The Pilgrim Path---Pentecost Sunday

The Day of Pentecost and The HOLY SPIRIT'S arrival in power (Acts 2: 1--31).

This is material from the Church Prayer Leaders Network concerning: " 7 Prayer Points to Pray for Your City "---it is drawn from a work co-authored by Rev. Trey Kent (pastor of Northwest Fellowship in Austin, Texas). They were compelled to unite Christians across Austin (all colors, denominations) to pray for their city. The book is simply entitled: "City of Prayer."

The dream is that teams will emerge to focus on working out these prayers into practical steps and connect with those inside and outside the "church-world" to see our cities changed for God's glory. This was in God's heart when He inspired Jeremiah to write: "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 " (Jeremiah 29: 7).

7 Prayer Points to Pray for Your City:

ONE---Pray for Unbelievers to Be Saved. That people's hearts will be opened by the Spirit and that they will repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as LORD (Matt. 9: 37, 38; Rom. 10: 1; II Peter 3: 9; Acts 26: 18).

TWO---Pray for a National Spiritual Awakening. That Jesus Christ will revive the Church by His Spirit---and awaken our Nation to His greatness and supremacy. Pray God will pour out His Spirit on our Land---forgive our sin, and heal our land. Pray millions of people will be converted---and genuinely turn to God (II Chron. 7: 14; Dan. 9: 18, 19; Psalm 85: 6; Hab. 3: 2; Acts 2: 37--41).

THREE---Pray for Unity between Pastors and Churches. That denominational and ethnic walls may come down---so people will love each other, pray together, and serve each other (John 17: 20-23; Psalm 133; Eph. 4: 3--6).

FOUR---Pray for Families. That Jesus Christ will heal, restore, and strengthen every marriage and family. Pray husbands will love their wives as Christ loves the Church and that wives will respect their husbands and honor them. Pray that the hearts of parents will be turned toward their children to love them and raise them in a God-honoring way. Pray children will respect and obey their parents (Gen. 2: 24; Josh. 24: 15; Psalm 127: 3--5; Mal. 4: 6; Eph. 5: 22--33).

FIVE---Pray for Racial Reconciliation. Pray that God will heal our Nation of racism and that God will use the Church to stand against racial conflict, violence, and prejudice. The Church must lead the way in racial reconciliation by modeling love and respect for every person regardless of the color of their skin or their ethnic background (Rom. 10: 12, 13; Gal. 3: 28; Acts 10: 28; John 7: 24; I John 2: 9; James 2: 9; Rev. 7: 9).

SIX---Pray for Life to be Valued and Protected through All Stages of Life. Pray for God to break the culture of death that exists in our Nation (Psalm 139: 13--16; Jeremiah 1: 5; Proverbs 24: 11; Deut. 21: 8, 9).

SEVEN---Pray for Local and National Government Leaders. Pray that God will give them wisdom to make wise decisions and be able to govern with integrity, justice, and mercy ( I Timothy 2: 1, 2; Romans 13: 1; I Peter 2: 17; Titus 3: 1, 2; Micah 6 : 8).

"A revived people become the instruments of revival. The remade become the re-makers. The recipients of grace become the dispensers of grace. Those who confessed theirs sins now hear the confessions of others. Those who were in need of prayer are now teaching men to pray. Those who could never stand firm in holiness for a single day are now pillars of holiness raised by God for all the world to see. Now new converts will be made without arm twisting. Now elaborate plans of follow-up are not needed, for God the Holy Spirit is at work. Now instead of pleading and cajoling with men to take a stand for Christ, the earnest presentation of the basic doctrines of the Bible will carry the revival forward in ever increasing force. Wave upon wave of divine blessing will break upon the parched earth. What no person could do by himself and what no group effort of men could accomplish, the LORD God Almighty will accomplish in the wake of mighty revival. The most wonderful aspect of the breaking and the remaking and the pouring forth of true revival is that God does it all..." Richard Owen Roberts

Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire,

And lighten with celestial fire;

Thou the anointing Spirit art,

Who dost Thy sevenfold gifts impart.

Thy blessed unction from above

Is comfort, life, and fire of love;

Enable with perpetual light

The dullness of our blinded sight.

Anoint and cheer our soiled face

With the abundance of Thy grace;

Keep far our foes; give peace at home;

Where Thou art guide, no ill can come.

Attributed: Rhabanus Maurus (ca. 776--856)

Grace & Peace in Jesus Christ Our LORD, Pastor Jason