Prayer Matters, Summer 2007

Prayer Matters
a publication of the Prayer Ministry of Riverchase United Methodist Church
Matters about prayer because prayer matters
Summer 2007

Purpose: to claim and sustain Riverchase United Methodist Church as a "house of prayer for all people" (Isaiah 56:7) and to encourage one another in prayer


Summer Scripture Focus: Isaiah 58:11
The Lord will guide you always;
He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
And will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
Like a spring whose waters never fail.

Prayer Focus: God’s provision for our church
Pre-registration for fall Bible studies has begun. We can pray that God will provide leaders for these studies and dedicated students so that God’s word might be illuminated and RUMC will grow spiritually.
We are also in the process of recruiting teachers for Children and Youth Sunday School classes. We can pray that God will lead those whom He is calling to serve this year and that those whom He is calling to serve will be obedient and respond to the call to teach.
We can pray for God to provide key leadership for the Upward sports programs.
We can pray for our music ministry (both adults and children) and that God will provide the right person to be our permanent minister of music.
We can pray God’s provision for our pastors as they preach, teach, lead, counsel, visit, and all their many other tasks.
We can pray that God will empower us to reach lost souls, to witness to our faith, and to lead others to Christ.

Praise Worthy
Our Lord is definitely worthy of our praise and so often we fail to praise Him or fail to praise Him enough. Today let's praise Him for His provision as expressed in Philippians 4:19: “And my God will satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”


God Answers
We ask many things of God through prayer, and He faithfully answers our prayers. If you have an answered prayer to share, please submit it to Sandyshock@aol.com. Sometimes seeing how God has answered the prayers of others gives us confidence and encouragement in our prayers.
Here are some of the prayers God has answered recently.
· A son graduated from high school three years ago with no direction or purpose for his life. He found out about a specialty school from a magazine and decided that’s what he wanted to do. God gave him the strength to endure and the perseverance to last the long haul. He has now graduated from this school and has a direction and purpose, as well as a degree.
· A husband and father who was stroke victim and near death (family had been “called in”) is now out of the hospital and in rehab.
· A 7 year old girl with an inoperable (benign) tumor is doing well and undergoing radiation. Continue to pray for her.
· A grandmother who has had aging issues and needs to move to an assisted care facility. She has been very resistant to the idea and this has caused much hardship on her family. But, after prayer, she has accepted the idea, found a place and is moving soon.
· A young boy who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in December continues to remain cancer-free. His family received good results from his latest MRI scan.
Prayer Points to Ponder
George Mueller was a remarkable man who lived in the 1800s. He showed complete trust in God to answer his prayers. He never shared his needs with others, only with God, and God always provided. The orphanages that Mueller started provided for over 10,000 orphans, and he distributed over eight million dollars given to him by others as a result of prayer. He is an example of one who believed very strongly in the power of prayer. For Mueller there were five overall conditions for prayer. They were:
Entire dependence upon the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ as the only ground of any claim for blessing.
Separation from all known sin. If He regards iniquity in our hearts the Lord will not hear us, for it would be sanctioning sin.
Faith in God’s word of promise as confirmed by His oath. Not to believe Him is to make Him both a liar and a perjurer.
Asking in accordance with His will. Our motives must be Godly: we must not seek any gift of God to consume it upon our own lusts.
Importunity in supplication. There must be waiting on God and waiting for God, as the farmer has long patience to wait for the harvest.
Perhaps these are things we should consider when we approach God in prayer.
Pray-Up Events
Would you like to pray for our church but don’t know where to begin? Here are some things to include in your prayers.
v July 15-19: Forty middle schoolers going to “Big Stuff”
v July 16-20: Summer Music Camp & Summer Basketball Camp
v July 26-28: Musical OKLAHOMA
v July 29: Sunday School teacher recognition
v August 5: Sunday School teacher training
v August 8: Hoover schools resume
v August 12: Promotion Sunday & UMW Sunday
v August 15: Kickoff of Wednesday night programs (Dinner cooked by Hispanic congregation as a fundraiser)
v August 19 & 20: Dr. Charles Page teaching on Paul