Tag: 40 Days of Prayer Campaign

40 Days of Prayer Devotionals – Day 2

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals2 Comments

Devotional Day 2

Day 2 – Work for the Good of Your City (Jeremiah 29)

Jeremiah 29 provides a copy of Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles after Nebuchadnezzar had been taken from Jerusalem to Babylon. The purpose of Jeremiah’s letter is twofold. First, keep Israel from being apathetic. Second, to keep Israel from being deceived by the prophets and diviners who told them they will return to Jerusalem soon.

Instead of returning soon, Israel would spend seventy years in Babylon. Jeremiah did not want them to waste that time. He writes starting in verse 4:

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

The Challenge

The Bible tells us we are like Israel. We are foreigners and aliens in this world (1 Peter 2:11; Hebrews 13:14). We live in a land that is not our home. Even so, like Israel, we are to work, build, plant, eat, marry, multiple, and seek the welfare of the cities in which we live. Prayer is one way to seek the welfare of our cities.

Starting April 1st you have the opportunity to join us and others for 40 Days of Prayer. During this time, we will focus on praying for the welfare of our cities. We hope to be praying alongside you then.

Resource

If you would like more information about 40 Days of Prayer, including how you can download a PDF copy of the information and link with us on social media, visit our website: sycamoredecatur.com/40DaysofPrayer

40 Days of Prayer Devotionals – Day 1

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals2 Comments

Devotional Day 1

Day 1 – The Heart of Moses (Deuteronomy 9)

Deuteronomy 9 puts Moses’ heart front and center. Moses recounts Israel’s history of unfaithfulness despite God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises. Starting with the Golden Calf and continuing with their failure to take the Promised Land, Moses confronts Israel with their idolatry, unfaithfulness, and lack of fear of and trust in God.

The Golden Calf

If you remember, the Lord redeemed Israel from the hand of the Egyptians in the Exodus. A clear indication that He is an all-powerful God worthy to be worshipped. Instead of recognizing God’s power and worshipping the One True God, Israel fashioned a Golden Calf and bowed down to it.

The Failure to Take the Promised Land

If confronting them with their idolatry was not enough, Moses also reminds Israel of their failure to trust and fear God. God had promised them and their forefathers – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – a land of their own possession. At the site of it’s inhabitants, Israel shrunk back. Instead of trusting God to provide military victory, they feared the people.

Forty Days of Prayer

After each failure, Moses prostrated himself 40 days before the Lord for the people. Why intercede for a rebellious people, asking the Lord to preserve them?

Moses did so because he loved and cared for them. He desired they experience the Lord’s blessings. As well as he was zealous for God’s glory. For those reasons, Moses twice spent forty days and nights in prayer for the nation of Israel.

The Challenge

Shouldn’t we care for and love those in our nation? Shouldn’t that love drive us to our knees praying the Lord would change their hearts? We think so. For that reason, we want to challenge you to intercede for your nation, your state, your city, your community, your neighbors, your church family and your immediate family. Won’t you join us as we first ask God to change our hearts to be more like Moses’ and then by interceding in prayer for those around us from April 1st – May 10th?

Resource

If you would like more information about 40 Days of Prayer, including how you can download a PDF copy of the information and link with us on social media, visit our website: sycamoredecatur.com/40DaysofPrayer

40 Days of Prayer Campaign

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

40 Days of Prayer Graphic

How is your prayer life? Do you pray for the lost? Do you pray for your city? Do you prayer for your government? Do you pray for those in your own church?

40 Days of Prayer Campaign

Recently, a member of our congregation came to me with a burden to pray like Moses did for the nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 9. Out of that conversation birthed 40 Days of Prayer. Here is the heart of the campaign:

40 Days of Prayer is an event inspired by the longsuffering and abundant mercy of a holy God and modeled after the dedicated period of fasting and effective, intercessory prayer of Moses. Moses led and lived among a rebellious people destined to perish under God’s wrath. Sound familiar? Like Moses, we desire to seek and apply God’s wisdom as the world hopelessly applies man’s wisdom to address cultural, social, economic, political and spiritual matters.  We invite you to partner with us in a focused and fervent 40 days of prayer.

7 Daily Devotions to Prepare the Heart

In order to prepare our hearts to pray for 40 Days, we wrote 7 daily devotionals. We are encouraging those who desire to pray alongside of us for the next 40 days to read through these devotionals and fast one day during the week. In an effort to help you prepare your heart to pray for 40 days, I will be posting those devotionals on my blog for the next 7 days.

If you would like more information about 40 Days of Prayer, including how you can download a PDF copy of the information and how you can link with us on social media, visit our website: sycamoredecatur.com/40DaysofPrayer