FRONT LINE PRAYER

Dear Friends,

Prayer can be hard. For many of us, it is hard to spend time in prayer. On top of this, often when we pray, we only focus on our own needs or the needs of loved ones. Don’t give up! The Devil wants us to be discouraged about prayer. Please do not let memories of “golden times” of prayer in the past or recent dry-spells inhibit you from praying today. Please pray for me that I will be prayerful. Please pray that God will make our church prayerful. Please pray you will be prayerful. Don’t say, “I can only pray for a couple of minutes, so I won’t bother praying at all.” Whether short or long, fervent or tepid, effortless or forced, please pray.

Please consider adding these “front-line” concerns to your prayers. I have been trying to include these concerns in my daily prayers. Also, our staff and church prayer meetings usually include praying into several of these matters. They are “front-line” prayers in that they involve looking beyond the boundaries of our congregation.

They are “missionary” prayers that desire to see more and more people know Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. They begin by noticing where God has placed us. In each “area” of prayer it might be that God will call you or me or Messiah into specific involvement as a result of praying. It also might be the case that He calls us to pray, but He will use some other church or ministry to be involved and have “success.”

First, God has provided the Ottawa Little Theatre for our Sunday morning worship. Please pray for the OLT and the artistic community connected to the Theatre.

Second, God has put our office in the designated Gay Village. Please pray for the gay community.

Third, God has put us in Ottawa amongst other Bible-believing evangelical churches. Pray for these other churches and their leaders.

Fourth, we are a “city-wide” church as well as a church in the urban core. Please pray for your neighbourhood. Please pray for future ANiC church plants in Kanata, Leitrim, Manotick, Orleans, Cornwall and Arnprior.

Fifth, God has provided for Ryle Seminary over the last three or so years. Pray for many more deacons to be ordained through this local seminary.

Is God calling us to reach out in concrete ways? Please pray that people will come to a saving faith in Jesus and follow Him as their Lord.

George +