Hello friends. I hope you are doing well. Fall semester of community groups have started in many churches. I really hope that you have joined one of them. Our women’s prayer group started this week. I am reminded by the Holy Spirit that it was ten years ago when my spirit was being stirred up to go out of my comfortable place in a women’s bible study group to create a prayer group. It took about a whole fall semester of prodding for me to take that step of obedience.
I knew hardly anything about prayer and intercession. Back then, my prayers were mostly about “me myself and I” and starting with “Dear God…” I have grown up so much since then. I have learned that corporate prayers are a lot more powerful and more serious than praying alone. If you join a prayer and intercession group then you will be shown many troubling things outside of your circle to intercede about. This discernment is not for gossip or criticism but to intercede with brokenness and lament before Almighty God.
In a corporate prayer meeting, we always have a time of silence and repentance before we speak our petitions and requests. It is like entering a heavenly throne room. Especially during corporate prayer I feel like we are addressing our Almighty Lord Jesus as the King of kings and we must show great respect. One of my co-leaders addresses Jesus as “Master”. It is a fitting title for the King of kings.
Here is a good prayer cheat sheet that I found a long while ago and I have been using since.
Here’s a very good, in-depth article about praying this way.
https://faithgateway.com/blogs/christian-books/how-to-read-the-bible-pray
Last week was a very tough week in our country as we saw online the brutal murder of a young Ukrainian refugee woman attacked in her neck with a pocket knife, a political commentator shot in the neck, the anniversary of 9-11 and more gun violence at schools and in our cities. Shootings and violence seem to be our new normal. One doesn’t have to look too hard to be broken and lament. As believers of Jesus Christ we can do one thing that works and is powerful – to intercede in prayer. 🙏
I also learned that the unity of the saints is very important during corporate prayer meetings. If someone prays for something that you don’t agree with, corporate prayer is not the time to say something. Instead please address it with your leaders after the prayer meeting.
Politics and policies were never my area of interest. But like everyone else, today’s issues have been making me to think, ponder and pray for discernment and wisdom. I tend to look for Christians who are already in the field to hear their thoughts.
I discovered this Christian news podcast about a year ago and have been listening to them regularly. I find them to be informative, biblically sound and reasonable. Please hear their thoughts about Charlie Kirk. I’ve only heard his name before in the secular news but I’ve never listened to him. I didn’t even know that Charlie Kirk was a fellow believer.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-world-and-everything-in-it/id454755642?i=1000727157730
Pastor Mark Batterson has a big church in Washington DC. He’s also another good pastor to listen to. In here he mentions about all the recent tragedies of our country and how we as Christians should be responding.
Pastor Tim Dilena of Times Square church in NYC also addressed this issue too.
http://sermons.tsc.nyc/how-do-you-live-in-a-world-that-will-murder-truth/
Pastor Gary Hamrick was a personal friend to Charlie Kirk and his message last Sunday was more emotional and heartbreaking.
http://sermons.tsc.nyc/how-do-you-live-in-a-world-that-will-murder-truth/
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina is someone that I’ve noticed who is a believer of Jesus Christ and speaks openly about his faith. Here is a recent interview with him on a Christian podcast in August.
“God told him to run for President. He never said he’d win. In a time when Congress feels more divided and disillusioned than ever, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina sees something different: a place where God is at work—restoring hope, healing division, and building unexpected bridges. In this powerful episode of Heaven Meets Earth, Senator Scott opens up about his journey to faith, the spiritual convictions that guide every decision he makes, and why he believes light still shines—even in the halls of government.”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heaven-meets-earth/id1806665471?i=1000720546715
In the early years of leading and organizing prayer groups, I would frequently wonder about the power or effectiveness of prayers. I would have to find stories and testimonies to encourage myself and to disband the lies of the enemy. Here’s an excellent interview if anyone wants to hear about the power of prayer and intercession.
“It’s often said that the most powerful people in the world are those who pray.
Ryan Skoog set out to test that theory—interviewing some of the world’s most influential leaders about their personal prayer lives. What he discovered was profound: the greater the influence, the more robust their prayer lives.
In this episode, co-hosts Abby Robertson and Ryan Bethea sit down with Ryan Skoog to uncover the prayer habits of today’s most powerful decision-makers—and how prayer shapes everything from business strategies and hiring to giving and leadership.”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/heaven-meets-earth/id1806665471?i=1000721450507
If anyone is married or desires to get married, please listen to good interview. As my views on politics and policies have shifted with in-depth Bible studies over the last 14 years; I had to put aside the nonessentials for peace in my closest relationships. Having different opinions on politics and policies are nonessentials in my opinion and experiences.
“Every marriage has fights—but the real question is, are you fighting well?
Marriage is hard for all kinds of reasons—financial struggles, parenting styles, personality differences, or difficult circumstances. It’s easy to drift apart, living more like roommates than partners. In this episode, John and Lisa talk with Gabe and Rebekah Lyons about their book The Fight for Us. They’ll offer you biblical wisdom and practical tools to move from conflict to connection.
Stop settling for survival—start pursuing the marriage you were made for.”
If you have time, please hear this eye surgeon’s story. His story is incredible. Since one of God’s mighty angels is described with many eyes all over; it appears that the eye is very special to God. Please watch this AI generated video of the angels of God as described in the books of Ezekiel, Daniel and Revelation.
“In this powerful interview, world-renowned eye surgeon Dr. Ming Wang shares his extraordinary journey from poverty in China—arriving in America with just $50 and a dictionary—to becoming a Harvard and MIT–trained doctor who has performed over 55,000 surgeries. Dr. Wang reveals how studying the incredible design of the human eye shattered his atheist worldview and led him to Jesus.”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/maybe-god/id1329159271?i=1000724801570
Dr. Wang was a teenager when the Chinese cultural revolution happened. I didn’t know much about the cultural revolution. Here’s an article about that time period in China.
I’ll end this long message with the promise from Psalm 133 that the Holy Spirit gave to me when I started the prayer group ten years ago. It has been my compass since day one. By the way, it is very hard to do this well.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20133&version=NKJV
Journal of Faith 