June 10 prayer for neighbors

Peace House part 9 – How can a home bring peace to a neighborhood? Praying for others.

What do you see every week that will last forever? People. God loves us. God wants to hear from us. God gives us purpose. We are called to pray for others. Let us join with Jesus in praying for others, according to God’s will and desire, that none should perish. Let us pray for people who do not yet know Jesus as Savior. Let us pray for the peace of our neighbors and our neighborhood. Let us pray for their wellbeing and how we may be involved in bringing peace.

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” 1 Timothy 2:1

“But as Jesus came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, He began to weep. ‘How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace…you did not accept your opportunity for salvation.’” Luke 19:41-44

“This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.”  2 Timothy 2:3-4

“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” Colossians 4:2

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:18

“Don’t worry about anything: instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He’s done.” Philippians 4:6

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Prayer for the lost (those who do not yet know Jesus):

1. God help you be aware of His heart toward them. That they may see & hear spiritual truth.
2. May God draw them by His kindness into repentance & faith. What would God have you do?

Prayer for your neighbors:

1. Write out the names of people in your neighborhood and what you are thankful for about each of them.
2. Thank God for placing them in your life.
3. List what prayer topics ___ for each person. Bring that list to God and ask God for change.
4. Ask God to bring each neighbor into His peace. Ask God to bring full health in their spirits, marriages, families, finances.

Prayer for your neighborhood:

1. May God help you bring peace into your neighborhood from your homes.
2. May God fill each home with someone receptive to peace.
3. May God lead the decision makers to improve all aspects of the schools.
4. May God help us restore broken relationships between neighbors and organizations.

5. May God continue His redemptive work for every person who is lonely, hurt, and in need.

 

cant even

So, I love Jesus, but how do I respond to this mess, this violence, this suffering?

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” Psalms 34:18 This helps us understand what God is thinking about today, how God is feeling today.

It’s safe to say that the news, in the past couple of weeks, has been gut wrenching. We’re experiencing a range of emotions and thoughts. We may be asking questions like, “God where are you?” We are seeing the results of old sins unresolved and new ones committed as hurt people hurt people. There are natural causes and there are spiritual causes.

People are grieving here in Baltimore. They may be grieving the loss of Freddie Gray, Lor Scoota, Mackenzie Elliott, or Molly Macauley, or many more recently. Families are grieving loss from school shootings.

It is healthy to grieve. It is healthy to say, “This should not be!” God grieves and is angered by murder and injustice. Yet we must remember that today God is not at a loss for words or answers. God has not lost control of our world. God sent Jesus as the answer for the world today.

I believe that it is important for us to not sweep our feelings “under the rug”, nor trivialize how people around us are feeling.

J. I. Packer writes, “when bad things happen to good people…they lament with great freedom and at considerable length to their God. And Scripture does not seem to regard these prayers as anything other than wisdom.” He goes on to note that the plaintive question to God, “How long?” is asked almost twenty times in prayers of the Psalms, and is almost a technical sign of this kind of prayer. Psalms 39 and 88 can reasonably be called pitch-darkness prayers. Some believe that Jesus recited Psalm 88 the night before he was put to death. Jesus understands our pain and discouragement.

On the cross, Jesus prayed a prayer that many believe God did not answer. Even in the face of that evil, when it looked like our enemy had won, there was hope. Even when the friends and family of Jesus stood near the cross and it seemed that Father God had not answered that cry, there was hope. Father God knew that this suffering was necessary so that you and I could be forgiven, so that we can have access to God every day. Father God knew best.

When we submit to God’s will, trust Him, pray for miracles, and work hard where He’s placed us…there’s an amazing amount of hope that we can experience.

And so, let us ask some specific questions: Where does God have me? What does God want me to do? What is it that I can do today that I cannot do in Heaven?

God has placed around you people who need to see hope in the face of evil. You can ask them questions, listen, speak love, and pray for a miracle of grace & peace. You can do it. Please remember that you are an eternal spiritual being having a temporary natural experience.

God has given you the right to ask Him to set the wrongs, right.

So find someone today, ask them, “Is there anything that I can pray with you about?”

Then simply ask God for miracles. Please be specific. Ask God to do something big.

As you consider this, here’s a suggestion of a prayer that you can pray:

“Lord please help me to be more aware of the people you have put in my life. Please help me faithfully love them, help them, and be a faithful display of your love for them. Thank you for this opportunity today. Thank you God! Thank you for putting this person in my life. God, please help this person with ___ . Please help me see what I should do.”

I believe that our Father God is alive, aware, able, and active. Let’s relate to Him like this is true.

If you were unable to worship with us last Sunday, please see the Scriptures listed below and listen to our prayer and message time at iTunes or: http://cityharborchurch.com/category/podcast/

Rebecca and I love you all so very much. We’re praying for you daily. We are available to you. Please feel free to let us know if you would like to talk through what you’re feeling or ask questions. May God continue to bless you this weekend! May God bring His grace and peace to our city!

Ben Malmin, Pastor

City Harbor Church                  …a safe place to find & follow Jesus

• “Nothing will separate me from the love of Jesus. In all these things I am more than a conqueror through Him who loved me.” Romans 8:35, 37
• “I will be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” Ephesians 6:10
• “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
• “God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
• “Don’t worry about anything: instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He’s done.” Philippians 4:6
• “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” 1 Timothy 2:1
• “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” Colossians 4:2

Billy Graham

Finding peace in Jesus changed my life forever. Helping other people find the same truth became the passion of my life. Billy Graham helped me understand that the love of Jesus could be explained in a simple way. By listening to him I learned that this was possible on a massive scale without the trappings of, or ego of a celebrity culture. Please take a few minutes and listen to one of his messages.

He had a positive impact on me. My family found him to be a hero in the faith. My extended family, my church family, and many of friends were personally affected by him. Many people that we know found faith in Jesus through Billy Graham. I learned that you don’t have to criticize people, but instead you can speak the truth in love.

His two crusades in Portland, my hometown, were historic. This video shows the connection between them and the spiritual movement that shaped my own life in different ways. I was in a few of the meetings shown here. Today I share Jesus with others in a way that was shaped by this. Today I gather monthly with other pastors for prayer, relationship, and serving God’s purpose in Baltimore (in part because of what happened, shown in this video, with other pastors). Let us learn from heroes of the faith. Let us grow from how they lived and what they did. Let us pray for people who do not yet know Jesus, every day!

 

recent happenings

This audio will give you an idea of what we’ve been up to this past year. You will hear the voices of most of our Dream Team. It is full of amazing answers to prayer! http://cityharborchurch.com/sfogliatella/

Living on Purpose

Day 21 Sunday January 28

“Lord, I receive Your love. I confess my mistakes. Please forgive me. Please do not punish me in the way that I deserve. Please do give me Your love in the way that I do not deserve. I believe that Jesus is my way to salvation and ultimately Heaven. Lord, I choose to live for You. I give my life to You completely. Please help me to see You more clearly. Please help me to understand Your purpose in my life. Thank You for helping me grow stronger in this resolve.”

• Lord, I will seek your kingdom first and live on purpose. Matthew 6:33
• Lord, You are the most powerful one and all of this is for you. Your kingdom is eternal. Psalms 145:13
• You are able to do more than I could ask for or think of. Ephesians 3:20
• To You, Oh Lord, be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Ephesians 3:21
• Lord, I will love you with all I’ve got and I will love others (in the same way I take care of myself). Matthew 22:37-40
• Lord, I will be sober, aware, careful, and a good steward in all things, enduring hardships. I will work to share the Good News of Jesus with as many people as possible, to fulfill the work You’ve given me. 2 Timothy 4:5
• Lord, I will urge as many people as possible (people of all varieties) to become followers of Jesus, leading them to take next steps in following You. We will love each other, ever learning more about who You are and all that You’ve said. We will gather in small groups in homes and as a larger group in the church. Matthew 28:19-20 Acts 2:41-47

Lord, please help us become a church:

• Loving Jesus in a way that people talk about.
• Where people find salvation & healing in Jesus.
• Helping people find careers & peaceful homes.
• Where everyone can find a place that they fit.
• Serving the city with love that works.

That this should result in peaceful neighborhoods, crime reduction, employment & literacy increase, and a decrease of addictions. It would include a better connected effort between existing churches, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and the business community.

Personal Change

Day 20 Saturday January 27

“Lord, please help me receive Your forgiveness. Lord, I surrender every area of my life to you. Lord, please help me leave the past behind. Please help me, as I choose to forgive others. Lord, please help me see how You want my life to look. Help me have a clear picture of what growing closer to You looks like. Help me see how my life can change. Lord please open my spiritual eyes to see the change that You desire.”

Let’s take a few minutes to write down a few topics to prayer over our personal lives. Reading Colossians 3, Philippians 4, or Ephesians 4 may help.

How could my life be different, for the better, to reflect the love of God and His plan?

What could be? What should be? By God’s grace, what will it be? What is that “preferred future” of God, for me?

What’s bothering you? What is the solution? What should be? Beginning to feel like a moral imperative? See a connection with what God is up to?

I believe God loves me. I believe that God knows what is best for me. God has a plan. By following God’s plan, I have the best plan of seeing the change (written above) become reality. With this change, people will see evidence that will draw them to Jesus.

“Lord please help me. Please bring change, miracles, and opportunities for me to take action. Lord please:

• Awaken my spiritual hunger
• See through the obstacles and not be distracted
• See Your guidance in my life
• Have the strength to resist sinful cravings
• Have the strength to seek You every day
• Help me plan specific next steps toward this change

My Work

Day 19 Friday January 26

“Lord, please help me see that You have created me with design. Help me see that You have given my life purpose. Help me see that You have created me for good works. Help me discover the vocation You have prepared me for. Help me see the work that You have given me to do today, as a gift. Help me see the work that I can do today as an opportunity to Thank You. Help me to do my best and give my all, for Your glory. Lord, please help me see that my time, energy, and money as resources that You have given me to be a steward of. They are not my own. They are Yours and that You have given them to me as a personal loan. Help me see that one day I will stand before You and give account for what I’ve done with my time, energy, and money. Today Oh Lord, I thank you by how I use these resources. May my work and money honor you oh God”

• Search me Oh God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms 139:23-24
• I will use my hands for god hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Ephesians 4:28
• I will treat my supervisors with respect, serving them sincerely as I would serve Jesus, not only when they’re watching. I will do the will of God with all of my heart, working with enthusiasm, as though I am working for Jesus and not for people. I remember that the Lord will reward me. Ephesians 6:5-8
• I will give with generosity at church, as unto the Lord, testing His principles, with a belief that He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Malachi 3:10 Hebrews 11:6
• I will give my time, energy, and money with generosity. God will take care of me. Luke 6:38
• I will be hospitable to others without grumbling. I will be a good steward. 1 Peter 4:9-10
• I will serve others with a humble attitude, thankful for Jesus. Philippians 2:5-8
• I will let my conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Philippians 1:27