Prayer Matters February Edition

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


February’s Scripture Focus:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34
As you focus on this scripture you might want to try a guided imagery/breath prayer. Simply spend a little time focusing on your breath. As you inhale picture yourself breathing in God’s love for you, and as you exhale, imagine you are breathing out God’s love to others. This can be done anytime and anywhere!


February’s Prayer Focus:
For Ourselves : To love others the way Jesus does
For Others : Marriages in Crisis


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 God for His unfailing love. Listen to these assuring words from Isaiah 54:10:
“’Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”


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 newly married man involved in a car accident was in a coma for 5 weeks and has regained consciousness. He is moving, speaking and making improvements everyday. While he was in a coma his wife was faithful to read scripture others shared with her.
A young un-churched mother in Atlanta was recently diagnosed with cancer. She is undergoing treatment and expected to recover. More importantly, she has been going to church and taking her children with her.
A fourth set of twins for which the infertility ministry has been praying has been born! After praying the mother would be able to carry the babies for 35 weeks, she actually carried them for 38 weeks.
“Help Me to Pray” next session
Please note the time change for the next Help Me to Pray session. Each month we are discussing a different aspect of prayer. Our next session will be Monday, February 12 from 7:00-8:30 in room S-210. Dr. Don Shockley, a retired Methodist minister and former chaplain of Birmingham Southern, the University of Redlands, and Emory University, will speak with us about Listening Prayer. All are welcome. There will be a nursery available.


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.
· Pray for our Bible study groups: wisdom of the teachers, faithfulness of participants and discipline in study.
· Feb. 8-10 Men’s Emmaus Walk at Sumatanga
· Feb 9-10 RUMC Hispanic Women’s Retreat
· Feb 9-18 Larry & Polly Puller and the rest of the GO International Mission team who are traveling to Nicaragua to help build a vocational school, teach sewing, teach VBS, show the Jesus film, and have leadership training session for the local church leaders
· Feb 11 Seeker Friendly SonDay Live Worship Service
· Feb 12 Forever Young Fellowship (Pray for Senior Adult Ministries)
· Feb 12 Help Me to Pray Workshop with Dr. Don Shockley
· Feb. 16-18 Discovery Weekend- Please pray for all the YOUTH and our entire team who are involved in Discovery Weekend. Pray for all the high schoolers who are courageous enough to give a talk and the ones who serve as Disciple Group Leaders. Pray that those who have not accepted Christ as their Savior will make that decision through this awesome experience. Pray for the middle schoolers who will participate as well the senior highs and adults leaders.
· Feb 18 Kick-Off of 40 Days of Community Lenten Series
· Feb 21 Ash Wednesday Service (Lent Begins)
· Feb 25 Mission Fair & Ministry Parade (Pray for the Missions, Ministries and Outreach efforts of the church)
· Mar 1-4 Men’s Emmaus Walk at Living Waters
· March 4 Celebration Sunday! Official start of Imagine too. . . Campaign
· March 8-10 TNT Consignment Sale
· March 12 Help Me to Pray Workshop with Harris Wheeler

Getting Started with Prayer/How to Have a Daily Devotional Time
from Mary Lou Redding who is the editorial director of the Upper Room
We spend time with God in order to deepen and strengthen our relationship with the One who created us and yearns to be with us. Here is a basic pattern to try. Experiment until you find the time of day, content and length of time spent that helps you feel connected with God.
Basic Pattern:
Begin your devotional time by quieting yourself. Take a few deep breaths and become still. Some people light a candle or say a simple prayer such as, “O God, open my heart to hear your message to me in the words I read.”
Then read a short passage in the Bible and some additional reading. A resource such as The Upper Room can guide you in choosing scripture passages, and its witness from other believers can help you connect the words of the bible with concerns of everyday life.
At the end of your reading time, be silent and wait to see what words, feelings, or images rise in your heart or tug at your thoughts. Notice what situations or people come to mind.
Consider how the words or images connect with your life; then pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you see what God may be saying to you through what you have read, thought, and felt.
Say a prayer, asking God to help you follow the guidance you have received and to be with the people who came to mind during your reading and reflection.

You may want to record your thoughts and feelings in a notebook or journal, to help you remember what God has been saying to you. Many people find it helpful to write about concerns and to write a prayer as a way to end their devotional time. If you are just beginning to take time for reading the Bible and praying, plan to spend about ten minutes. As you become more comfortable with the process, you may find yourself spending a longer time.


A Prayer For You and A Prayer that Can Be Used By You Each Day
By Jim Savage

Gracious God we give You thanks and praise for the gift of this day. Even when the cold winds of winter are blowing, so may Your Spirit also blow with renewing, and refreshing gifts of life.

Grant that we might sense Your guidance, and the revelation of Your will for each decision in our lives. Forgive us of our sins, the misguided deed, for words spoken too quickly or harshly, and for any action that is not a part of your divine will and wisdom.

Grant that we might see peace in this world before we die. We pray for the safety of our troops, but we also pray that world leaders would seek paths to peace so that the troops on all sides might be home in the months to come.

We pray for our president, congress, governor, and all leaders in our nation that they will seek Your guidance and wisdom for the decisions that they make. Forgive us individually and nationally when we have not done Your will and when we have broken Your laws. Set us free with the power of Your Holy Spirit, and fill us to overflowing with courage, strength, and the peace that surpasses human understanding; that keeps our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We pray in the name of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen.