Invitation to a personal prayer challenge
Even though the new year began a few days ago, January 8 will be my New Year. We start back to school and routine, and with that I am committing myself afresh to some serious time in prayer. This week we continue to enjoy a continued break from our routine.
Maybe you want to join along, so this post will fill you in on what is to come in the next 30 days. And, here's the back story as to how this came about.
Over a year ago now, God pricked my conscience concerning my ailing prayer life. So, finally in May last year I spent the whole month praying every day for one hour. At the same time I was reading through the book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala.
Life changing.
As I resurrendered my days to Christ, He prompted in me a burden for my neighbors, my town, my community. At one point in the book Cymbala talks about a revival that swept the U.S. a while back. Each revival meeting was prefaced by two days of prayer by a small group. As a result, he estimated that 3% of the American population became Christians in those three years.
God tapped into my statistics-loving brain with that, and I began asking Him to do that in my town. In 3 years, I'm seeking 3% of my town to follow God for the first time. That's over 3000 people. That's impossible. For me.
So, I'm on my knees. This is the first of three years. I'm praying hard for God to use me and bring many others alongside me to make a dent in the demographics of this small city, 40% of which identify as non-religious.
That specific reason is just one of many pressing me to pray daily for one hour for the next 30 days.
If you want to join along, these daily posts will help set the tone for a time of prayer. Each post will contain the following:
Focus my attention - worship song video
Pray through Scripture - A couple chapters or passages to pray through in worship and supplication
Confession - seeking God's examination of my life
Heart of Gratitude - A verse and thoughts of thanks
Prayer burdens - specific daily prayer requests
Response - thoughts God stirred in me through prayer time that day
I'm going for an hour of prayer each day, but you can do whatever God leads you to. I pray that this is a blessing to others, and it will be great accountability to me to keep ahead of these posts.
I saw a glimpse of how God moves in response to focused prayer time, and I am eager to begin again.
Maybe you want to join along, so this post will fill you in on what is to come in the next 30 days. And, here's the back story as to how this came about.
Over a year ago now, God pricked my conscience concerning my ailing prayer life. So, finally in May last year I spent the whole month praying every day for one hour. At the same time I was reading through the book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala.
Life changing.
As I resurrendered my days to Christ, He prompted in me a burden for my neighbors, my town, my community. At one point in the book Cymbala talks about a revival that swept the U.S. a while back. Each revival meeting was prefaced by two days of prayer by a small group. As a result, he estimated that 3% of the American population became Christians in those three years.
God tapped into my statistics-loving brain with that, and I began asking Him to do that in my town. In 3 years, I'm seeking 3% of my town to follow God for the first time. That's over 3000 people. That's impossible. For me.
So, I'm on my knees. This is the first of three years. I'm praying hard for God to use me and bring many others alongside me to make a dent in the demographics of this small city, 40% of which identify as non-religious.
That specific reason is just one of many pressing me to pray daily for one hour for the next 30 days.
If you want to join along, these daily posts will help set the tone for a time of prayer. Each post will contain the following:
Focus my attention - worship song video
Pray through Scripture - A couple chapters or passages to pray through in worship and supplication
Confession - seeking God's examination of my life
Heart of Gratitude - A verse and thoughts of thanks
Prayer burdens - specific daily prayer requests
Response - thoughts God stirred in me through prayer time that day
I'm going for an hour of prayer each day, but you can do whatever God leads you to. I pray that this is a blessing to others, and it will be great accountability to me to keep ahead of these posts.
I saw a glimpse of how God moves in response to focused prayer time, and I am eager to begin again.
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