CA Prayer focus for August
First of all, then I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority (1Tim2:1.2.)
1. Worship our God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, who gave us the gift of life and the freedom to choose His will and ways. Thank Him for reconciling the world to God through Christ Jesus and for calling us to Himself. Praise Him for listening to our prayers.
2. Thank the Lord for men and women of integrity, who stand up for human rights and religious freedom, and who spread the message of love, forgiveness, and new life through faith in Jesus Christ.
3. Pray for God to grant discernment and courage to those who are in positions of authority to do what is right by promoting justice, moral values, and a life of dignity for all.
4. Intercede for people in the Middle East who are experiencing extreme suffering because of war and persecution by extremists who are blinded by bigotry and hatred.
5. Pray for wisdom for world leaders as they try to reach an agreement to end hostilities in the Ukraine. Pray for Christians in that troubled region to be salt, light, and agents of peace. Pray for the effectiveness of Christian broadcasting to spread the message of reconciliation and eternal hope.
6. Thank the Lord that He will not let us to be tempted beyond what we can endure. Intercede for those persecuted for their faith to be strong in the Lord and not to fear those who are able to kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
7. If you are healthy, live in freedom, and have the resources needed to provide for your beloved ones, then be thankful and bless the Lord for His goodness. Ask Him to lead you to people who are in need and bless them with your loving care in His name.
8. As the disciples of old asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, we confess our lack of earnest, compassionate prayer. Ask the Lord to send laborers to the people who are distressed and live without hope.
“I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing (1Tim 2:8.)”
9. Thank the Lord that the righteousness of Jesus Christ, who was made sin for us on the cross, is ours as we accept Him as our Savior and Lord. Therefore accept the privilege to be a co-worker with Christ by being a man of prayer for your family, your fellowship, and the world.
10. Watch your motives, the tendency to have it your way, and to fight for your perceived rights. Ask the Lord to cleanse you from anger, bitterness, and an unforgiving spirit so that your prayers are acceptable to Him.
11. Make daily time to be in prayer. The Bible reminds us that the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. Make prayer a blessed habit in your home and pray with your friends. Let your heart be connected to the Lord wherever you are and in whatever you do.
12. Pray for Christian men to develop friendships with one another and hold each other accountable in their walk with the Lord and in the way they treat their family members.
13. Pray for Christian men to have the courage and strength from the Lord to discard sinful practices, even those practices that are encouraged by culture. Agree with King David not to set any worthless thing before your eyes.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the right of all who are destitute (Pr 31:8.)”
14. Pray for pastors, church leaders, and Christian men to courageously protect and support women who are verbally and physically abused by other men. (On 7/24/14 FAZ, the respected German newspaper reported of planned mass genital mutilation in the regions under the control of Islamic terror groups in Iraq.)
15. Christian fathers to be wise and sensitive in order to “not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” The damage done to children by harsh and absent fathers and how it multiplies the negative effect of those mistakes is well documented.
16. Fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and brothers to realize the horrible evil of sexually abusing the little girls in their family. Pray for the women who have lived with the secret of their abuse to find healing and peace in the love of Christ.
17. Pray for Christian husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church choosing her above all others, and each will “leave his father and mother and be united to his wife.” The greatest gift a father can give to his children is to love their mother.
18. Pray for Christian men to live a life of integrity using their God-given role as leaders to emulate Christ in His meekness and humbleness. Pray that men will resist the temptation of power plays to fulfill their own agendas; pray that they will provide for and protect those under their care.
“I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it… (Ez 22:30.)”
19. Christ gave women a place of honor and dignity. Today in many cultures women still suffer abuse and exploitation. Pray for the Gospel to penetrate these regions and for Christian men to dare to be different and to model Christ’s love in their marriage and family relationships.
20. A common form of torture inflicted on millions of girls in repressive cultures is female genital mutilation (FGM), which leaves emotional trauma, life-long scars, pain, and physical harm. Pray for Christian men to recognize this devilish tradition as a crime and to be agents of change and enlightenment. (An estimated 150 million women have been affected by FGM. Religious fanatics are already spreading the practice to Europe and America.)
21. Pray for organizations who are working to help communities understand the danger of FGM and for leaders who are committed to encouraging everyone to abandon this harmful cultural practice.
22. In many of the developing countries it is common for men to abandon their families in search of an easier life. The women are left in despair, as they are unable to provide for their children. Pray for God to raise up Christian men who intentionally reach out and provide for their struggling families.
23. We confess our lack of compassion for people in need and our tendency to defend our own comfort zones. We ask our Savior, who gave His very life for our eternal redemption, to forgive our selfish choices when we doubt His provision and do not seek His Kingdom first.
“For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayers (1Pe 3:12.)
24. Three years ago an African brother in Mozambique asked the question, “Why doesn’t TWR have special programs for men as it has for women (PH?) We men need so much help! “ Champions Arise was born as an answer to that cry for help. Please pray that the CA pilot project in South Africa in Zulu and Afrikaans will be successful in modeling how to disciple Christian men by way of modern media and that soon African brothers in other languages can also be reached.
25. Praise the Lord that He is a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God. Let’s bring before Him the different development projects of Champions Arise (CA.) This August 52 scripts for the Tool Box are complete, providing relevant teaching on how to structure our time and life by biblical standards; identify personal strength and weaknesses and how God can use them; align ourselves with the will of God; disciple men to do the same. Marriage, raising children, money, sex, work, hard times, and making your life count are some of the themes. Ten scripts deal with the effects of divorce.
26. On August 1st, another CA pilot project started in India in the Tamil language. Tamil Nadu is one of the fastest developing states in India, but tops the country in number of suicides. Pray for Christian men to be positive change- agents through their example and witness for Christ. There are prayer groups backing the CA initiative in Chennai, Madurai and Tirunelveli.
27. In Brazil the translation and contextualization of the CA scripts have started. We already have two fledging prayer groups and TWR-Brazil has decided to be part of the production. Edmund will be in Brazil August 8-25 for a Pastor Care Seminar and will meet leaders of men ministries. The Portuguese production of CA will also be a tool to reach men in Mozambique and Angola.
28. Ministry leaders of TWR-Indonesia have expressed a keen interest in CA and will soon start a pilot project in the Indonesia language. Please pray for Fred, the ministry leader and his team, for wisdom and resources to make CA a relevant and effective discipleship tool in their culture.
29. Please pray for willing and qualified men to produce the English programs of CA. This will be an amazing ministry tool and reach men globally through TWR’s modern media platforms.
30. Praise the Lord for the financial provision for CA’s development so far. With the Toolbox ready and the start of pilot projects with TWR partners in Africa, India, Indonesia and Brazil, new resources will be needed. Pray for the Lord of the harvest to call workers to partner with us in this strategic harvest field.
31. As men, we know of the constant pull to take care of the immediate and to use our natural gift to lead to satisfy our own needs and wants. Pray for the Lord to empower you through Christ, who dwells in your heart, to be a godly influence, a blessing to your family and His ambassador and witness on the market place of this world.
“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father (Col 3:17.)”
