Prayer for U.S. Supreme Court Marriage Decision
The eyes of many in the Church are watching closely an anticipated ruling in June by the Supreme Court of the United States regarding same-sex marriage. Many believe that this battle for the family and a traditional biblical view of marriage is already over. From a worldly perspective, that may be true. But we are a people of faith who put our trust in the Lord, not in courts, or presidents, or public opinion. The Word of God is filled with examples of God responding to the prayers of His people in miraculous ways that surprise a watching world. May He do it again as we humbly come before Him in prayer. We encourage you to pray though these points and scriptures regularly.
Here are some ways we might pray:
1.Thank the Lord for the gift of family. Express your gratitude that family is God's by design and not human invention.
2.Ask for forgiveness on behalf of the Church for failing to model godly families before our society. We bear much blame for the deterioration of marriage and the family. (1 Timothy 5:8)
3.Pray for help to live out God's intent for the family. May our homes become outposts for God's kingdom. (Acts 10:2)
4.Confess our sins of responding to those caught up in a homosexual lifestyle with anger or hatred. Ask for help to love as Christ loves. (John 8:11)
5.Pray that the Lord would show us in practical ways how to speak the truth in love according to His Word. (Ephesians 4:15)
6.Ask God to pour out His wisdom on His people that we might see clearly the attack of the enemy on His design for marriage. May God's wisdom give us insight into the results of tearing down traditional one man-one woman marriage. (James 1:5)
7.Plead with the Lord for divine intervention upon the Supreme Court. Pray that He would give wisdom and courage to these jurists to respond in righteousness. (Job 21:22; Job 9:24; Isaiah 1:26)
A Model Prayer
Father, we are grateful to be able to call You that. To know that through Jesus, we have been brought into Your family. Thank You that our earthly families, as imperfect as they are, are a reflection of the eternal family for which You are our forever Father. Forgive us Lord, for not being better pictures of what the family is intended to be. Help us Lord to live out our lives in families with godliness, love, purity, and truth.
This broken world has affected all of us in so many damaging ways. We thank You for accepting us in our brokenness through Jesus, and for Your commitment to bringing us to spiritual and emotional health and wholeness. Forgive us as your people when we have gone on the offensive against those caught up in any sexual sin. Teach us how to live as You lived as You walked among us, Lord Jesus. We want to love as You loved and speak truth as You spoke truth.
From a place of humility before You, we plead with You Lord, to intervene to preserve Your intent regarding marriage. From the High Court of Heaven, would you step down into the Supreme Court of the United States to bring about Your will and purposes regarding the family? Give that wisdom which only You can give. Pour out righteousness upon our land. According to the word of the prophet Isaiah, would You restore our judges that they might rule according to Your purposes and desires? We ask this, for your honor and glory, in the majestic name of Jesus. Amen!
Prepared by Dave Butts
Chairman, National Prayer Committee
President, Harvest Prayer Ministries, http://harvestprayer.com
National Sanctity of Marriage: 5 Days of Prayer and Fasting April 26-30
When: 4/26-30
Details: Join others in five days of prayer and fasting by signing up at nationalsanctityofmarriage.com to receive daily devotions and prayer points.
Sanctity of Marriage Conference Call
When: 4/28
Time: 10:00 - 11:00 ET
Info: 712-432-0075 then 1412452#
Strategic Prayer Guide for Sanctity of Marriage: available for download at nationalsanctityofmarriage.com
Calling the World to Pray and Fast for the United States for 7 Days from 30 April - 6 May 2015
The Australian National Day of Prayer and Fasting team are calling the whole world to pray and fast for seven days for the USA from the National Day of Repentance which is held on Thursday the 30th April 2015 - Wednesday 6th May which is the day before the USA National Day of Prayer which is held on the 7th May 2015. We have done this now for two years in a row although this Prayer Call is longer due to the two days being further apart. This will be our third year.
The first year 2013 we called for 3 days of prayer and fasting expecting perhaps a dozen nations to join us. We were greatly encouraged when 28 nations joined our 3 day prayer and fasting call for the USA including Vietnam and China. In 2014 we called for 48 hours of prayer and fasting for the USA and even released a video supporting the call to pray for the USA. At last tally we had over 40 nations join our call to pray and fast for the USA in 2014. Again we were both excited and surprised all at the same time as in the scheme of things Australia is a very small nation.
In August 2014, I put together a video prayer for the USA from an Australian perspective which details some of the rich Christian heritage and several historic calls for prayer and fasting that are embedded in American history but not generally known. This video prayer is a call for America to find her prophetic destiny in Christ. That remains our hope and prayer.
Our team feels to launch out again in this way in 2015 with this longer period of prayer and fasting which is deliberately planned to link the two very necessary days together. The Day of Repentance and the National Day of Prayer. We believe repentance always comes before breakthrough as it says in 2 Chronicles 7:14. The USA needs Revival and Transformation. Australia needs Revival and Transformation. In this we have much in common. The so called western world in particular is spiritually and morally bankrupt. The only way forward is on our knees. Jesus Christ is the light of the world and the hope of the nations. Soli Deo Gloria!
In the light of Lana Vawser's prophetic word for the USA we believe this call for seven days of prayer and fasting for the USA is much needed.
Would love your comments, thoughts and suggestions. Would also greatly appreciate if you are able to send this to your national and global networks. Together we can make difference.
God's Blessings
Warwick Marsh & Matt Prater
National Day of Prayer and Fasting Team
www.nationaldayofprayer.com.au, Email : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
A Call to Pray for Lebanon
1 Please pray against the threat of violence breaking out in Lebanon.
2 Pray that the lies that people are believing will be exposed. Join our prayer, saying Lord give us more time!
Pray that the Lord keeps the doors of evangelism wide open.
3 Pray with us for the breaking of the veil off people's eyes so they can recognize Jesus the Messiah and accept him as Lord and Savior.
4 Pray for more laborers in the field as the harvest is white
Be blessed and thank you for standing with us!
From Lebanese friends working to help Syrian refugees and also their own people
Prayer Concerns for the Yazidi People of Iraq
From a female member of the Iraqi Parliament who is a humble and brave woman, shared during her recent visit to the USA. Here are her prayer requests:
1 Pray that the Yazidi women who have been kidnapped by ISIS are returned safely to their families. The women have been, in many cases, raped repeatedly by ISIS soldiers.
2 Pray for her people that they be protected from ISIS.
3 Pray for anything that her people need since many are refugees now.
Her English is broken but her heart is for her people and their protection from ISIS and further persecution. Pray too for her safety while she is back home in her country as there have been assassination threats against her.
