Posted on Jan 29, 2016 in General |
1 SAMUEL 16:14-23
In the heavenly realm of things, God had already removed the kingdom from Saul and given it to David. But on Earth, the time between David’s anointing and his enthronement was long and hard, with many delays and detours. For both David and Jesus, the road to royalty and honor was one of servant-hood and suffering, risk and rejection. Sometimes it is tempting to think that, just because God has chosen us for a particular task, people must fall in line and kowtow to us. Not so. The stone that the builders rejected becomes the cornerstone. Rejection comes first, reigning later. The way up is down. Whoever wishes to be first, must be slave of all. That is the sequence. Humility is the only way to realize God’s greatness in our lives. He will work His will through us, not by power, not by prestige, not by position, but through serving, suffering and sacrificing for others.
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
- For the health and safety of our nations’ leaders
- For national security forces, police, army, navy and air force chiefs
- For chancellors and professors of all our universities
- For principals and teachers of all schools
- For deep-seated wounds among students and young people, due to all forms of violence committed against them, to be healed
- For the power of the blood of Jesus to cleanse and sanctify our nations, cities and villages of sin and brokenness
- For plans of miscreants to shed blood in our nations, cities and provinces to be thwarted
PRAY FOR THE CHURCH
- For the church to be strong and emerge victorious
- For the anti-conversion and anti-Christian legislation against the church in our nations be defeated
- For new young leadership to be raised up within the church
- For the church to arise in Holy enthusiasm to pray and witness
- For the baptism of the fire of God upon the body of Christ
- For a sense of urgency to win people for Christ as we work against a harvest deadline
- For the glory of God to be manifested in the house of God
- For children and youth to be mobilised for intercessory prayer across the nations
PRAYER FOCUS
Spend some time in prayer today for pastors, missionaries and ministries in North Asia.
Posted on Jan 27, 2016 in General |
1 SAMUEL 16:1-13
When Samuel arrived to anoint Israel’s greatest king, David wasn’t even on the list. Like Cinderella, he was left at home to do his chores while the big boys dressed up and paraded before the kingmaker. But those who appear most qualified by human standards are often least qualified by God’s standard. God reserves some of His greatest Kingdom assignments for the weak and lowly, those with neither clout nor credential (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). God had David’s number. His time had come. God told Samuel to rise and anoint David, for he was the one. When God calls us, we need not jockey for position. We need not resort to power posturing, manipulation and self-promoting. We should just relax, stay humble. You are chosen. God knows what sheep pen you are tending. He has your number. Your day will come. The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power. You will recognize the difference. Others will too.
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
- For a global revival where those in authority acknowledge that Jesus is Lord over their nations
- For our national schools and colleges not to be contaminated by bullying and unruly behavior
- For thefts, robberies and rape to cease in our nations
- For personnel in hospitals to serve patients with great care and concern
- For the leaders of our nations not to be led by superstition, occultism and witchcraft in making national policy issues
- For the nations of the world to be set free from demonic claims of ownership
- For God’s hand of deliverance over nations that publicly acknowledge demon deities as their gods
PRAY FOR THE CHURCH
- For believers to be strong disciples of Jesus
- For all local churches to experience a Holy Ghost revival
- For every church to be enable by God to birth at least one new church before the end of the year.
- For our national churches to be set free from suspicions and hurts among denominations, churches and Christian organizations
- For God’s blessing and guidance upon all seminaries and Bible colleges that are raising leaders to gather in the end time harvest
- For the prayer armies of the church globally to be stirred up and made strong
PRAYER FOCUS
Spend some time in prayer today for pastors, missionaries and ministries in Southern Africa.
Posted on Jan 26, 2016 in General |
Read through 1 SAMUEL 13:13-14, 1 SAMUEL 15:28, PSALM 78:70-72 again today, and meditate on how God wants a pure heart after his own heart.
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
- For the leaders of our nations – presidents, prime ministers and opposition leaders – to be touched by the power of the gospel
- For a global repentance and reconciliation with God, and for amity among all religious and peoples groups
- For God’s blessings upon the Central Banks, and all banks and financial institutions
PRAY FOR THE CHURCH
- For national churches to emerge as a strong voice in our nations
- For Christian men and women to be raised to strategic positions in our nation
- For strong city churches to be caring and supportive of pioneer villages and provincial churches
- For the church leaders to continue to grow nationally despite human limitations and obstacles
- For Christian leadership to mature and grow stronger despite emotional and physical pressures
PRAYER FOCUS
Spend some time in prayer today for pastors, missionaries and ministries in East Africa.
Posted on Jan 25, 2016 in General |
1 SAMUEL 13:13-14, 1 SAMUEL 15:28, PSALM 78:70-72
Tall, rich and handsome, Saul had both the stature and skill-set to be a good king. And yes, God wanted skills. But more than that, He wanted a pure heart – a heart after His own heart! Saul, at the height of his power, was tested and found wanting. Long before his regime fell, God went headhunting and heart-searching throughout Israel. And one day, in a lonely field by a sheep pen He found a rosy-cheeked shepherd boy, and dropped the kingdom in his heart. And David shepherded them [Israel] with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them (Psalm 78:72). A rare combination of character and competence! Abraham Lincoln once said: “Character is like a tree and reputation is like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing…Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test man’s character, give him power.”
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
- For the present leaders of our land to work toward national development
- For hidden religious and ethnic cleansing agendas in the minds of some politicians to be exposed and rejected by the masses
- For the rising level of unemployment and poverty to be halted
- For the promises made by the present government in their election manifesto to be granted to the people, thus easing frustration
- For politicians and political groups not to create a violent atmosphere in our nations
- For good Christians to be elected into government positions and governing bodies
PRAY FOR THE CHURCH
- For the body of Christ to heed the call to prayer and for nationwide intercessory prayer armies to emerge
- For the church to see its real purpose in society and reach out to the lost
- For believers to be built up by the preaching of sound doctrine
- For the level of faith in the hearts of national pastors and believers to increase and to take the nations
- For the church to be faithful to take the gospel to the marketplace
- For the family prayer alters to be renewed and reestablished
PRAYER FOCUS
Spend some time in prayer today for pastors, missionaries and ministries in West Africa.
Posted on Jan 25, 2016 in General |
1 SAMUEL 7:5-13, PSALM 99:6
Samuel embodies leadership regeneration. He was Israel’s last judge and first prophet. He facilitated the transition from theocracy to monarchy. He anointed Israel’s first two kings. Although not a Levite, after the Ichabod disaster, he filled the void of priestly leadership as Israel’s life-long intercessor. In contrast to 1 Samuel 4, where impure hands hustled the ark and empty shouts preceded defeat, the battle at Mizpah shows the power of pure and priestly prayer. Without hype or howl, Samuel simply stood in the gap in faithful intercession for the nation. And God Himself thundered from heaven, throwing the enemy into panic and routing them! Samuel interceded. God intervened! Throughout Samuel’s lifetime, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. With more priestly prayer and less human hype, we will hear more of God’s thunder and less of man’s hollering.
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
- For the spread of social diseases, such as HIV, to be stopped
- For the growing rate of divorce to be stopped
- For sexual immorality to cease
- For national unity on matters related to ethnic and religious harmony
- For leaders of our nation not to be manipulated by religious extremism
PRAY FOR THE CHURCH
- For the church to preach a pure doctrine and denounce liberal theology and syncretism
- For the church and its leaders to be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led and live godly lives
- For attacks on churches and pastors, which occur regularly in our nations, to be stopped
PRAYER FOCUS
Spend some time in prayer today for pastors, missionaries and ministries in Foursquare’s Francophone region.
Posted on Jan 25, 2016 in General |
1 SAMUEL 4:1-22
When shouldered rightly by faithful priests, the ark mediated God’s presence and power in any situation. Victory followed victory. Jordan parted, Jericho fell, and so on. So naturally, when disaster struck, Israel’s elders said: No problem, Just bring out the ark! (1 Samuel 4:3 paraphrase). But the presiding priests, Hophni and Phinehas, had dishonored the priesthood, mishandling both wealth and women (1 Samuel 2:22,29). They carried the ark to battle with unclean hands and impure hearts. Israel shouted as at Jericho, so loud it registered on the Richter scale! But Israel was defeated. The priesthood was wiped out. And God withdrew His glory from the nation – Ichabod. God is particular about who carried His anointing and how. He will not be our good luck charm. If we abuse His anointing, He withdraws His glory. Eventually.
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
- For arms dealers and drug dealers to be brought to justice and for addiction stopped
- For child prostitution rackets to stop and for pedophiles to be exposed and brought to justice
- For all places of ill repute to be closed down
- For all indiscriminate and drive-by shootings to be stopped
PRAY FOR THE CHURCH
- For every weapon formed against the church to be destroyed
- For the church to grow in power and great might
- For the Lord to raise up more men and women with a passion for outreach and discipleship in our churches
- For all legislation against the propagation of the gospel in our nations to be defeated
- For God’s protection on pastors and witnessing Christians during this season of intense persecution in our nations
PRAYER FOCUS
Spend some time in prayer today for pastors, missionaries and ministries in Foursquare’s MENACA region
Posted on Jan 25, 2016 in General |
1 SAMUEL 2:18-19, 1 SAMUEL 3:1 – 4:1
The Word of the Lord was in scarce supply. Perhaps He was speaking, but few were listening. Senior priest Eli could no longer hear. But, like a weaned child, junior-priest-in-training Samuel came to God with no agenda but to listen. A pure motive is a prerequisite for hearing God. Hearts palpitating with personal ambition simply do not listen. Or, even if they do, they may misinterpret what they hear, coloring it their own way. Another condition for hearing God is slowing down. In the still of the night, God spoke to Samuel. Most of us live at 100 miles an hour. God speaks at what might seem like 5 miles per hour. Listening is a discipline. That much Samuel learned from Eli. And when he did, God’s word came to all Israel. All of Samuel’s words came to pass. We have nothing to say until we have heard from God. “Therefore,” said Jesus, “consider carefully how you listen” (Luke 8:18).
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
- For all wars and conflicts to cease and for all nations to be cleansed from the curse of innocent bloodshed
- For the violence and unrest among the youth of our world to cease
- For justice and fair play in governance, judiciary and legislation across the nations
- For bribery and corruption in politics and government administration to be exposed and dealt with
- For the spirit of death and destruction that seems to be looming over our nations to be torn down
- For the salvation of our leaders and decision makers
- For the influence of the national guardian deities to be broken over our nations
- For the people living in darkness to have their spiritual eyes opened to see Jesus as their Savior
PRAY FOR THE CHURCH
- For the heads of all Christian denominations, organizations, and independent ministries to serve in godliness and work toward unity
- For the Lord to bless all our Foursquare national leaders and their respective national boards
- For the whole body of Christ around the world to join together in common witness and prayer so that those in darkness will see the love of God that unites us
PRAYER FOCUS
Spend some time in prayer today for pastors, missionaries, and ministries in Southern South America.
Posted on Jan 21, 2016 in General |
Read 1 Samuel 2:12-35 again today, and meditate on how God will have a faithful priesthood, unblemished by compromise and scandal.
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
- For the power of territorial spirits and demonic strongholds in the nations, cities and provinces to be destroyed by the power of God
- For the high suicide rates of our nations to wand and for the curse of suicide to be broken
- For a reduction in the huge gap between the rich and poor, which cause animosity and crimes against the wealthy
- For employers to stop taking advantage of poor employees by making them work more for less pay
- For drug lords to stop using children to sell their merchandise, thus exposing them to crime
PRAY FOR THE CHURCH
- For the unity of the body of Christ
- For the Lord to bless our local churches and their church-planting efforts
- For the global Foursquare family to return to its Pentecostal heritage
- For marriages to be healed and blessed
- For young people to be uncompromising in the choosing of their partners
PRAYER FOCUS
Spend some time in prayer today for pastors, missionaries, and ministries in Northern South America.
Posted on Jan 20, 2016 in General |
1 SAMUEL 2:12-35
Eli knew how to hear God’s voice. He even taught Samuel the art. But compromise and corruption had made him dull of hearing. He had to get heaven’s latest headlines through a third party. And this time it wasn’t good news. One scandal after another had tarnished the priesthood. Obedience was replaced by obesity, greed, embezzlement, immorality and nepotism. Finally God had had enough! He said, “I will raise up for myself a faithful priest…” (v. 35). A story was told of a shady CEO of a large banking firm. One day he put a bag in Simon’s hand. Simon took it home. On opening it, he found enough money to clear his house mortgage. Hush money? Sensing something fishy he and his wife invited the boss to a meal. In the fear of the Lord, they returned the money. “That’s funny,” said the boss, “You’re the first Christian to refuse it.” God will have a faithful priesthood, unblemished by compromise and scandal.
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
- For all nations to experience adequate rain and healthy harvests
- For the curse of witchcraft, historic blood shed, superstition and idol worship in our nations to be broken
- For the youth of the nations to move away from sensation seductions to true worship of the living God
PRAY FOR THE CHURCH
- For the pastors who are serving under extreme pressure, stress, fear and who are vulnerable to burn out to be refreshed and strengthened by the Holy Spirit
- For the church to be purified and empowered to witness for Jesus
- For every need of the pastors/believers in our churches to be met
- For the body of Christ to seek after the baptism of the Holy Spirit
- For each pastor and every congregation be be revived
PRAYER FOCUS
Spend some time in prayer today for pastors, missionaries and ministries in Central America.
Posted on Jan 19, 2016 in General |
1 SAMUEL 1:23-28, JAMES 4:2-3
Asking and receiving from God is one thing. But Hannah took her prayer one giant leap forward. Like Abraham she gave her “answer” back to God, and enriched the world! Too often we miss the point. We see answered prayer as God doing nice things for special people who somehow managed to pull strings above. But from Hannah (and the rest of Scripture), we learn that every answered prayer somehow contributes to God’s big picture mission. What God did for Hannah, He did for the whole world. There were earlier prophets. But through Samuel, the prophetic emerged as an abiding world – shaping movement (Acts 3:24). God may use us, like Hannah, to birth a great ministry. But beware the founder’s trap – the assumption that it belongs to us, and the tendency to cling to what we have started until it dies with us. Take a tip from the “mother of all prophets”: Give it back to the Lord.
PRAY FOR THE WORLD
- For the government to have wisdom to solve unemployment problems
- For trade union strikes to be prevented
- For gang activity, human and drug trafficking and money laundering to be stopped
- For abortions, euthanasia and murders to be stopped
- For the ecology of the nations to be blessed
- For true patriotism to emerge within our nations so that the poor and needy will be cared for
- For honorable men and women to emerge into political leadership
- For leaders at all levels of governance and corporate business to acknowledge God in their lives
PRAY FOR THE CHURCH
- For the body of Christ to be delivered of legalism, liberalism and syncretism
- For the birthing of a global prayer army within the church
- For the healing of marriages within the church
- For the pastors who serve in difficult conditions
- For pastors, evangelists, teachers, prophets and apostles to experience a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit
PRAYER FOCUS
Spend some time in prayer today for pastors, missionaries and ministries in Foursquare’s Caribbean region.