Dear Beloved Intercessor,  

Cathy Charles, a self-described “prayer nudger” sent the following in her Friday challenge to churches in their association in Rochester, NY. It’s a good challenge for all of us as we pray.

“Where do you want to go with God? Light? Casual? Or really become a soldier and warrior He can count on regularly, to move heaven and hell to His will? God does use all prayers when the pray-er is open to His plan. But let's be honest--serious prayer takes focus and commitment. Fasting shows a serious level of concern on our part about our requests. Those who have become spiritually disciplined to this level can rejoice that the ‘hard prayer requests’ are getting answered . . . This week, why not talk to God about a weekly commitment to take a break from prayer lists, TV, or books to tune into one or two ‘hard situations’ God wants you to pray and/or fast for. Spiritual muscles develop when we commit to consistent spiritual habits with God. Decide to make a real difference!” 

Reread Isaiah 58:5-12 and consider God’s view of fasting and seriousness in prayer. We’re sharing an article about several upcoming prayer conferences—hope to see you at one of them. God is calling His people back to Himself in serious prayer.

“Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord? Is this not the fast which I choose. . .then you will call, and the Lord will answer” (Isa. 58:5-9, NASB).

Thank you for praying and for being on the NAMB prayer team.

For God's glory,
Elaine Helms

Missionary Prayer Requests:

Missionary prayer requests are on a separate, printer-friendly page, for ease of sharing with a group. Click on the underlined dates to see the requests: 

June 25 - July 8, 2009
July 9-22, 2009

For all Daily Prayer Requests on the website, visit: www.namb.net/prayerrequests.

Weekly Prayer Focus for July 7 –  The Severity Of God

“God’s discipline is for Christians . . . God passes judgment on Christians as well as unbelievers . . . When people refuse to turn from their sin, God will apply discipline in an increasing degree.” –Henry and Richard Blackaby and Claude King

Scripture
“Behold then the kindness and severity of God . . . ” (Rom. 11:22, NASB).

Prayer
Lord, teach us that Your discipline is for Christians and that if we refuse to repent, You will apply more severe discipline and will even judge us if necessary. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Weekly Prayer Focus for July 8 and July 15, 2009
Daily Prayer Guide for July 8, 2009
Daily Prayer Guide for July 15, 2009

God at Work Story:  God is Calling Us to Pray

Several upcoming prayer conferences may offer just what you need to answer God’s call to serious prayer for His purposes. To find a conference near you click on the link below.

Read more at www.namb.net/Godatwork Related serious prayer article

  
Other Prayer Requests

Pray for the college students who ‘parachuted’ into downtown Chicago to do outreach this summer.  Pray that they can make great contacts which give insight into the neighborhoods, result in people coming to Christ, and in the formation of new churches. Pray also for students to be developed in their walk with the Lord as they learn to be missionaries.

2010 OLYMPIC/PARALYMPICS Vancouver/Whistler – Pray for the six upcoming evangelism training sessions with Billy Graham Evangelistic Assn. of Canada. Ask for the approval of IOC (International Olympic Committee) to provide Scriptures with the official logos for Chaplains at the Olympic Village. Pray for favor with Vancouver Park Board to do open crowd festivals. Pray for the continued securing of items for the welcome kits. Pray for the Sustainability Committee (Creation Care, Homelessness/Poverty and Anti-Sex Trafficking) – asking for fresh ideas. Pray for accommodation and ministry opportunities for up to 3,000 Christian volunteers. www.morethangold.ca

Pray for God to open doors for volunteers to do more military projects in the county. Pray for God to give individuals and churches eyes to see the military-related needs within their communities. Pray for the strengthening of the military families in the San Diego area. Pray that churches would recognize the great opportunity they have to reach out and make a difference in their communities. Pray that partnerships being built with the government and non-profit organizations would lead to a transformation in the mentality our city has towards the Kingdom of God. Pray for the planning and offering of summer seminar series on mentoring. On July 18-25, World Changers will work with a group home in Lemon Grove. Pray that the kids in the home would see the love of Christ through the volunteers.  Visit www.visionsandiego.com for more information.

Embrace Baltimore

Please pray for:

• Effective outreach through summer activities
• God’s protection for the summer missionaries who are serving on a VBS team, a sport’s evangelism team, and a community impact team.
• The mission teams in Baltimore, that they would have safe travel and opportunities to share the Gospel
• Protection from spiritual attack as so many work to penetrate the darkness with the light of the Gospel.
• Continued growth in new Baltimore churches

Cleveland Hope

Please pray for:

• Staff – wisdom and God’s continued favor, for a heart that truly follows God in all they do
• More leaders in the Cleveland area
• Pastors and planters; God’s clear direction, safety, filling of the Holy Spirit
• Financial Resources
• Unity where there might be different views or opinions

Rock The River Tour

July 18 – Baton Rouge, the first RTRT event is only weeks away. 

The other River City Events follow quickly:  St. Louis - August 2; Quad Cities - August 8; Minneapolis/St. Paul - August 16.

July and August are key months for Christian young people up the River as they participate in the RTRT “Bring A Friend” (BAF) prayer and outreach program.  Through BAF, they’ll be praying for, building bridges of friendship with and looking for opportunities to invite their unchurched friends to the RTRT Events.

• Pray especially for the Christian young people up the River during these important final weeks of outreach.
• Pray that they will experience God’s direction and assurance as they reach out to their unchurched friends.
• Pray that they will see God answer their prayers and that their own prayer relationships with God would be strengthened through their involvement.
• Pray that those friends will accept their invitations to the Events, come to know Christ and be discipled to live for Him and equipped to tell others about Him.
• Pray, also, that parents and all influencing adults would pray for and support the young people of these communities as they seek to influence their friends for Christ.

Praises - 

“Shout your praises to God, everybody! Let loose and sing! Strike up the band!” Psalm 98:4 (The Message)

Please pray for new believers who have committed their lives to Christ recently through the Evangelism Response Center (ERC) of the North American Mission Board.    

Ron – Fort Worth, TX; Heather – Grapevine, TX; Melvadine – Arlington, TX; Tanya – Coppell, TX; Buford – Fort Worth, TX; Roberta – Hurst, TX; Jennifer – North Richland Hills, TX; Patricia – Westminster, CO; Stephanie – Haltom City, TX; Norma – Lizella, GA; Mary Beth – Renton, WA; Armando – Edinburg, TX; Edward – Bronx, NY; Levi – Everman, TX

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If you have a prayer request, praise, or a story of how you have seen God at work in your area, please click here. The requests are subject to editing and condensing.

To view the Wednesday Window on the World from the International Mission Board, please click on:
http://www.imb.org/CompassionNet/window.asp

Thank you for praying!