Prayer and Bible Reading Guide

 

Prayer  and  Bible  Reading  Guide   February  10  –  February  16,  2013   Day  1  

Day  2  

Day  3  

Day  4  

Day  5  

Day  6  

Matthew  5:27-­‐30  

Proverbs  4:23  

Romans  6 :5-­‐11  

1  Peter  2:11-­‐12  

James  1:14-­‐15  

Matt  5:31-­‐32  

            In     the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  Jesus  is  teaching  the  ethics  of  his  kingdom.  Jesus  wants  his  followers  to  be  right  on  the  inside  –  he   calls  his  people  to  be  pure  in  heart,  not  just  in  body.  He  teaches  that  lust  is  every  bit  as  destructive  as  adultery,  and  we  must  not   tolerate  this  sin  to  take  up  residence  in  our  hearts.  Rather,  we  must  be  on  guard  against  internal  immorality.  The  verses  above   focus  on  purity  of  heart  and  the  need  to  give  cautious  attention  in  regards  to  our  thoughts  and  affections.    

Feb  17-­‐Matt  5:31-­‐32,  Divorce  and  Remarriage      Feb  24-­‐Matt  5:33-­‐37,    Mean  What  You  Say        Mar  3-­‐Matt  5:38-­‐42,  Do  Not  Retaliate  

PRAYING  FOR  GOD’S  GLORY   God  is  glorified  through  the  purity  of  his  people.  As  we  devote  our  affection  and  hearts  to  him,  we  acknowledge  the   reality  that  he  alone  is  worthy  of   worship,  and   that   he  is  worthy  of  complete  worship.  Pray  that  our  hearts  would  be   undivided,  that  we  would  not  entertain  impurity  in  our  hearts,  but  that  our  worship  would  be  intense  and  complete.   PRAYING  FOR  GOD’S  PEOPLE   This  week  we  will  be  praying  for  First  Alliance  Church  on   Buffaloe  Road  and  their  lead  pastor,  Shan  Towns.  Please  pray   for  these  brothers  and  sisters  throughout  the  week.  Also  pray   for  the  following:   Day  1:  Pray  for  pastors/members  of  First  Alliance  Church,  that   their  gospel  love  would  stand  in  stark  contrast  to  the  darkness   of  sin.  Pray  that  they  would  be  a  b lessing  to  their  community   as  they  reflect  Christ’s  love.  Pray  that  the  Word  of  God  would   be  taught  faithfully  in  the  church  each  week.   Day  2:  Pray  for  Charles  Cox  and  the  music  team  at  Christ   Covenant.  That  they  would  delight  in  God  as  they  lead  the   body  each  week  and  that  their  service  would  result  in  greater   worship  and  fruitfulness  in  our  congregation.   Day  3:  Pray  for  your  own  neighbors.  Pray  that  God  would  give   you  opportunities  to  demonstrate  the  love  of  Christ  both  in   word  and  in  deed  toward  those  God  has  put  in  your   community,  knowing  that  he  has  determined  the  timing  and   boundaries  of  each  of  our  dwelling  p laces  (Acts  17:26).   Day  4:  Pray  for  Tom  Mercer  as  he  p repares  to  teach  this   coming  Sunday  from  Matthew  5:31-­‐32.  Pray  that  the  Spirit   would  give  insight  and  direction  in  his  study  (1  Cor.  2:12-­‐13).   Day  5:  Pray  that  the  Care  Groups  of  CCC  would  be  places   where  members  are  being  encouraged  in  weakness,  supported   in  trial,  and  p rovoked  toward  love  and  good  works.  Pray  that   Care  Group  leaders  would  grow  in  wisdom  and  love  as  they   lead  in  caring  for  group  members.   Day  6:  Pray  that  we  God  would  give  members  of  CCC  grace   and  courage  to  share  our  joy  in  the  gospel  with  those  who  do   not  know  Christ.  Pray  that  the  Spirit  would  use  our  witness  to   convert  sinners  and  make  disciples.    

PRAYING  FOR  GOD’S  WORLD   This  week  we  are  praying  for  the  advancement  of  the  gospel   among  the  people  in  the  north  African  country  of  Niger,  which  is   set  in  the  m iddle  of  the  Saharan  desert  and  is  76%  unreached   peoples.  Please  use  this  information  to  inform  your  prayers,   taken  from  Operation  World  (available  in  the  bookstore):     Religion                                   Pop  %   Ann  Gr   Christians   52,  442   0.33   2.1   Evangelicals   21,  541   0.1   3.7   Muslim   15,  436,  986   97.14         Praise  God  that  the  Alliance  of  Evangelical  Churches  and   Missions  of  Niger  (AMEEN)  continues  to  develop  as  a  united,   visionary  and  cross-­‐denominational  organization.  Although  a   number  of  smaller  denominations  have  split,  pray  for  greater   unity,  especially  through  the  work  of  AMEEN.    

Many  believers  are  isolated,  often  illiterate  and  rarely  have   systematic  Bible  teaching  available.  Pray  for  literacy  programs   and  oral  m ethods  of  learning  scriptural  truths  and  becoming   disciples.  Pray  for  groups  to  form,  even  if  only  very  small,  for  the   sake  of  those  who  need  fellowship  with  other  Christians.    

Leadership  training.  The  EERN  and  UPEEN  denominations  run   two  middle-­‐level  Bible  schools.  Also,  SIM  and  its  five  church   partners  operate  a  higher-­‐level  Bible  school  (ESPRiT)  in  Niamey.   Many  small  Bible  training  schools  are  run  by  different   denominations,  such  as  Institute  Biblique  Baptist  de  Soir.  Pray   for  effective  ways  to  train  more  leaders  and  to  further  train   those  currently  in  pastoral  work.    

Educational  needs  provide  an  opportunity  for  Christians  to   make  a  huge  difference  in  Niger.  The  government  cannot  afford   to  educate  all  children,  so  m any  –  especially  girls  –  receive  no   schooling  at  all.  Agencies  such  as  SIM,  Tearfund  and  World   Horizons,  as  well  as  denominations  such  as  EERN,  open  and  run   schools  that  offer  valuable  education  for  primary-­‐aged  children   and  open  doors  for  demonstrating  the  gospel.  Pray  for  material   and  human  resources  to  properly  seize  this  opportunity.