Tuesday, June 9, 2009

PRAY

"I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth."

Isaiah 62:6-7

You are invited to share stories of prayer and prayer-walking. Share prayer requests about how you are bringing the Kingdom to your street corner. Share ideas for how prayer is taking place in your neighborhood. Feel free to ask any questions.

4 comments:

Kim Boynton said...

This comment was sent to the church and we were given permission by the sender to post it.

Hey Rod (and Libby),
i just thought this was amazing how God totally answered this prayer! i wasn't at church last week but i've listened to the cd and heard from people what is all going on. back in may i was writing a blog entry on my personal private blog about what i was hearing from God and what we've been learning i was thinking about sending it to you then, like i was feeling like i really should, but i got scared and didn't send it. i tend to get scared a lot and it keeps me from doing what my heart really feels, like even sending this email to you, but anyways, here is what i wrote back on may 19 and after you read it you'll totally see how awesome God was in answering my prayer and questions without me even asking anyone except Him. i'm so happy that our church is taking a stand for all this and is being the church! i'm so glad God is doing something big with us and i'm glad we're willing to jump in and go out. :) so here it is......


TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2009

so now what?

So now what? We say we are to be different and stand out, but are we? We say we want to be like the church in Acts, but we aren’t. we may have some of their characteristics but we are not full out living for God in true coinania (sp?). Everything is not in common, we do not give everything away. We are too worried about ‘my’ stuff and ‘my’ job and ‘my’ life.

What would it look like if we really loved others and loved God? Isn’t the purpose of life to do those things? Who are you? Why are you here? I am a child of God, who created everything, and is crazy in love with me. I am a sinner, who is weak, needy, and totally dependent on God. I try to depend on the things of Babylon, but sex, power, and money will never bring me fulfillment. Only God can fill my broken heart. I am here to love. I am here to love God and love people. Life is not about me. It is about the poor, the needy, those who don’t know God. Why am I so scared to tell people about my Savior? What is it that will happen if I dare to speak or do something that is so scary? I may be rejected, I may be mocked, I may be turned away. But does that matter? I find my worth in God and in His love for me. I don’t care what people think. I want to be full out obsessed with loving God. I want to appear different than Babylon. I don’t want to be consumed with Babylon. Babylon leaves me alone. Holy Fire. Burn away. My desire, for anything. That is not of you. And is of me. I want more of You. And less of me. Empty me. Empty me. Fill won’t you fill me, with You

So back to my first question. Now what? What would it look like if we as a body thought this way? Some of you may feel this way, but are we stuck being lukewarm? I think there needs to be action. I know I feel the passion for God, but what are we doing about it? What is the next step? How can we be dramatically different? How can we stand out? Not for the sake of standing out, but for the sake of Christ. Of making sure all people feel God’s love. We are God’s way of reaching the people of this Earth. He isn’t physically here, but we are. We are to do God’s work in Babylon. How can we overtake Babylon and win it over for God? I think we need to do something. I don’t want this series just to come to an end. I feel like this is just the beginning. I think we need to talk as a body and make a life change. And hear what God is telling other people. I don’t know what this all looks like. I’m asking for help. I know there needs to be a response but I’m not sure what exactly…

anyways, guys i'm so excited and just pray that i don't get distracted away from all the great things God is going to do this month! i just wanted to hopefully encourage you and say B.A. and i are totally in! i'm glad you feel the same way about all this that we do and thanks for doing something bold about what God is calling us to do!

Thanks for taking the time to read this,

we love you guys,

Lindsey Amey

Shawna for SE GR Comm. Group said...

Oh beautiful community! How much more greatly God is glorified when His saints come together in unity and pray for strangers on our streets to know His saving grace!! Our community group in the SE side of GR (led by Monicellis and Oliphants) has been meeting weekly to prayer walk our streets together. We meet at 6:30 and split into two groups, covering our surrounding corners and waiting on God to show us opportunities to reach out and serve. I read once we "go nearer to pray clearer"...I like that. I can pray for neighbors from within the walls of my own home, but somehow, getting out there to see these homes, the people, where they dwell... it moves your heart with utter Christlike compassion. Another sweet blessing is the support you feel when brothers and sisters show up at your door to join with you to pray for your own street. They have nothing really invested here, but joyfully offer their time, love and passion to see revival come. And how cool is it to get to walk with them and do the same in their own neighborhoods?! So that's one way our CG is pressing into the call to BE the Church.

And, instead of leaving additional comments under each section on the blog...we're also meeting weekly throughout the Summer...eating, worshiping, loving, sharing, laughing, serving, BEing together. It's a beautiful thing and has brought such deep encouragement to our souls and His Body. We are also planning a neighborhood outreach event at the Oliphant's house. (carnival, hot dogs, ice cream and Jesus :) We would covet your prayers. It will be on the
27th.
So, YES! God is moving in and through such broken vessels. Each family has experienced the Spirit move in our own spheres of influence. What GRACE! What excitment and thrill to be a part of His Kingdom plan!
All for Jesus :)

For His Glory,
Shawna Duvall (for the SE GR Community Group)

Anonymous said...

Last Sunday, I went to another church to pray. God led me to begin praying for the row in front of me. My eyes were drawn to a certain person. After service, I approached her and told her that I thought God was leading me to her and asked if there was anything specific I could pray for. She began crying immediately. I told her that God sees her and wants you to know how much He loves you. She proceeded to tell me that she is very depressed right now. I asked her name and she said "Joy". (Even now, that puts a smile on my face.) We prayed, along with her mother. I could see the Holy Spirit falling on her. She began standing taller, her tears disappeared and she was smiling when we were done. Praise the Lord.
"Let Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, ON EARTH as it is in heaven."

Anonymous said...

Sunday, we started the day with family worship and praise in our home. We then rode bikes into our community. We stopped and prayed in parts of town for our businesses, for the churches, for the schools and for the community ministry distribution center-representing may different types of individuals and family situations. The local cars roared past us, making a small town alive with traffic. We realized the churches were letting out-we had joined them in worship and prayer that day-they inside the church building, we on the corners and streets!