Thank you all for praying. This is such a busy time of the year but the needs are great.
APRAYED4CITY PRAYER GUIDE DECEMBER 7,
2013
“This is how the birth of Jesus the
Messiah came about: His mother, Mary, was pledged to be married to Joseph, but
before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy
Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law, and yet did not
want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as
your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will
give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will
save His people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord
had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a
Son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph
woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home
as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a
son. And he gave Him the name Jesus.” Matthew 1: 18-25
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued
a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the
first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And
everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the
town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because
he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with
Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While
they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to
her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger,
because there was no guest room available for them.” Luke 2:1-7
During the month of December, AP4C is
celebrating the Savior’s birth. May the blessings of hope, joy, love, and peace
be yours this Christmas. Merry Christmas
from AP4C!
SALVATION
The virgin will conceive and give
birth to a son, and they will call Him
Immanuel (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:23
“For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to
the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:30-32
Praise God for His gift of salvation
that is celebrated at Christmas!
Pray that those who do not attend church
regularly will go to church this Christmas—will hear the gospel clearly
proclaimed.
Pray that those who do not know
Christ as Savior will find the greatest
gift of all—Jesus and His salvation.
Continue to pray for the salvation of
people within your sphere of influence.
DISCIPLESHIP
The Word became flesh and made His
dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14
“On coming to the house, they saw the
child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they
opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and
myrrh.” Matthew 2:11
Pray for churches, ministries and
organizations as they prepare and execute their Christmas services and
outreaches to the city, proclaiming God’s love and gift of Jesus.
Pray for God to restore to His Church
the Hope, Joy, Love and Peace of Christ’s coming to earth.
Pray that believers will give
sacrificially to help others during the Christmas season.
COMMUNITY
Suddenly a great company of the
heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God
in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.’”
Luke 2:13-14
“The shepherds returned, glorifying
and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as
they had been told.” Luke 2:20
Pray for God’s protection for all who
are traveling during the Christmas holidays.
Pray for God’s presence and comfort
to be felt by individuals this Christmas season who have lost loved ones this
year.
Pray for those who are separated from
family and friends this Christmas.
Pray that God will open doors to
believers to share their faith as they share the love of Christmas within their
community.
TRANSFORMATION
For to us a child is born, to us a
son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be
called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of
the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign
on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with
justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord
Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6-7
“May all kings bow down to Him and
all nations serve Him.” Isaiah 11:1
Pray for God to release a spiritual
awakening in our city during this Christmas season as people share the love of
Christ.
Pray that individuals will be able to
openly celebrate Christmas in their places of education and employment.
Pray that individuals and families
would avoid getting caught up in the commercial aspects of the season, and will
focus on the true meaning of Christmas.
10 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas By Mary Fairchild
Excerpts taken from
christianity.about.com
Keeping Christ in Christmas means
daily revealing the character, love and spirit of Christ that dwells in you, by
allowing these traits to shine through your actions. Here are simple ways to
keep Christ the central focus of your life this Christmas season.
1) Give God one very special gift
just from you to Him. Let this gift be something personal that no one else
needs to know about, and let it be a sacrifice.
2) Set aside a special time to read
the Christmas story in Luke 1:5-56 through 2:1-20. Consider reading this
account with your family and discussing it together.
3) Set up a Nativity scene in your
home.
4) Plan a project of good will this
Christmas. Find someone with a genuine need, involve your whole family and see
how happy you can make someone this Christmas.
5) Take a group Christmas caroling in
a nursing home or a children's hospital.
6) Give a surprise gift of service to
each member of your family. Jesus taught us to serve by washing the disciples
feet. He also taught us that it is "more blessed to give than to
receive." Acts 20:35 (NIV) The idea of giving an unexpected gift of
service to members of your family is to demonstrate Christ-like love and
service. Make it personal and meaningful and watch the blessings multiply.
7) Set aside a time of family
devotions on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Before opening the gifts, take
a few minutes to gather together as a family in prayer and devotions. Read a
few Bible verses and discuss as a family the true meaning of Christmas.
8) Attend a Christmas church service
together with your family. If you are alone this Christmas or don't have family
living near you, invite a friend or a neighbor to join you.
9) Send Christmas cards that convey a
spiritual message. This is an easy way to share your faith at Christmastime. If
you've already bought the reindeer cards—no problem! Just write a Bible verse
and include a personal message with each card.
10) Write a Christmas letter to a
missionary. Many missionaries are unable to travel home for the holidays, so it
can be a very lonely time for them. Write a special Christmas letter to a
missionary of your choice, thanking them for giving their life in service to
the Lord.
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