Each month, our Prayer Ministry Team offers a specific prayer focus, working under the belief that communal prayer is a powerful and world-changing exercise.

In September, our focus will be on praying for our enemies.  We are commanded in scripture to pray for those who hurt us.  Praying for those who have wronged us in obedience to God’s word gives God the opportunity to work not only in our own hearts but the hearts of those who have hurt us.  Praying for our enemies helps us set aside our anger and unforgiving attitude and allows our hearts to soften, seeing our enemies as children of God created in His image.  As we open ourselves to this opportunity to pray for our enemies, we become more forgiving and allow God to show us how to love them despite the hurt they have caused us.    

Please join us in praying for the following:

• To be obedient:  Matthew 5:44:  I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous.
• To be humble:  Proverbs 25:21-22:  If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. 22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.      
• To be more like Jesus: Luke 6:27-28: But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  
• To be gracious: 1 Peter 3:9:  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.  
•  To be forgiving: Mark 11:25: And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
• To soften our hearts:  Ezekiel 36:26: I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
• To not seek revenge:  Romans 12:19: Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Prayer is the heart cry of a Christian. It is a privilege to speak to our Father through prayer. Let us be people of prayer committed to seeking God daily on our knees. If you need someone to pray with you, please contact the church office so we can contact you.

Prayer team: Lisa Hidy, Terri Fisher, & Fran Dee