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This year, we will celebrate Senior Mission II's Sixth Annual Week of Prayer observance. In 1998, our late President, Sis. Alma Jean Danford, approved and promoted a proposal from the Mission Development Council to set aside the week before the May Board for Special Prayer. Our auxiliary was going through the challenges of reconstruction, and prayer was certainly in order. She later asked that the Week of Prayer be extended from seven to eight days, Saturday to Saturday.
Sis. Danford's church, Mt. Olive, was always among the first to respond with feedback concerning activities and benefits received from their Week of Prayer observance. In fact, a few days before she went home to glory, she made a telephone call to Dallas to be sure their feedback had been received, and to encourage the Council to keep the ministry going.
Since its inception, the goal of the Week of Prayer has remained constant, as stated in the original guide: "To stimulate interest in, and strengthen commitment to personal and corporate prayer among believers, thereby drawing us into a more intimate fellowship with God, and in step with His commission to impact the world." Following are all of the areas of focus we have used for our Week of Prayer observances:
1998: Christian Women in Prayer, Morning, Noon And Night
"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice."
--Psalms 55:17
1999: Knocking, Kneeling And Knuckling Down in Prayer
"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." --Luke 11:10
2000: Prayer in The Company of Helping Hands (The Five Fingers of Prayer)
"For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." --Matthew 25:35-36
2001: Sounding the Trumpet for Godly Families
"Except the LORD build the house [family], they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." --Psalms 127:1
2002: Stop and Pray
"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." –Psalms 46:10
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Introduction
Sacred Space: The term, "sacred," has been both overused and abused, especially by those who deal in the metaphysical. This week, we want to reclaim its meaning as initially used by the church, i.e. "dedicated and consecrated to God." Therefore, for the purpose of the Week of Prayer observance, Sacred Space shall be defined this way: Those precious moments in which we experience a profound awareness of the PRESENCE OF GOD and His summons to commune with HIM. . .a time when the Spirit says, "Don't go yet. Stay."
We need to understand that communion with God is the true "Soul Food." It is what the soul longs for to appease its hunger and satiate its thirst. Nothing else with suffice. All of the "things" in the world can only temporarily distract from the soul's need to be with God. The psalmist says, "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." (Ps 63:1)
Our spirit faints without that communion with God. Our forefathers and mothers said it best, "HE is our water in dry places and bread in a starving land." HE is the Living Water and the Bread of Heaven, essential to life. John records, "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I Jn 5:12). Simply put, we cannot live without HIM.
I challenge each person that reads these words to follow the Holy Spirit daily to that Sacred Space, by opening up your heart to Jesus, so HE can come in and "sup" with you.
On the Wings of a Prayer
Just close your Eyes and open your heart, And feel your worries and cares depart.
Just yield yourself to the Father above, And let Him hold you secure in His love.
For life on earth grows more involved, With endless problems that can't be solved,
But God only asks us to do our best, Then He will take over and finish the rest...
So when you are tired, discouraged and blue, There is always one door that is open to you,
And that is the door to The House of Prayer, And you'll find God waiting to meet you there.
And The House of Prayer is no further away, than the quiet spot where you kneel and pray.
For the heart is a temple when God is there As we place ourselves in His loving care.
And He hears every prayer and answers each one When we Pray in His name, Thy will be done.
The burdens that seemed too heavy to bear Are lifted away on the wings of a prayer.
Author Unknown
Attitudes Toward Prayer
We need to rehabilitate our attitude toward prayer. We take prayer for granted, and sometime behave as though it is too burdensome to be bothered with. We rush to utter a few thoughtless words before eating; quickly kneel at bedtime, mostly out of habit; limit prayer to a precious few minutes on our important programs; blush with shame, fear, and/or embarrassment if asked to pray in public; or perhaps even worse, proudly recite a long, carefully prepared speech, hoping somebody will say, "She sure can pray."
Prayer is too costly to be treated so cheaply. Jesus said, "My house shall be called a house of prayer." Is your house His house? Is your meeting place His house? Is your convention assembly His house? We should pray in the shadow of the cross, remembering the price that was paid to give us this privilege. We should remember that we do not have prayer by birthright, but by redemption, and learn to embrace it as a sacred privilege and not a burdensome chore. Then we will have a more effective prayer ministry, more loving spirits, and more profound experiences when we meet with God in that Sacred Space.
As we spend more time in fervent prayer, He will empower us to comply with His instructions to love our enemies, do good to our persecutors and forgive one another.
FORGIVE ANYWAY
Attributed to Mother Teresa
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
FORGIVE THEM ANYWAY.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
BE KIND ANYWAY.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies;
SUCCEED ANYWAY.
If you are honest and frank, they may cheat you;
BE FORTHRIGHT ANYWAY.
What you spent years building, they may destroy overnight;
BUILD ANYWAY.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous and scorn;
BE JOYOUS ANYWAY.
The good you do today, they often will forget tomorrow;
DO GOOD ANYWAY.
Give the world the best you have, and it will never be enough;
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU HAVE ANYWAY.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
IT WAS NEVER BETWEEN YOU AND THEM, ANYWAY.
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Sacred Space: Praying in the Shadow of Calvary
Why Daily Prayer?
As America's military stands poised for war with Iraq, we implore you to join us as we wage a war of prayer. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. . .." II Corinthians 10:4 Our resolve for this prayer war should have be strengthened as we witnessed the Christlike manner in which the Leadership Torch was passed in our convention from Dr. G. W. Daniels to Dr. G. V. Clark. It reminded us of "what is right" about our convention. Now we must be about the business of petitioning God to prepare us as individuals, local churches, and district associations to embrace that same spirit of Christlikeness, as we make the transition from one administrative style to another.
While we certainly need to pray for the president of our country, it is through the obedience of God's people that He has promised to heal the land. Many things that cannot be accomplished through the might of armed forces, can be accomplished through the prayers of God's obedient servants. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14
Why daily prayer? We are faced with daily challenges. We encounter daily attacks from the enemy. We must deal with daily issues, and are called upon to meet daily demands. As we give and give to meet the needs of our families, our jobs, the church, and society, it is necessary to receive "daily bread" from the Lord to replenish our supply so that we may keep giving. Daily prayer empowers us to draw near to God, to claim Philippians 4:19: "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
A Word About Our Interdependency
I once heard my former pastor, the Reverend D. Z. Cofield, ask the question, "How can we have healthy churches if they are made up of sick families?" To pray for the convention is to pray for the district associations that make up the convention, which translates into praying for the churches that make up the district associations, for the families that make up the churches, and the individuals that make up the families. In other words, we are all interrelated and interdependent, and must therefore always pray for one another. Like the song says, "I need you, you need me, we are all a part of God's Body."
Praying in the Shadow of Calvary
While praying for one another this week, let us do so in the shadow of Calvary. Each day, we will pray for a specific area of the church, and remember a specific event of Calvary. For without Calvary, we would not have direct access to God.
Again, we are targeting the church for prayer, because it is only through the work of the church that God changes the hearts of men. When we live the Word, and obey the Word, we can claim the promised of the Word. "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." John 14:14
. Entering Our "Sacred Space"
Following are the specific focus areas of the church and the specific events of Calvary for each day, to guide us through the Week of Prayer.
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