Re-imagine: 40 Day Prayer Challenge, Week 6

This week our prayer focus is forgiveness and how that becomes a crucial part of restoring us into relationship. As you approach this theme throughout the week, think about with whom you might have a weakened (or broken) relationship. Maybe you need to experience forgiveness from God; maybe from someone else—or, perhaps you need to extend forgiveness to someone who you don’t believe deserves it.

Understanding forgiveness is coming to terms with the idea that it is never “deserved.” The wrong has already occurred and driven a wedge in the relationship. Forgiveness becomes a pure act of grace and mercy. It’s something God gives generously and something he urges us to give generously, too.

Pray for courage to seek and offer forgiveness as a means to better relations and stronger community.

Re-imagine: 40 Day Prayer Challenge, Week Five

For this week our prayer focus is praying for the city or community of which you are a part. As you begin this, think of how Nehemiah began praying over the scattered brokenness of Jerusalem:
1. First recognize who God is. Prayer is not about our circumstances, it's about him.
2. Identify with your city. You are connected to it, not secluded or separate.
3. Envision what the Kingdom of God could look like, invading and taking hold there.

Finally, take a gander at some great comments from former Sequoia pastor, Dennis Logie:

I was taken by Garrett’s challenge in his message last week that we think about praying for and ministering to the cities and not get caught up in nostalgic images of rural Christianity. This is especially important because the world is becoming more urbanized, where tens of millions are moving to cities each year. If we don’t focus on ministering to cities and evangelizing their inhabitants, then Christianity will become less relevant.

I appreciated his reference to heaven in the Book of Revelation where it is described as a city! It made me think of one of my favorite Christian songs, The Holy City. If you would like to listen to it, and read the lyrics, try this link and hear Mahalia Jackson, one of the greatest gospel singers, give her Christian rendition: www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEhadb5YSpU

For other versions, link from her performance to Richard Crooks, a tenor from the 50s, who sings it more classically, and to Larry Ford, a modern tenor who sings it dramatically.

Garrett’s message also reminded me of the time 6 or 7 years ago when I gathered most Fridays with a small group of Christians and we prayed for the leaders of Redwood City and their challenges and decisions. We also prayed for more Christians to be active in leadership in the City, and that prayer has been wonderfully answered from City Council to various commission members to city department heads.

God cares about the city and so should we.

Re-imagine: 40 Day Prayer Challenge, Week Three

"Everybody hurts", REM sings. Sunday we looked at hurt and brokenness in our prayer. Through the story of Hannah, we can see how pain and loss in our lives may come from people who love us: our spouse, our peers, our spiritual leaders, and even God. What do we do with that? All we can do, at times, is cry out to Jesus.

In praying through brokenness, we want to seek out God's presence in our lives. But even in the midst of tough circumstances, there are a couple things to look for: look for where shalom is in the pain - the peace of God that transcends trials, and then look for what stewardship might be - giving back to God or blessing others.

Share your thoughts in the comments link below as you pray through this area of your life this week.

Week Two: Upward Prayer

Sunday we looked at a pretty odd passage in Exodus: Moses is fighting for the future of Israel's relationship with God (and our redemptive future too, by the way...). God was done with these covenant breakers, he was willing to make sure they got to the land he promised, but he wasn't going to go with them.

Moses does two incredible things: First he makes it clear that knowing God is all that matters, more than any provision or promise. Then he successfully pleads Israel's case, "reminding" God that it is his going with them that is central to who they are.

When you pray this week, make your focus upward - recognizing who God is, spending time in worship and awe, and even just listening. It is God with us that makes us distinct.

Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments section!

Welcome to the Prayer Challenge!

Hey folks,

Welcome to our little corner of cyberspace where we can share what God is doing through Sequoia's 40 Day Prayer Challenge. To start things off, I want to share part of an email Dan and I received from Angela Junck:

May 15, 2011
Blessings Not Disguised

As Stuart talked to us Sunday morning, I could see his peace and confidence in God.
Stuart knows, that this earth is not his home.  He knows that whatever
is God’s Will, so be it. Only God knows how Stuart’s story
will end.  Only God knows how any of our stories end.  I have to keep
reminding myself that He’s got this.

With that said, we have to remember that we can trust HIM, not that He
will do what we want or what we ask for, or even what we beg for…for
if he did, what kind of a Father would He be.  God has a complete,
comprehensive picture…we do not.  His plan is not always our plan.

We’ve already received a huge blessing today.  To see a man, that
could be facing death in the face, stand in front of us all and with a
smile, gives us a gift, a reminder, to walk in His shoes.  What more
could we ask for?  Sure, we can wrestle with God and ask Him to heal
Stuart…and we should.  I know I will.  We can try our very best to
intercede on behalf of Stuart.  But if Stuart can have faith in God,
complete peace beyond our understanding and stand there with hope and
concern for others, then we have to see the blessing in that!  Those
are life lessons that money can’t buy.  When we are faced with a
burden that seems too big to face, we need to remember this day.  When
we think that we can’t go one step further or even lift our head out
of bed because of what we are having to deal with, we need to remember
this day.