JUNE 7 APRAYED4CITY PRAYER GUIDE

THANKS FOR JOINING US IN PRAYING FOR THE DALLAS METROPLEX . FRIDAY, JUNE 7

HERE IS THE PRAYER GUIDE SENT BY APRAYED4CITY.

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The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”  So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, He took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man.  The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man.”  That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Genesis 2:18; 21-24

The approval of the Texas Marriage Amendment by voters in Nov. 2005 specifies the definition of marriage in the Texas Constitution as the union of one man and one woman. It protects the longstanding social practice of recognizing only the union of a man and a woman as a marriage, and reinforces the Texas Defense of Marriage Act of 2003 prohibiting any political entity in the state from recognizing the union of two people of the same gender.

This month AP4C is highlighting the institution of marriage.  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 and the advancement of Christ’s 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. 

TRANSFORMATION

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  Matthew 19:26

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  Ephesians 6:10-12

· Pray for God to reveal to members of the U.S. Supreme Court (members listed on back page) the importance of His design on the institution of marriage.

· Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict hearts across this city to protect marriage as the foundation for our society.

· Pray for God to bless, heal and/or restore the marriages of our educators, business leaders, media members, health care providers, elected officials, and church leaders.

· Pray for God’s people to respond with grace and truth, loving those who disagree with us about the sanctity and importance of marriage.

THE STATE OF MARRIAGE

Please find below information and statistics to help facilitate your on-going prayer, conversation and/or service:

Moral Acceptability Percentage       2001                     2013

Gay or lesbian relations      40%                    59%

Sex between an unmarried man & woman           53%               63%

Divorce  59%                     68%

Polygamy           7%                 14%

According to Research:

· The #1 cause of divorce is lack of communication

· An estimated 1 million U.S. divorces occur annually

· 83% of children born in S Dallas were to unmarried mothers

· 93% of children in S Dallas are being raised in single parent homes

· 2 out of 3 study participants say they are scared of the social, legal, emotional and economic consequences of divorce

U. S. Supreme Court Justices

Chief Justice John Roberts • Associate Justice Antonin Scalia •  Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy

Associate Justice Clarence Thomas  Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg • Associate Justice Stephen Breyer 

Associate Justice Samuel Alito • Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor • Associate Justice Elena Kagan

The Supreme Court is reviewing the following two challenges to laws that define marriage as the

union of a man and a woman:

· Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) - federal law passed by the U.S.   Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996 

· Proposition 8 (Prop 8) - amendment to the California constitution passed by voters in 2008