THE NL BLOG

Some wandered in desert wastelands … They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress … Let them give thanks to the LORD for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with Good things.

… Psalms 107: 4-6, 8-9

Prayer:

Many of our neighbors have never tasted, or even imagined, the feast of life in Jesus. They may not realize that their inner hunger and thirst is for You. Some realize that they have missed real living, but they don’t know where to turn. They may  never have cried out to You for help. So we come to You on their behalf. open the way for them to find life worth living. Surprise them with huge portions of Your delightful goodness and fill them with eternal life that begins right now.

When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father… ” … Luke 15: 17-18

Prayer:

We dare to ask You to allow circumstances to reveal the emptiness of self-sufficient lives. May they become nauseous with their sin. May they recall something they’ve known of Your love and turn toward You. And when they do, living God, meet them at that exact moment. Reveal Your loving heart. Summon them home with hope that You will restore their lives to something better than they ever imagined. Pray:

• For prodigals to come home.
• For eyes to be opened to lives of emptiness away from the goodness of God’s house.

Seek God … on behalf of … Elderly People

They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay  fresh and green, proclaiming, “The LORD is upright; He is my Rock…” … Psalm 92: 14-15

Prayer:

That God’s strength and peace will be poured out on everyone who is advanced in years. Pray they may be honored, that they may be cared for; that loneliness be banished through lasting friendships and family bonds; that sickness be lifted; that they may live to see their prayers answered; that their latter years will be significant, reflecting the glory of God.

Prayer Walk: Pray at a retirement community or an extended care facility.

Seek God … on behalf of … Asia and Pacific

Korea-North, Korea-South, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. … Psalm 103: 11-13

Prayer:

How can it be that Your love is a secret? Why is Your boundless love and compassion unkown by so many who live in our city? Your love is more fiercely loyal than the finest father’s love. You are more tender in steady compassion than the best mother. Display Your incredible love. Put Your kindness on exhibit. Send a message to men, women and children that You are yearning to embrace them with love as large as the sky. 

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me,  a sinner.” I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. … Luke 18: 13-14

Prayer:

We are more qualified to stand as fellow sinners with the people of our land. And so we sincerely cry,”Have mercy on us, a sinful city!” We already live in the consequences of the piled-up sins of many generations and we see no easy way out of our predicament. But there is a mountain of love underneath every act of Your mercy. We are desperate, but not despairing. More in great mercy upon us all, O God. Pray:

• For God’s people to pray with humility for their city.
• For many in our city to experience the justifying work of God by faith in Christ.

Seek God … on behalf of … Fathers

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. … Ephesians 6:4

Prayer:

That fathers will look to God as the ultimate spiritual head of their households, serving and caring for their families; that God will install a vision for wholesome, supportive fatherhood among the fathers of the city; that absentee fathers would change their lifestyles to nurture their wives and children; that children will see the character of the heavenly Father in the lives of their dads.

Prayer walk: Pray for the fathers in your workplace or near your home.

Seek God … on behalf of … Asia and the Pacific

French Polynesia, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati

Yet the LORD longs to be gracios to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him! … How gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as He hears, He will answer you. … Isaiah 30: 18-19

Prayer:

Be quick to answer when people cry for help. You are as swift as You are patient. We may think that you are moving much too slow, But every act of your mercy is one-of-a-kind, perfectly timed stroke of your kindness. You gaze upon each one of us throughout every day, vigilant for the times we cry for help. Then you act with premeditated passion to bring us back to You. You are watching every minute of our lives. Wait no longer, God of patient love. May this day be the day You satify Your desire to be known as the God who is gracious to all.

So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

… Luke 15:20

Prayer:

Father, You’ve been constantly watching for long lost sons and daughters to return to you. Awaken their yearning for you. Empower those who turn towards home. Run towards them as they come. Convince them of your unchanging love, regardless of what they have done or how long they have been away. Let the homecoming party begin. Pray:

• For Christians to embrace the welcome and honor of the father’s love to those who are still on their way back home to God.
• For God to strengthen the hearts of parents waiting for wayward children to come home.
• For great movements of people returning home to God.

Seek God … on behalf of … Depressed People

But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us… 2 Corinthians 7:6

Prayer:

That God’s healing presence will reach them; that the light of truth will dispel lies and the oppressive power of Satan; for helpful counsel; for healing of long-standing wounds of mind and soul; that they would know the comfort and joy of the Holy Spirit; for the renewing of their minds in Christ.

Prayer Walk: Pray for people you see today who may be downcast, even though they appear to be cheerful and strong.

Seek God … on behalf of … Asia and the Pacific

China-People’s Republic, China-Taiwan, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cook Islands, Fiji

He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse. … Malachi 4:6

Prayer: We have failed to honor the worth and wisdom of generations before us. Turn our hearts to our elders in order to celebrate our heritage and life lessons they have imparted to us. At the same time, many children have been left to make their own way alone, without knowing godly authority or God’s desired destiny. Strengthen our hearts to aspire for great things for the coming generation, that they would walk in the fullness of Your love. Since father Abraham’s day we have known that Your heart’s desire is for Your people to become a blessing to all the people of the earth. Calibrate our hearts with Yours. We ask that You hold back from striking the land with a curse. Instead, make Your people, parents and children together, to be a blessing to this city.

He said to her, “Go call your husband and come here. ” …They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. … John 4:16, 30

Prayer: Our city is also full of many desolate women like his one, divorced more than once, separated from loved ones, and without hope. You told her to summon the men who had once been married to her. And when they came, what did You say to them? We pray that You would bring together the shattered pieces of many families. Confront them with Your healing grace. May they now, as then, come to know you as the Savior of all. Pray:

• For children from broken homes to be embraced by healthy families and guided by wise parent figures.
• For God to heal the wounded, discouraged hearts of parents and children who are alienated and distant.
• For Jesus to reveal Himself as the Wonderful Counselor, bringing peace in many homes.

Seek God … on behave of … Ministries

Finally brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.  … 2 Thessalonians 3:1

Prayer: That Christian ministries will be founded on God’s truth, anointed by God’s power and funded by God’s people; for fresh vision and encouragement upon the dedicated workers who labor in specialized service designed to increase the impact of local churches.

Prayer walk: Find a high point from which you can see much of the community. Pray that God would send needed Christians workers to your city and at the same time send Christians workers from your city.

Seek God … on behalf of … The Americas and the Caribbean

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands

But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, “Let God be exalted!” … Psalm 70:4

Prayer:

We love Your salvation, You have saved our souls from destruction. You are saving our families from falling apart. You are lifting our minds from depression and despair. You are preserving us for a day of even greater salvation. We love the relentless way that You save us. You deserve far more than an occasional “Thank You” from a few. Fill our city with lasting gratitude toward You. We want You to be greatly known, undeniably revealed, vastly followed and lavishly honored. And so we cry, ” Let God be exalted in our lives! May Jesus Christ be exalted as Savior of the world!”

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth…” … Luke 10:21

Lord Jesus, we want to worship the Father with the same gladness that gave You such great joy. Open our eyes to see what pleases the Father. May the Holy Spirit Fill us in the same way that He filled You, so that we can be a people overflowing with joyful praise to the Father. … Pray:

• For Christians to worship with Joy, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
• For joy to be renewed in believers who struggle with depression.
• For God to be openly acknowledged and honored by government and marketplace leaders.

Seek God … on behalf of … Arts and Entertainment

… He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts … to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. … Exodus 35: 31-33

Prayer:

That God will inspire artists and those in the entertainment industry with creativity and wisdom that reflect God’s beauty; that they will seek God themselves and come to follow Christ with courage; that their work will bring strength, goodness and hope to our communities.

Prayer walk: Visit a theater, art museum or place of entertainment for the purpose of praying for the artists and those working in support capacities.

Seek God … on behalf of … The Americas and the Carribbeans

Netherlands antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru

Arise shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. … Isaiah 60: 1-3

Prayer:

Spiritual darkness engulfs our community. We cannot dispel this shadow by the flickering flame of our own goodness. Bring on Your reviving, exposing light, like the rising of the sun. Incinerate the shadows of shame in our lives. Polish our innermost hearts. Prepare us as worthy reflectors of Your beauty. Rise like a slow-coming dawn upon us, so that a great reflected glory will overwhelm the murky dullness of our city. Draw men, women and children to You.

I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one. … John 17:22

Prayer:

If this statement was not in the Bible, we would have thought it blasphemy to touch, much less to wear, the glory of Jesus. But Your purpose is clear; that we would carry the beauty, the power, the brilliance and the substance of who You are. We ask that You would confirm this awesome gift of imparted glory. May the shinning uniqueness of Your character be displayed in our city by those who name You as Lord. Unite Your churches as one so that together we become a spectacle of many people following One Magnificent Person. Pray:

• For Christians in your city to reflect Christ’s character in the marketplace.
• For a display of tangible unity so that Christians of different churches would support and honor each other.
• For the justice, mercy and holiness of God to be seen in his people.

Seek God … on behalf of … The Military

… a centurion came to Him, asking for help … When Jesus heard this, He was astonished and said… “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Isael with such great faith.” … Matthew 8: 5-10

For the gospel to spread through the special relationships of military life; for courage and protection in the danger of battle; for wisdom and the fear of the Lord when military personnel are called upon to do the work of governing and enforcing law; for grace upon chaplains and other spiritual families stretched by numerous moves and separations.

Prayer walk: Pray near a military base or establishment.

Seek God … on behalf of … The Americas and the Caribbean

Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat

I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem amd makes her the praise of the earth.

Isaiah 62:6-7

Prayer :

What You have promised in Your Word is so vast and precious that we resolve never to cease praying until You bring it to pass. Help us pray beyond our  personal needs. Lift our vision to pray Your promises in hope for others. Grant us stamina to stick to our post as a watching people. Give us prayers, large and small, that call forth Your coming day of Glory. Do something so remarkable in our community that Your name will be spoken of with praise and renown in distant places.

… that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart … Luke 18:1

Often we have berated ourselves for prayerlessness, blaming our full and busy lives. But we have not been overwhelmed by our schedules as much as we have lost heart and the hope that you will really hear us and fullfill Your promises. Call us anew to a life of praying with tenacity and steadfast determination. Our own resolve is not enough. Infuse us again with Your unwavering zeal. Let us know how pleased You are with our feeble attempts to pray with persistence. Train us to pray in patient pursuit of Your promises. Pray:

• For Christ to encourage our hearts to pray with renewed hope and persistence.

• For God to invigorate new seasons of prayer in our families, churches and cities.

Seek God … on behalf of … Sick People

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.

… Matthew 14:14

Prayer:

That God will touch those who are sick in your community with healing and comfort; that they will grow in grace as God walks with them throughout their ordeal; that God will provide for their financial needs; for their caregivers and families; that many will renew their trust in Christ and follow Him boldly, even in affliction.

Prayer walk: Consider those who may be struggling with chronic illness or pain in your neighborhood. Pray for their healing.

Seek God … on behalf of … The Americas and the Caribbean

Grenda, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti

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Seek God … to rescue us from sin’s power

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness … My soul waits for the Lord more than watchman wait for the morning … put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption. He Himself will redeem Isreal from all their sins. Psalms 130; 3-8

Prayer:

If we were to suffer the repercussions of our sins, we would have been annihilated long ago. Instead, You have gone through the record of our wrongs, and by the power of Your love, our sins have been wiped away. We stand in awe of Your mighty mercy. Why then do we still wait, hope and yearn for even more? Because You have promised more. Not only do You pardon our sins, but You free us from the debilitating power of sin. We can be more certain of Your Word than we can be sure of the sun rising tomorrow. So we focus our hearts to hope that You will deliver us from the deadly power of sin. Fully redeem Your people. Cause us to live and love like you!

Jesus said to them, “It is not healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Mark 2:17

We have fooled ourselves to think that Your forgiveness makes us immune to the disease of self-righteous pride. But we still need Your healing. We count ourselves among those who are in desperate need of Your help. Come yet again, Great Physician, and make a house call in our city. Free us from subtle, stubborn habits of sin. Pray:

• For those you know who are soul-sickened by patterns of habitual sin.

• For Christ to call and transform sinners by His mercy.

Seek God … on behalf of … Unemployed People

… everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil - this is the gift of God.  Ecclesiastes 3:13

Prayer:

That God will meet the needs of those without work in away that they can clearly thank God for His provision; that they will soon find meaningful employment and glorify God for it; that God will open the way for righteous trade so that the entire city prospers in his provision.

Prayer Walk: Pray for those in your neighborhood who have recently lost their job or are struggling to find one.

Seek God … on behalf of … The Americas and the Caribbean

British Virgin Islands, Canada,Cayman Islands, chile, Colombia

Today’s Bible Reading … Old Testament: Exodus 28-30 … New Testament … Matthew 22: 1-22

Guard Your Thoughts

Those who are pure in their thinking are happy, because they will be with God. … Matthew 5:8 NCV

Paul Valery observed, “We hope vaguely but dread precisely.” How true. All to often, we allow the worries of everyday life to over-whelm our thoughts and cloud our vision. What’s needed is clearer perspective, renewed faith and a different focus.

When we focus on the frustrations of today or the uncertainties of tomorrow, we rob ourselves of peace in the present moment. But, when we focus on God’s grace, and when we trust in the ultimate wisdom of God’s plan for our lives, our worries no longer tyrannize us.

Today, remember that God is infinitely greater than the challenges that you face. Remember also that your thoughts are profoundly powerful. so guard them accordingly.

Attitude is the mind’s paintbrush: it can color any situation. … Barbara Johnson

People who do not develop and practice good thinking often find themselves at the mercy of their circumstances.

… John Maxwell

Tip For Today

Your thoughts have the power to lift you up or bring you down, so you should guard your thoughts very carefully.

Today’s Bible Reading … Old Testament: Exodus 23-24 … New Testament: Matthew 21: 1-22

Self-Esteem 101

That is why we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

Hebrews 13:6 NLT

Sometimes it’s hard to feel good about yourself, especially since you live in a society that keeps sending out the message that you’ve got to be perfect.

Are you your own critic? And in response to that criticism, are you constantly trying to transform yourself into a person who meets society’s expectation, but not God’s expectation? If so, it’s time to become a liitle more understanding of the person in the mirror.

Millions of books have been written about various ways to improve self-steem. Yet, maintaining a healthy self-image is a matter of doing a few simple things: 1. Obeying God 2. Thinking healthy thoughts 3. Finding encouraging friends who reinforce your sense of self-worth, friends who urge you to behave yourself and believe in yourself. When you do these four things, your self-image will tend to take care of itself.

Being loved by Him whose opinion matters most gives us the security to risk loving, too-even loving ourselves.

… Gloria Gaither

Tip For Today!

Until you learn when, where, and how to say “No,” you’ll make yourself miserable. So, the best time to learn how to say no to the things you don’t need is now.