Come Pray!

Uncategorized Aug 05, 2020

Come Pray! Is a simple way to mobilize the people in your congregation to get off their blessed assurance and onto their knees to pray--even during the Covid-19 social distancing and ban on public gathering.

Simply open your worship center for individuals and families to come and go during one day of the week. We open our worship center on Wednesdays from 6AM-4PM. We set up 3 prayer stations where people receive instruction to help them direct their prayers. Here are suggestions for 6 prayer stations. (We change our prayer stations every two weeks.)

Come back often and find more prayer station suggestions.

Weeks 1 and 2:

Powerpoint welcome set at the front of your place of worship, continuous loop. (Each line represents a separate slide.)

Welcome: This is a sacred space.
A place where we remember that God is on His throne and all is well.
This is a place where we will worship…
…and pray
…and trust that the God who invited us to meet Him will
hear from heaven
…and answer our prayers
…and heal our land
This is a sacred space.

Pray as the Spirit leads you and feel free to travel to the prayer stations provided. Come again next week.

Station 1: Focus
Station 2: Community
Station 3: Nation

Station 1: Consider why prayer works

· Read Philippians 4:6-7
· Discuss what happens when we pray (hint: verse 7)
· Discuss how we ought to pray (hint: verse 6)
· Consider what you’re thankful for today
· Select a stone, and let it become representative of the worries, concerns, fears, burdens you have on your mind and in your heart today.
· If you are praying with others, share what your stone represents.
· Toss your stone into the water and watch the ripples. Consider the ripples the things that you are thankful for. As your stone plops into the lap of God (represented by the water), let the ripples represent your thanksgiving.
· Pray: Lord, I am thankful for…(you fill in the blanks)
· Watch the water until it is still again, reflect on what happens when we pray (verse 7)

Station 2: Praying for our community

· What is impacting our community most today?
· If you are participating with your children, watch this video on your electronic device.
· Check the Williamson County Schools coronavirus “traffic light”
· Consider the effect that the coronavirus is having on our community.
· How are single parents coping with the prospect of their children not being in school? How is your family coping? What do our families need from God?
· Pray as the Holy Spirit brings specific needs to your mind.
· Choose a verse from the basket and read it aloud.
· Print a Scripture verse on either a green, yellow or red circle and place it in the basket provided.

Station 3: Praying for our nation

· Read the following Scripture and let the words sink into your spirit. (If you are praying with young children don’t try to read all the Scripture, just choose two. If you have older children praying with you, take turns reading the Scripture.)

If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ~ 2 Chronicles 7:14

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance (v. 12). ~ Psalm 33:12-22

I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them. ~ Matthew 18:19-20

Then Jesus told His disciples...that they should always pray and not give up. ~Luke 18:1

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:6-7

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ~1 Timothy 2:1-4

· Pray this prayer as a springboard into your own prayers for our leaders:
Father God, we thank You that when we are in need, we can come to You. Your word reminds us Your powerful hands hold our lives and our world leaders who you have set up. Because they are in positions of leadership, they are more vulnerable to the enemy.
Let no plan of the enemy stand in their lives. Whatever has risen against them be thwarted.

Give each leader Your wisdom, discernment, and guidance as they lead the world through this pandemic and through the chaotic atmosphere that is prevalent in our cities, government, and spreading in social and mass media. James 1:5 tells us that if you ask for wisdom, God will give it generously without finding fault: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

I pray that world leaders would seek after wisdom and justice, mercy and truth, freedom, godly grace and a desire to know You more and more. I pray that those that are deliberately opposing Your will would find that their plans and purposes would be exposed and become ineffective. Amen. (excerpt from Prayers for World Leaders During COVID-19, Heather Riggleman—a bit tweaked)

· Pray for our national leaders by name. (Listen for the Holy Spirit to direct your prayers—He knows what they need and what He wants to do in their lives.)

Pray for Federal Leaders - 2020:
· President: Donald Trump
· Vice President: Mike Pence
· Secretary of State: Michael R. Pompeo
· Secretary of Defense: Patrick M. Shanahan
· Secretary of the Treasury: Steven Mnuchin
· Attorney General: William Barr
· Secretary of the Interior: David Bernhardt
· Secretary of Agriculture: Sonny Perdue
· Secretary of Commerce: Wilbur Ross
· Secretary of Labor: Rene Alexander Acosta
· Secretary of Transportation: Elaine L. Chao
· Secretary of Energy: Rick Perry
· Secretary of Education: Betsy DeVos
· Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Robert Wilkie
· Secretary of Health & Human Services: Alex M. Azar II
· Secretary of Housing & Urban Development: Ben Carson
· Secretary of Homeland Security: Kirstjen Nielsen
· All Branches of the Armed Forces and U.S. Supreme Court

Weeks 3 and 4:

Powerpoint welcome doesn’t change.

Bowl of Hugs Hershey candy
dry erase board and markers
Instructions
Scripture printed and placed in a plastic holder

Instructions: Eat a Hugs Hershey candy and take your time experiencing the candy melt in your mouth. Consider the sweetness and spend some time here visualizing God's love for you encircling and embracing you. Read the Scriptures provided and reflect on what it means to be loved by God.

God’s love never fails. While our love can sometimes fall short, be shallow, or even be selfish, God’s love is steadfast, everlasting, and selfless. God extends love to all people. You are always worthy of God’s love. On the dry erase board write a few words that describe how God’s love makes you feel.

Scriptures/Quotes:

“I will say of the Lord, God is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in thee will I trust. God shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust. For God shall give angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. God hath set his love upon me.” (Psalm 91)

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. God maketh me to lie down in green pastures: God leadeth me beside the still waters. God restoreth my soul: God leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23)

"For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." (Isaiah 54:10)

"The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore, with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." (Jeremiah 31:3)

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. She that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1 John 4:7-8)

Station 2: Pray for our Schools

Items needed:

5 copies of the Prayer Guide for Educators on cardstock paper.
Instructions in plastic holder.
In the Prayer Clinic Room place a bucket/basket with chalk on the table closest to the chalkboard wall.

Instructions: If you are praying on August 5, don’t forget that tonight between 5 and 7:30PM we are praying on our school campuses. Join us at your school campus (or one of our area schools). You can register here and get a prayer guide.

God Bless Our Educators! Never before has there been a greater opportunity for us to become ambassadors of Christ as we intentionally pray for and bless our educators throughout this school year. Please prayerfully consider adopting a teacher and/or administrator at one of our schools so that you can encourage and minister to them this school year. Click here to learn more.

Take a prayer walk to the Prayer Clinic Room, 2nd room on the right past the elevator. Take a prayer guide with you as you walk and pray for educators you know by name, return the prayer guide to this prayer station when you have finished. When you arrive at the Prayer Clinic room use the chalk to print the name of the school(s) your family is associated with on the chalkboard wall.

Beside your school name print a Bible verse that will remind you to pray for your school throughout this year. You can choose a verse from the prayer guide if you like.

Prayer Guide for Educators:

Pray for school administrators — Colossians 2:2-3
“My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Pray for teachers and teachers aids — Joshua 1:9
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Pray for support staff, custodians, cafeteria personnel, bus drivers, etc.— John 16:33
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Pray for extracurricular activities, sports and band, drama, etc — Ephesians 1:16-17
"I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God."

Pray for students — Proverbs 4:6-7,
"Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding."

Pray for awakening — Romans 13:11
“Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.”

Thank God for hearing and answering your prayers.

1 John 5:15 - "And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

Station 3: Prayers of Repentance for our Nation

Items needed:

Instructions and Prayers of Repentance in a plastic holder.
A few coins scattered on the table.

Instructions: Take a coin and read its’ inscription—“in God we trust.” If you are praying with your children discuss what that means—to place our trust in God. To trust in God is to put our confidence in Him. We prove we trust Him by obeying Him.

Explain also what it means to pray prayers of repentance: To repent is to admit that what is happening, the choices we are making and the ways we are living are not pleasing to God. To repent is to ask God to forgive us for doing things our way instead of His, and then to commit to living differently. We are choosing to change our minds and our actions so that we say and do things that please God.

Now pray the prayers of repentance. When you are done, add a coin to the table as a token of your commitment to live your life pleasing to God.
Repent on behalf of our nation, because we have turned from making Scripture the basis of law, leaving behind wisdom and instead, looking to ourselves for truth.

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isa. 53:6).

Ask the Lord to pour out a spirit of repentance on our nation, that we might become a nation committed to following His ways.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:13).
Pray that the United States will repent of its corporate rejection of the Word of God as the basis of law.

"How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings." (Prov. 1:22–23).

Pray that a holy fear of God will sweep across our nation, leading us back to a place of wisdom and walking in the Lord.

"Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God" (Isa. 50:10).

https://www.reviveourhearts.com/articles/how-pray-upcoming-election/