Sunday, March 28 – Day 40

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples

Seek God…for Christ to visit our communities

                …with His presence and transforming power

Today is the last day, sort of, and since we only have one entry; it is a little lengthy but it is all good.

Part One of Three

Silence or Praise – the choice is ours – stones or living stones?

It’s a parade!  Jesus entered the city to large crowds of people!  Hosanna!  Palm branches on the ground in front of Him! (Thus the name.)  Shouts!  Jumping up and down, climbing trees – what a day!  The rulers spoke to Jesus – “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”  His reply, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”  The stones…

(We are reminded of John The Baptist confronting some Jewish leaders;  “and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ' We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.  From these stones…  Matthew 3:8-10)

On Good Friday the stones did cry out.  “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. And behold the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook, and the rocks (stones) were split.” Matthew 27:50-51 

Let us ponder one sentence in the children’s prayer for today, Day 40.  Lord “As interesting as it would be to watch the stones worship You – we’d like for the crowd of worshipping people to be so loud that they don’t need to cry out.”  A worshipping people or shall we say…living stones? Yes! living stones that have died to themselves (split open, yielded the throne of their life) and found their true calling as sons and daughters of God.

Part Two of Three

Will a Zeal and a Passion for HIS House consume us?

No paragraph, just the question and a scripture for us all to ponder. John 2:13-17

Part Three of Three

Seek God On Behalf Of The Coming Generation

On Day 39, I wrote about the elder Caleb taking the high country.  Today, we stand with the Joshua’s and those even younger!  An entire generation died in the wilderness because they believed a bad report from 10 of the 12 spies.  After 40 years in the wilderness, those that ‘crossed over’ into the Promised Land had been taught the ways of God by Moses, Caleb and Joshua.  They believed.  They obeyed.  The put their faith into action and took the land.

Oh God – may those of us who are “older” have a heart for and to teach the coming generation so that someday we will have mighty men and women to hand the baton to!  May the younger generation find a way to listen and learn from us so that they are equipped to do war!  May we serve in this hour and this day with passion and a “Zeal for Your House” that will consume us!  Amen.

Brother Charles

Serve The City

Saturday, March 27 – Day 39

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples

Seek God…for Christ’s Lordship to be welcomed by the nations

Seek God On Behalf Elderly People

The prayer walking suggestion for today is to pray at a retirement community or an extended care facility.

I may be going out of a limb here a little, but “elderly” is sometimes a perception. When I was 20 I thought 60 was really old. Come to think of it, when I was 43 I had no idea that I would be able to do the things I am now doing. Amazing! Perception! Now, I’m almost 64 and it doesn’t seem old at all….well, most days anyway.

Where am I going with this? The label ‘retirement community’ does not necessarily mean a lack of ability or a sound mind or a lack of willingness to be involved; nor should it.

At our combined annual meeting for the Mission America Coalition and CityReachers we were all challenged by a ‘young man’ in his mid-twenties. The moderator was thanking this ‘young man’ for being with the 250 of us, asking God for more young men and women to join us (kind of carrying on about us being, well, ‘old.’) when the young man was asked to share with all of us his thoughts on the week.

He challenged us to stop thinking as though we were about to become useless! Wasn’t Caleb over 80 when he took the high country?! Wasn’t this person over 70 when he….?! Wasn’t this person…??? He continued with sentences like “we all need each other…” I say like as I really can’t tell you what he said but I can tell you the impression it made on me.

The Holy Spirit brought scriptures to me like “he who endures to the end.” I am often tired of the battle, struggle, fight, and warfare (all scriptural words). I don’t think 64 but most often my daily capacity to work betrays my chronological age and the 37 years of enduring and fighting the good fight. However, we who are over 60 or 70 or 80 have an important part in this fight!

We are closer to the return of Christ that we all know. As we prepare to celebrate Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and RESURRECTION DAY, Easter, I have an idea for us all.

Let’s take the high country!

Brother Charles

Serve The City

Friday, March 26 – Day 38

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples
Seek God…to gather all peoples in worship

One day all believers in Christ will worship Jesus together. John described this glorious scene, “After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands. They were shouting out in a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God, to the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Revelation 7:9–10 NET).

I was able to experience a glimpse of such worship when I was in India earlier this month. I was with fellow Christ-followers who literally had nothing. They were the poorest of the poor. They have nothing in this world but Jesus, and Jesus is enough! I experienced worship with such joy and happiness because of God’s love and grace.

I am so glad that we are beginning to experience such worship in our community. This is happening as Serve The City churches unite together to reach our community for Christ and proclaim the praise of the One who saved us. We are linking arms for the cause of Christ regardless of denominations, traditions or differing cultures.

May we continue to move out of our comfort zones and reach out to every person both locally and globally. May you and I pray for God to break down barriers in our hearts that keep us from unconditionally loving those who are “different” from us. Pray for unity among God’s people that is so obvious that people in our communities take notice. Pray for God to be glorified as we gather together to serve Christ by serving the city.

Bob Westfall
New Covenant Bible Church

Friday, March 26 – Day 38

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples
Seek God…to gather all peoples in worship

As I read and prayed over today's topic, my first thought was of the prayer service that will take place on Day 38. I pray that this will be the first of many opportunities for congregations within the city of Cedar Rapids to come and worship the Lord together. As the body of Christ gathers together in love, we will be an example for others and show them the unity and love that can only be found in Christ Jesus. In John 17, Jesus prayed that the body of Christ would be one:

²⁰Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; ²¹That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. ²²And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: ²³I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:20-23)

As those who don't know Christ look at us, they should compelled to draw closer to the Lord because the love and unity that they see among the body of Christ. We should be joined together to accomplish the work of the Lord. In Acts Chapter 2 we see that there are great results when we come together on one accord:

¹And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ²And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ³And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. ⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Let us continue to pray that God would unite us all!

God Bless

LS
Greater Word of Faith Pentecostal COGIC

Thursday, March 25 – Day 37

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples
Seek God…to calm the storm of war.
Seek God On Behalf Of The Military

“A Centurion” mentioned in today’s passage from Matthew reminds me of the “The Centurion” mentioned (Matthew 27) who stood at the foot of the cross. After seeing the manner in which Christ died was the first to say “Truly this was the Son of God.” Today we pray for the 500,000 plus/minus of our soldiers plus family members that are deployed in 120 nations. Nations that we have been praying for over these 40 days.

What if…revival continued to grow in our military?
What if indeed.

As Iowa prepares to send the largest deployment of our National Guard soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan over the summer, we have a practical way of demonstrating the love of Christ to them. We are providing a 9-hour workshop Making Your Marriage Deployment Ready on April 16^th and 17^th. If you know of someone that is married and will possibly be deployed this year, encourage them to attend this amazing workshop.

For $20 per couple they receive two manuals, a commemorative coin, free childcare, Friday night dessert, and a hearty lunch on Saturday! Catch all the details at www.servethecity.org on the events page!

Brother Charles
Serve The City

Friday, March 26 – Day 38

Announcing Seek God for One Hour of prayer TONIGHT.

What/when: One hour of prayer from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. TONIGHT

What: 20 prayer leaders from 20 different ministries – coming together to lead us in prayer for the world.

Why: Theme: Seek God…to gather all peoples in worship.

How: The gym floor will be set up to represent the world as we have prayed for every nation – we will move from continent to continent and island to island in prayer – for one hour.

Where: Oakland Church Of The Nazarene - 3000 42nd St. NE

Entrance: Park in the lower lot and come in the lower parking lot side door.

If you are a UNI alumni/fan, you will be home in time for the 8:30 start!

For more details – check the EVENTS PAGE at www.servethecity.org after lunch today.

Wednesday, March 21 – Day 36

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples

Seek God…for enemies to be blessed

“As enemies nailed you to a cross, You cried out for God to forgive them.” (See Luke 23:34)

This is the first line of today’s NT prayer; it merits a more in-depth look:

Here’s the setting.

The Jews…

…had arrested Him illegally, mocked Him, spit on him, beat on Him with their fists, slapped Him and certainly did other things that are not recorded.

The Romans…

…spit on Him, scourged Him (used a whip to pull pieces of flesh from His back, mocked Him in as a “king”, push a crown of thorns on His head, force Him to carry His cross until He physically can’t, and nail His hands and feet to the cross.

Everyone…

…including the two thieves on His left and right continue to mock, taunt, and insult Him.

He remains…..silent.

Finally He speaks: “Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

We see in Hebrews this statement: “Jesus for the joy set before Him, endured the cross…”

In this passage endured is understood as “staying in the place of a servant” “remaining under to support.” The One who came to serve and not to be served, stayed in the place of a servant to the very end.

The results…

One thief repents and is guaranteed to be with Jesus that very day in Paradise, the Centurion believes, the sky was dark from noon to 3 p.m., the rocks split open, the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom…plus more…wow!

Years ago, I dismissed this act ‘as only something God in man could do…nice part of the story, no application to me. THEN, I read how Stephen (Acts 7:59) said the same forgiveness when he was being stoned to death…..Stephen, a man just like me. I was without excuse.

Conclusion? We can do this through Christ who to gives us the strength to do so!

Brother Charles

Serve The City

Tuesday, March 23 – Day 35

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples

Seek God…for Christ to restore relationships.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.

The prayer today asks Christ to restore broken relationships. We have little understanding of the importance of relationships. God has placed each of us in a family, the perfect family, in accordance with His perfect plan. When we allow family relationships to deteriorate, either through pride, or greed, or just inattention, we become an obstacle to God's perfect plan.

Similarly, God has placed us in our church, our community, our school, and our jobs. Each is built on personal, one-on-one relationship. Trusting relationships are a prerequisite for successfully spreading the Gospel.

Jesus modeled the perfect relationship, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; the power of perfect unity. In fact, John 17:3 defines eternal life as the ultimate relationship: This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

Father, we pray that you heal our broken relationships, so that you may be glorified.

Mike Pearson

New Covenant Bible, Serve The City staff

Monday, March 22 – Day 34

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples

Seek God…..for God to restore children to their parents..

We are admonished to seek God

...to restore children to their parents:

“Dear Father, there are so many children who are alienated from their parents. I know that is not your plan. Father, bring them home! Reunite them with their families in body and in spirit. Many have sought the "easy way" out of a bad situation only to end up in much worse situations than they ran away from. My heart is especially heavy for the many young girls who have been enslaved by sex traffickers, and don't see any way out. Lord, show them the way! Help us to do our part to rescue those who are lost!”

...to seek God on behalf of broken families:

Our country is filled with families that have been torn apart, leaving permanent scars on the hearts of all those involved. “Lord, help us to set good examples, to encourage struggling marriages, and be a support to those children who have know the heartache of broken relationships with parents and siblings. You, Lord, are the answer to all their needs. Help them to determine to break the cycle of broken marriages as they grow into young men and young women.”

...and for those who have lost a loved one through death:

“God, fill the void with Your love, show them the joy of being part of Your family, guide them in the decisions that need to be made, surround them with positive friends who know You and can affirm Your love for them.”

Trudy Carpenter,

Aid to Women, His Hands Free Clinic, Oakland Church of the Nazarene

Sunday, March 23 – Day 33

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples

Seek God…..for Christ to bless the nations with peace.

In the New Testament prayer today, one of the suggested prayers is “For trust to be restored between the diverse peoples that may dwell in your neighborhood.”

I was recently part of a funeral where those coming to support the grieving Haitian family were from 13 different nations. That was a very special day that I will never forget. As I moved from table to table in order to meet as many fellow Believes as I could; there was the common bond of Jesus The Christ at each table. We shared stories and grieved and laughed together. I could not help but be filled with great joy.

Families from three different nations had lived in the same neighborhood in Cedar Rapids and remained friends after moving in different directions. Others had met in support groups while others had met in different activities.

The Lord has brought “the nations” to Eastern Iowa for those of us that cannot travel abroad. As we pray the prayers today, may we purpose in our heart to seize the moment and see with our spiritual eyes the opportunities we have to be a house of prayer for all the nations - - as well as in practical….caring….actions.

Brother Charles

Serve The City

Sunday, March 23 – Day 33

Seeking His Peace Among All Peoples

Seek God…..for Christ to bless the nations with peace.

As I have read and prayed about "Ethnic Communities" today I was particularly struck by the prayer for "the peace of Christ to become a new factor at work in situations of longstanding racial tension." I think of the conflict that continues between various ethnic communities in this country due to past racial injustices. I am reminded that it is truly only Jesus that can bridge this divide; for Jesus is the great reconciler because He reconciled sinners with a righteous and holy God.

It is through who Jesus is and what He has done for us that broke down barriers between Jews and Gentiles in the early Church. Jesus continues to break down barriers even into the present day. He who makes the dead alive can bring peace from any ethnic conflict that exists. Though conflict will continue to be with us until Jesus' return, let us work to focus others on their need for Jesus for their salvation. Let us pray that as we witness to those of different physical ethnicities that they do not see us, but rather see Him.

God Bless,

JB

Cedar Valley Bible

Saturday, March 20 – Day 32

Seeking His Righteousness In Our Communities

Seek God....For the city to experience God’s righteousness.

In and of our own strength we can’t make more than a temporary impact in our communities. When we attempt to conquer the city for God on our own initiative, we see the black storm of life churning, the winds of injustice blowing and the raging waves of indifference crashing around us. When this happens we begin sinking into the dark waters of despair. It’s when we come to the end of ourselves, when there’s nothing left and we cry out to Jesus, that He takes our hand and lifts us up to kneel before Him, where the true power lies. And when His power is unleashed, people are changed!

No corruption, no indifference, nothing at all, can stand in the way when God moves. But it all starts with us in our most powerful position: on our knees before God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth!

As we willingly submit our meager strength before the Throne of Grace, He enables us to accomplish the tasks He has set out for us since before the beginning. His power works through willing and submitted hearts to win eternal victory in our communities.

“Gracious God,

Grant us eyes to see our weakness and our inability to effect change in our own strength. Enable our hearts to willingly submit to You and Your plan; and as we submit, work through us that the city might be brought into Your righteousness. For Yours is the kingdom, and power, and glory forever!”

In Jesus name we pray,

Amen

Greg Larson

Faith Bible

Friday, March 19 – Day 31

Seeking His Righteousness In Our Communities

Seek God….to establish righteous leaders.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 indicates that a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty is the result of Christians praying on the behalf of all who are in authority. If we walk after the flesh we fall into criticism of those in authority, but if we walk after the spirit we will intercede on behalf of those in authority. We affect what type of society we will find ourselves living in. If we are not leading a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty, we need to examine our prayer life. God has given us a clear path to follow. The hearts of those in authority are in God’s hands - he’s waiting to hear from us.

TE

Jordan’s Grove Baptist

Thursday, March 18 – Day 30

Seeking His Righteousness in Our Communities
Seek God for freedom from terror

Bombings, breach of airline security, earthquakes, flooding, and kidnappings-these are just some of the terrors we face in today’s world. If we dwell on the threats of today, we wouldn’t have a moment’s peace. We would just sit around waiting to see what awful thing would happen next.

I was raised on Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you: I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” What a promise to us. We do not need to be fearful or concerned about what may come next. He is our God and He’s with us to strengthen and help us.

We can be free from terror because He will protect us. Praise God that He has us in His loving arms, assuring us that we do not have to be afraid.

LD
Cedar Hills Community

Thursday, March 18 – Day 30

Seeking His Righteousness in Our Communities
Seeking God….for freedom from terror

Fear is probably the most powerful weapon that the enemy uses against the Body of Christ. If there is any one thing that draws us to Jesus, and there are many, it would have to be the reality of a man who never walked in fear. The Body of Christ needs a fresh daily reminder, that as followers of Jesus, we are not followers of fear.

Jesus’ encouragement to His followers throughout the Gospels is to ‘fear not’, and ‘be not afraid, He then reminds us that, ‘He is with us’, the One who never walks in fear.

Fear disguises itself in so many ways, its goal is to paralyze, and its plan is to keep us from accomplishing The Father’s will. When that happens we become a people who are more consumed with defending the Gospel than we are sharing the Gospel. That is an indication that we are not operating out of righteousness, but rather self-righteousness.

Isaiah’s prophecy in Isaiah 54:14 was speaking of being established in our position of righteousness, and not in the condition of what goes on around us. Even though oppression, fear, and terror may be close to us naturally, it can be far removed from our heart, our mind, and even our emotions.

John said that, ‘perfect love casts out fear’. Every time that we pull back from loving the people that we don’t want to love, it affects how we love the people that we do want to love. Fear then remains a factor in both relationships.

Jesus didn’t come to change us, He came to love us, and as a result of that love we desire to change. Those changes then continue the process of establishing us in the position righteousness that we already have in Christ. Our position is greater than our condition.

Daniel Winn
Pastor, Cedar Rapids Family Church

Wednesday, March 17 – Day 29

Seeking His Righteousness In Our Communities
Seek God….for His Spirit to empower His People
We seek God and behalf of Depressed People

Editors note: this is a long entry – there is really no way to shorten it – and I can guarantee that when you finish reading it, you will agree!.

“We can’t tell them Jesus loves them until we are ready to love them too” is a line from one of the first contemporary Christian songs I heard as a teenager. This one simple line lights fire in me that can cast away the business of life and remind me that our witnessing is done through relationships. You would think with Facebook, Twitter, texting, and e-mail we would be better at relationships, but those can each be just another place for our friends to hide their feelings of worthlessness and depression. Depression is a silent killer and it affects a significant part of our churches.

See, I knew a man with a wife and three small children that came to church every Sunday. He was active in the men’s group and even invited his neighbors across the street to attend with his family. He was persistent, and finally his neighbors were saved. He was a witness to his extended family and tried his best at being a husband and father to his young family. But something was wrong. He was feeling more and more down. He quit attending special church functions and sometimes was hard to get out of bed to go to church. His wife dragged him to a doctor and he was placed on medication for depression. He went to see a therapist. He learned that he had clinical depression and it ran in his family. He continued to spiral downward. His wife was at a loss for what else to do. His church family initially tried to help, but then pulled away. All the couple’s friends pulled away. This man was trying everything to make the pain of his depression go away. In the end, this man took his life and left his three small boys and wife behind to pick up the pieces. This man was my late husband. (2002)

Please, I beg of you to go to a family that you know is dealing with depression and listen, lift them up in prayer, and learn about this disease. We as a church need to be the comfort zone of our families dealing with this depression. In Christ, we can help families deal with this and get them proper help. This is the first time I have said anything publicly about my late husband, but I felt lead to share in hope that others will seek help for their family members and friends. There is HOPE in our risen Savior!

Blessings in Christ,
Regina B.
89.1 The Spirit

Editors Note: Some say that 20 % of the population deals with depression. (The elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about.) I applaud Regina for her transparency. God directed this assignment from the beginning. I did not know her story when I gave her this day to write about. She listened to my transparency at our last monthly luncheon –how I escaped going into depression – getting close from working too many hours, not taking a vacation, sleeping too little, etc. The more responsibility one has the more time they need to spend in the Bible and I had not increased my time as the responsibilities had increased. May I encourage you to do some study, to talk to someone, to be aware of someone else that might need your encouragement, to eat right, to exercise and get the right amount of sleep? There is no shame in dealing with depression, but there will surely be disappointment if we don’t. The Lord exhorts us via Paul to “press on toward the goal…” We have an adversary that will try to “de-press us from heading toward the goal.” Listen to God. Brother Charles

Tuesday, March 16 – Day 28

Seeking His Righteousness In Our Communities
Seek God....to inspire a yearning for righteousness

….to inspire a yearning for righteousness. (inspire: 1. To affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence.) (yearning = a persistent, often wistful or melancholy desire; a longing) (righteousness = 1. morally upright; without guilt or sin: a righteous parishioner.2. In accordance with virtue or morality: a righteous judgment. 3. Morally justifiable: righteous anger.)

This is a good day to look at the words being used by the writer of these prayers! I would ask you to pray with passion for a divine influence in your prayers. Obviously those who defined the word in the dictionary put in the very first definition the words “divine influence” so let’s go for it! Can you ask the Holy Spirit to put ‘salt’ in the soul of those that you are praying for that they would yearn for right standing before their God! AND we can pray (see the NT prayer for today) from a place of celebrating the sinlessness of Christ!

The fourth sentence in the NT prayer for today is electrifying for me!! “Your words, Your deeds, Your prayers – everything about Your life was lived in outrageous fullness.” Outrageous fullness. [In today’s prayer, consider the word ‘outrageous’ to be defined as: well beyond the understanding! Not only full, but beyond our ability to comprehend what full is. More than full. Running over! An inability to contain it all.] This is what we have to celebrate!

When we go to prayer – we can move in prayers of outrageous celebration!!! Think about it – as I write these sentences I am not sure I comprehend all that the Holy Spirit is telling ME! Let’s try this together – I believe we will have some outrageous answers!

Brother Charles
Serve The City

Tuesday March 16 - Day 28

Seeking His Righteousness In Our Communities
Seek God…to inspire a yearning for righteousness.
Seek God On Behalf Of Substance Abusers

Recently I read a book entitled Fasting by Jentezen Franklin, pastor of a large church in Gainesville, Georgia. Every year, at the beginning of the year, his congregation takes a journey of fasting for 21 days. I had never even gone so much as a complete day without food. (other than when I was sick) To imagine 21 days without food was mind boggling. But after reading the book, I decided to try it.

Oh, I haven't gone completely without food, I've drunk juice and eaten fruit and had a couple of partial meals along the way, but I wanted to seek God with my whole heart. In the midst of my experiment, I was at our school and the students had macaroni and cheese, lasagna and salad, and topped it off with chocolate covered donuts. They offered me one, and juices shot out into my mouth. I could hardly resist the temptation to chomp down one of those little round gems. This reminded me of our need to hunger and thirst for righteousness. The promise is that we will be filled.

We also need to hunger and thirst for those who struggle with substance abuse. May our prayers be as passionate for their souls as is their desire for a fix. Indeed, may Jesus be our addiction! When He is, we will need no other and our lives will flow like a river of righteousness into the lives of those who struggle for freedom.

God Bless,
Pastor Dave
7^th Day Adventist

Monday March 15 - Day 27

Seeking His Righteousness In Our Communities
Seek God…to intervene to bring forth justice.

“Oh Lord, reshape our minds to value Your goodness. Penetrate our hearts with Your compassion.”

So we express our faith by presenting the same appeals for justice before Your court, day after day.” Page 42.

Please look at the circle at the top of the page 42. Today is “day 2” of the theme “Seeking His Righteousness In Our Communities.” Please notice that the city in the circle is in darkness and the light is off to the side and partial. Each day the light moves to the center toward the top of the buildings and becomes brighter.

The lesson we can graphically see from this illustration is that one prayer on a topic most often is not enough. God is a God of persistence, and we are called to be like Him. Daniel prayed ‘through’ for 21 days and finally an angel from heaven arrived with his message. The angel messenger needed help from Michael, one of the chief princes. Daniel was participating in warfare in the heavens. (…Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth…) We are called to the same perseverance, day after day.

Another illustration of perseverance is found in II Kings 13:14:19. Elisha told King Joash to strike the ground with the arrows in his hand. The King struck the ground 3 times “and the man of God was angry with him.” “You should have struck the ground 5 or 6 times, then you would have struck Aram until you would have destroyed it.” (total victory)

Don’t hold back! Go for total victory in your prayer life! As the circle at the top of each illustrates, let us ‘strike the ground’ with the arrows of prayer that we hold in our heart and speak with our mouth….day after day until the picture the Lord has given us is clear, bright and complete.

Charles Daugherty
Serve The City

Monday, March 15 – Day 27

Seeking His Righteousness In Our Communities
Seek God…to intervene to bring forth justice

Day after day we see injustice; we hear injustice; we feel injustice. The sights and sounds of injustice flood our lives from every direction -coming from neighborhoods, family, work-places, radio, TV...... Sometimes before I get too anxious about it all, I know I just need to turn off the TV and instead re-focus myself on who God is. He is the God of justice. His Word says so. His promises are true. His character shows it and His love reassures us that at some point His justice will be done in every situation. "Vengeance is mine...says the Lord" (Hebrews 10:30). Even as we see people continue their wicked ways in cauldrons of evil, we know that at the end of their days they will have to stand before a righteous, holy Judge (God) and give account for their lives. .....talk about having a bad day!

But in the meantime - I can, you can, as a community of believers we can cry out to God Almighty for Him to break the schemes of the enemy and overthrow evil. We can know that we are heard when we appeal to the Lord for His goodness and His love to intervene in our city, our courts and our legislatures. There is no God like our God. He is worthy to be praised.

Tawnya Gardener
The Salvation Army

Sunday March 14 - Day 26

Seeking His Righteousness In Our Communities
Seek God…to bring blessing through righteousness.

Today’s OT prayer concerning Sodom is both inspiring and convicting. God will show grace and mercy to SO many if only a FEW would walk in righteousness! Of the hundreds and hundreds in Sodom, God would spare the city if only 10 righteous could be found. So sad! Lot had not been a believable witness of the Living God…even to his two future son-in-laws who found him to be “jesting” when he warned them to flee the city…and they perished in the city.

Over the last 30 years I have traveled the eastern half of Iowa calling on business after business. I was always amazed at the grace God had given so many businesses to actually still be “‘in business.” Their ethics were questionable, their business practices were lacking, morale down…..and yet they were still operating. Why? I would always find Believers that were praying for that company. Some were employees, some were family members of the employees while still others were connected to that company in various manners.

The Lord is calling us to a more active roll these days; prayer, then care while being ready to share when appropriate. We recently heard a report of two companies located in Houston Texas. In company A the employees that were many Believers did not connect with each other, may have prayed, but were mostly silent in their day to day lives. The company closed at a great loss to the city, to so many families and to investors across the nation.

In company B, two employees that were Believers (from different congregations) began to meet and pray for their company that was in trouble. The asked this question: “Why are we here?” Slowly their numbers grew. They asked God for His wisdom to bring proposals to management at the right time and with the right attitude. Their proposals were adopted and the company made a complete turn around. In the right time, they presented a proposal that would allow employees to volunteer on a project in the community during company business hours with no interruption to their pay. The proposal was agreed to. This company continues to prosper. The company is serving their city.

Locally, in Linn County, one man praying is the reason (my perspective) that the company he works for is still holding on. One man!

Can we ask the question? What are we here for? Why not look for others in our work place that are Believers and begin to pray for our companies, supervisors, owners and investors? Why not?

As we do so, we become an answer to one of the sentences in our OT prayer for today. “As You transform our lives in Christ’s righteousness, even though we are few, bring about some of the great, long-promised blessing upon the entire city.”

Indeed! Why not?

Charles Daugherty
Serve The City

Sunday March 14 - Day 26

Seeking His Righteousness In Our Communities
Seek God…to bring blessing through righteousness.

“For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children …after him to keep the way of the Lord…” These words from the scripture in Genesis 18 stopped me. First I thought of them as directly speaking to me of my responsibility toward the children God has entrusted to my direction in this lifetime. Abraham was chosen so that he may command his children… to keep the way of the Lord. Is that why I am chosen? Wow. That was my first thought but then those thoughts expanded to the people I interact with. Was I chosen so that I can influence them? Does anyone else ever think “Why did God choose me?” When I read those words in Genesis 18 it seemed my question was answered.

JB
Family Of Faith Community

Sunday, March 14 – Day 26

A few terrific insights on “How To” Share!
Pages 38 & 39 in Seek God For The City
(If you do not have your copy yet – email us at SeekGod@servethecity.org

It’s not too late to join in….We have 14 days to go!
Some start over at Day 41 and go through the guide again!

Find these bullet points in the guide….and…more.

Ø The Stories intersect: Listening In Order to Tell.

Ø AS you “notice” your way into the story of people’s lives by sincerely serving them or praying for them, you’ll become convinced that there are new chapters and better endings in their story than they may have ever dreamed. WOW.

Ø Many avoid evangelism because it usually puts pressure on those who speak and those who listen. It gets clouded with fear and guilt on both sides……

Ø Connect to relate the gospel story with their story………

Ø Interacting may be easier than you think……..

Ø Watch for three stories:

o Their story

o Your own Jesus story

o The gospel story.

Ø Listen well and you’ll find ways that your story corresponds to something of theirs.

I have to tell you – these pages are full of grace to the reader!

For more, read pages 38 & 39 in the guide.

You Sunday entries will be posted at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.