APRAYED4CITY PRAYERS OCTOBER 15
Thank you for joining us in praying for the metroplex. This goes right along with our prayers for the community that surrounds VRBC. Think specifically about those you see in and around the area when you are driving to and from your homes while you are praying for God to open your hearts and eyes to where He is calling you to reveal His love and compassion for the financially poor but especially those who are poor in spirit.
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OCTOBER 2013 PRAYER GUIDE
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one—I in them and You in Me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.” John 17:20-23
“The unity of Christendom is not a luxury, but a necessity. The World will go limping until Christ's prayer that all may be one is answered. We must have unity, not at all costs, but at all risks. A unified Church is the only offering we dare present to the coming Christ, for in it alone will He find room to dwell.” Charles H. Brent, 1862-1929
This month AP4C is highlighting UNITY. It is our intention for believers from all ethnic, socio-economic and denominational backgrounds to unite in prayer and use this guide as a catalyst for our on-going prayer.
It is also our prayer that God will unite the Church and use us to shape Greater Dallas into a place that more accurately reflects His Kingdom.
Let these Scriptures and your time with God renew your heart for our Metroplex. Please prepare your heart before you begin to pray through the AP4C categories.
All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, NIV translation.
www.ap4c.org
WORKING TOGETHER IN UNITY
According to national experts like Tim Keller and Eric Swanson, more than 5 million people are moving to cities around the world every month. This is the largest migration in history. God cares about cities, and He has a purpose for them: to provide community, work, homes, diversity, culture, and access to needed services. In Isaiah 65:20-25, God gives us a picture of a future, perfect city. As He transforms us into His image, wouldn’t He also desire to transform our cities into the image described in Isaiah?
We are seeing Him work in a special way in our generation. He is bringing the Church together in cities across the globe to bring about such transformation. Just look at what He’s doing across the Metroplex:
The Church is working together to see that every public school in Greater
Dallas has a church partner. So far, 175 local schools have at least one part-ner to help meet the needs of at-risk students and families. Your church can help. If you can’t take on a whole school, a partner will be found for you.
The Church is working together to see that everyone has access to
healthy, affordable food. For example, a Richardson church has offered some undeveloped land to a church of immigrants who farmed in their homeland. Another church provides transportation from Dallas to the garden in Richard-son every week.
The Church is working together to provide families with the tools they
need to bring themselves out of poverty. In Irving, Lake Highlands, and East Plano churches are working with the city, specialized non-profits, and other partners to help bring whole communities into financial stability.
The Church is working together to care for immigrants & refugees. In
Vickery Meadow, dozens of churches & non-profits are working together to ultimately welcome every refugee and come alongside them as they try to make a new life here.
The Church in Dallas was instrumental in passing the toughest city
ordinances in the state against predatory lending. Now we are uniting to protect surrounding communities.
What other issues could we tackle if we effectively advocated for the poor?
What if we all worked together to find a loving foster family for every child in the system and an adoptive family for those eligible for adoption? The Church in several other major cities has done it.
What if we all worked together to eliminate human trafficking in Greater Dallas? All of us want to see that happen. Wouldn’t we be braver and more effective together?
For more info or to get involved visit www.unitethechurch.org.
SALVATION
“And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:19-20
“For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.” Romans 6:5
Praise God for His gift of salvation in Christ and His gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is the source of our unity in Christ.
Pray that God will create greater unity in the Church across the Metroplex so that unbelievers will see our unity and be drawn to Christ.
Pray that believers will join together in praying for the lost within our city.
Continue to pray for the salvation of people within your sphere of influence.
DISCIPLESHIP
“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.”
1 Corinthians 1:10
“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
Pray that the Lord will provide opportunities for churches throughout the Metroplex to work together across denominational lines.
Pray for congregations to have a spirit of unity and oneness with their brothers and sisters that manifests itself in members working together to glorify God and expand Christ's Kingdom.
Pray that the generations within the Church will unite and stand on the core doctrines of the faith and not let non-core issues cause division.
Pray that the Church will be a visual testimony of the unity of the Trinity, displayed through our humility, gentleness, patience and love for each other.
COMMUNITY
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:4-6
“By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35
Pray that unity within the Church will allow us to display authentic community in a culture that is dominated by superficial relationships, loneliness and isolation.
Pray that wounds and divisions because of racial injustices will begin to heal as believers unite to lead the way for restoration.
Pray that the Church will embrace people from various ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds within our communities displaying the love of Christ and His design for community.
TRANSFORMATION
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make My joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambi-tion or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:1-4
“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” 1 Peter 3:8
Pray that every sector of society will look to the Church as a partner and join the Church in its mission of transforming the city by reaching the young, poor and marginalized.
Pray that God will show us how the workplace/industry/system has been impacted by the fall and how we can work alongside Him to transform it to be more in line with His intended purpose.
Pray that God will continue to bring unity and wholeness into our city systems.
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