arrived at the house and realized that people are now weeping non stop, He said "The child is not dead but only sleeping." Then people laughed at Him. Do you remember that these were the same people who were crying but with Jesus' words they laugh. Not because they believed but because they thought He is crazy. 

The principle used by humans are but the principles related with what one sees,  smells, feels, hears and or even tastes. But Jesus' principles is based upon faith, this which seems to be invisible with the eyes but very visible to the heart who believes. 

We may be hearing news that may seem not encouraging for us who prays but let us not loose heart for God has own way and especially timing. Let God perform justice for those who are persecuted yet let us not forget that they who persecutes, even they need Christ.

Let us pray:

A. Let us asks for sensitivity for everyone who have committed themselves to pray for the persecuted this way. May our hearts be filled with Christ's humility leading us to live like Him.

B. Let us pray for every family who lost a member or one of their member got inflicted by any which made them sick or they are not well. Let us pray for their comfort, believing that if in case their family member died because of persecution, they are now in a better place with The King.

C. Let us pray for every leader to be wise in everything that they are doing and that in whatever they do, may they experience God's touch first hand so as not to be burden rather be encouraged to continue spreading The Good-news.

Pray in the Spirit:

Let the indwelling power of the same Spirit which raised Christ from the grave dwell in you to intercede in a language unknown to men but crystal clear to the heavens.

Be lead freely by The Spirit to perform His wonder as you intercede.

Be ready for more as we proceed with His power in us.

Be thankful for His immediate response to our cry.

Day Two - Prayer for the Persecuted

Readings: Psalm 1

1 Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.

2 But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.

3 And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].

4 Not so the wicked [those disobedient and living without God are not so]. But they are like the chaff [worthless, dead, without substance] which the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked [those disobedient and living without God] shall not stand [justified] in the judgement, nor [b]sinners in the congregation of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God].

6 For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly [those living outside God’s will] shall perish (end in ruin and come to nought).

We at times judge people on the outside appearance. We may not immediately claim but whenever we see someone in dirty clothes we distance ourselves and make some move to be away from the person. While our passage speaks of the ways of the righteous and wicked, I would like us to focus on three actions found on the first verse which says: walk, stand and sit. The psalmists gives a very distinct instruction regarding mans usual act of walking, onto path which he believes is right and later on stand and spend sometime making escape regarding the negative performed and eventually sit, a very comfortable position which many dare not leave. 

We are praying for the persecuted, while some news may tell us that somehow they've triggered their persecutions, we cannot asks the heavens effectively if we doubt our brethren's condition.

Let us pray:

A. Let us pray for purity of purpose for us who are praying for the persecuted. Let our eyes be on the The One who desires for us to remember our brethren rather than man"s applause which really means nothing.  

B. Let us pray for the persecuted, that they may have the wisdom to say the right words at the right time and be wise in entertaining people who claims to be one with them.

C. Let us pray for the Church, to united in remembering the persecuted. May division be erased from the Church's vocabulary thus allowing us to come before the throne of grace with a humble and united Spirit.

Pray in the Spirit:

Let the indwelling power of the same Spirit which raised Christ from the grave dwell in you to intercede in a language unknown to men but crystal clear to the heavens.

Be lead freely by The Spirit to perform His wonder as you intercede.

Be ready for more as we proceed with His power in us.

Be thankful for His immediate response to our cry.

 

30 Days of Prayer for the Persecuted.

Persecution is such a big word especially nowadays when we hear and know of how Christians from different places are experiencing this. With the recent news I would like to make a call to every Bible believing Christian to spend sometime in praying especially for those who are in places experiencing severe persecutions. I would like to suggest some ideas on how we could pray and also some prayer points which can be a guide to everyone.

The Bible declares that we wrestler not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12) so, we are not to be emotional about these happenings. God wants us to act with wisdom and not putting His name in vain. 

Join me in crying out to the heavens just like the wise Daniel when the king would not reveal his dream yet asks for interpretations. The God of The Heavens revealed everything to Daniel.

This 30 days I pray that everyone who will participate will experience an open heaven which constitutes the revelation and wisdom of The King we are serving. Let us expect something from what we are going to do.


First Day:

Readings: 

Mark 5:25-34

Amplified Bible (AMP)

25 And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years,

26 And who had endured much [a]suffering under [the hands of] many physicians and had spent all that she had, and was no better but instead grew worse.

27 She had heard the reports concerning Jesus, and she came up behind Him in the throng and touched His garment,

28 For she kept saying, If I only touch His garments, I shall be restored to health.

29 And immediately her flow of blood was dried up at the source, and [[b]suddenly] she felt in her body that she was healed of her [[c]distressing] ailment.

30 And Jesus, recognizing in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around immediately in the crowd and said, Who touched My clothes?

31 And the disciples kept saying to Him, You see the crowd pressing hard around You [d]from all sides, and You ask, Who touched Me?

32 Still He kept looking around to see her who had done it.

33 But the woman, knowing what had been done for her, though alarmed and frightened and trembling, fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.

34 And He said to her, Daughter, your faith (your [e]trust and confidence in Me, springing from faith in God) has restored you to health. Go in [f](into) peace and be continually healed andfreed from your [[g]distressing bodily] disease.

We are aware of this woman's sickness and miracle. But rarely we recognized the reason behind her miracle. She didn't just pushed herself towards Jesus, she is weak but still finds the strength to go through the great crowd following The Teacher. 

As we start this 30 Days of Prayer for the Persecuted let us use every ounce of strength we have to draw nigh to The One who can grant our requests. Let us draw to Him with great expectations. The woman with the issue of blood came with great faith. She said, I just need to touch His garment. A seemingly possible feat for normal human but for one who had an issue of blood for 12 years is an impossible tasks. But she pursued Him and we all knew she received her miracle.

Let us Pray:

A. Let us pray with humility and ask the heavens to grant us the faithfulness to keep up with the 30 Days of Prayer. 
B. Let us ask for wisdom to pray with understanding especially with the immediate needs of the persecuted.
C. Let us ask for faith to believe even the impossible, for we know God is going to release unto us revelations which may be too hard for us to comprehend.

Pray in the Spirit:

Let the indwelling power of the same Spirit which raised Christ from the grave dwell in you to intercede in a language unknown to men but crystal clear to the heavens.

Be lead freely by The Spirit to perform His wonder as you intercede.

Be ready for more as we proceed with His power in us.

Be thankful for His immediate response to our cry.