Prayer Theme: 2 Chronicles 7-all, with a focus on v. 14-16.
14 If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.

The glorious truth is that since Christ ascended and took His seat beside God, we – both individually, but mainly as the corporate body of Christ – are God’s temple! God shows us the path to being His dwelling place: to humbly pray, seek His Face and turn from our (culture’s) wicked ways.

We are in a particularly challenging and divisive season in our country. God is calling the church to be, to look, and to act differently than the world does. God has sent us to show the world what it means to walk in forgiveness and love. The last prayer guide focused on God’s call for us to be people of love through the power of the Holy Spirit. This month the focus is on our individual and corporate need to confess sin and turn to Him in humility, prayer and repentance.

Praise and Worship –- Colossians 1: 15-20
As we approach our time of prayer, let us focus on who Jesus is. This description of Him draws us into worship:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Please note: There is a unique opportunity on September 22, to join with believers around the world to pray for the USA. Over 100 million people around the world will be praying with us: for God, by His Grace, to pour out His Spirit so that we in the USA would experience a heart call to seek Jesus with all that we are. (www.gdop-america.org)

Pray for your neighborhood – your Family, your Church, your City, your Schools.

Pray for the unique setting your family and your church have in the community. Pray for your neighbors and that the churches in your city would love and bless their community with God’s power that comes from the riches of His GLORY.

Praying for Whatcom County & the World

As we pray over each aspect of our community, let us seek the face of God in humility, desiring to worship Him for all that He is in purity and Holiness. In each area of our local society, let us confess anything we see that is not God honoring and let us make a commitment to continue asking God to lead us in righteousness. Use the initial prayer in each sphere as a beginning point to your own prayers, asking for the wisdom of God to help you pray His heart into each area.

Art/Media   Father we ask for Your Mercy on the media industry. Father draw the hearts and minds of creators and show them Your Glory!

• Give thanks for recently developed Christian movies.
• Pray for development, advertising, and distribution to target audiences for the many different media efforts.

Business     Father, forgive us for allowing consumerism to be so prevalent in our lives.

• Pray for a ‘Kingdom of God’ mindset in the business community and the church for how we steward wealth.
• Pray for wisdom and revelation (Eph 1:17) that business would know how to represent Christ in both products sold and services offered.

Church        Father, we confess we have allowed the culture to influence us and teach us how to act as a family rather than teaching the culture what family looks like and how to love as the Father has loved us.

• Pray that the church of Whatcom County would lead the way to humbly pray, seek His Face and repent.
• Pray for the many current efforts/events that show the hunger many pastors have for biblical unity. Pray that we all will sense the Father’s heart that His Family would be ‘one just as He and the Son are One.’

Development        Father, we confess we have resorted to human solutions to societal problems instead of seeking You.

• Pray for all those who are counseling or working with those who have mental health challenges.
• Pray for Whatcom County Pregnancy Clinic and the renovation of their new facility. Pray they will be able to reach many more women with the hope they offer.

Education      Father, we confess our education system has fallen away from its designed purpose.

• Pray for school boards and administrators to be convicted and align themselves with Biblical principles.
• Pray for the mental health of students as they come to school this fall. Mental distress hugely impacts the education environment.
• Pray for an alignment of discipleship with home, church and school in Christian schools.

Family         Father, we confess that the family is not living up to Your Godly standards. Forgive us.

• Pray for the homeless in our county. Pray for the church to have wisdom and revelation from God to love our neighbors.
• Pray for families to pray together weekly at home.

Government         Father, we confess that both we and the people running for office do not know how to act in humility in the public square.

• Pray for our country to ‘look at the heart’ when we go to vote, as God did when He chose David as King.
• Pray for humility and truth in the election process (local to national). Only by and because of the power of God who told Mary through the angel, “All things are possible with God,” can we have faith that God could do this…according to His will!

Health         Father, we confess that we have become dependent on our learning to heal, only calling on you when we are desperate. Lead us, Oh God, in how to depend on You.

• Pray for Christian caregivers to be bold in asking for God’s help as they work for health in our community.
• Pray that healthcare workers “would be imitators of God” in all things but specifically in how we show up each day, treat others, carry out our work, and steward our resources.

International Missions/Israel/Native Americans

Father, we confess that we have not always supported our brothers and sisters from cultures around the world.

• Pray for unity of believers in the international community and the USA as we pray together for an outpouring of Holy Spirit in the U.S. on Sept. 22.
• Israel: Continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for the hostages and food distribution processes. Pray for wisdom for all leaders in this time of conflict.
• Pray for 73 missionaries that are incarcerated in India because of their testimony for Jesus. Pray that God will give them strength to endure this trial, give them boldness to be his witnesses throughout it, and draw many people to Christ because of their witness.

PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES IN July/August

• Global Day of Prayer for the USA: gdop-america.org SEPTEMBER 22
• To pray for Unreached people groups around the world https://www.110cities.com/
• Bless Every Home – https://app.blesseveryhome.com/
• If you want to know more about any of these opportunities call or text Tim at 360-483-8691.

LOWPC website:  www.lowpc.org