I debated since the beginning of 2018 how I might spend and prepare for the next preliminary time before Holy Week and Resurrection SONday, commonly known by many as 'Lent' (a 40 day time not including Sundays, set aside for introspection, repentance, and fasting observed by the Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and some other groups - however, lately it's been shown to also have pagan origins). Overlooking this, I see the connection of 40 days of Jesus in the wilderness as a form of preparation for His ministry, enough reason for me to choose to set aside the weeks preceding the Resurrection Celebration of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and prepare my own heart and reflect with a set focus on Jesus and His sacrifice that redeems me from a life separated from God, when He chose to come to earth to pay the price for my sin (and yours - every one of us, whether we acknowledge Him or not).
With all that said ... I have spent quite some time looking and choosing what I would do during my time set aside. So many choices have been made available and I have been drawn to "praying" ... so originally, quite some time ago, I signed up for "Draw the Circle - 40 Day Prayer Challenge", which starts Weds., followed by another "praying" one that came to my attention right after that ... "Praying the Promises of the Cross" - I stopped all my YouVersion reading plans since the beginning of Feb. in order to specifically decide my 40 day time (and more, since I began before today - Ash Wednesday, known as the beginning of Lent).
In the beginning of 2018, I also chose a One Year devotional "Praying the Promises of God" and a "Prayer Journey Bible" so as you can see God has been directing my steps and putting this time altogether to truly spend the next 6 weeks in "prayer". As I peeked ahead into these books and direction, I noticed that the 40 day prayer challenge claims right at the top that this is going to change my life ... and my hope is that the change in me will help change the lives of the "prodigals" and others around my life that iBelieve that 2018 is their year to come to the knowledge and saving grace of salvation in Jesus Christ. I began "to pray about what to pray about" as suggested in the intro and my heart/tears flooded with the "prodigals and the lost". My heart was broken before our LORD as I knew this was it. Although on a different blog, I had declared 2012 my year for "praying for prodigals" and followed another book for 13 weeks of prayer with 3 other sisters in Christ and of the heart, I strongly felt that I need to press in once again and focus on these dear loved ones and not just pray for prodigals or pray God's promises, but I will be ...
PRAYING
PROMISES
4
PRODIGALS
for
40 DAYS+
(maybe it will continue all year until there is breakthrough)
but
I
BELIEVE
2018
is the year!!!
so
I
will
PRAY
as I Draw the Circle
around me
first
and then
around
PRODIGALS
in my heart and mind daily
BELIEVING
GOD'S PROMISES
with
2 Corinthians 1:20
with a
LOVE that REMAINS
"I BELIEVE prayer is the difference between the best you can do and the best God can do. It's the difference between letting things happen and making things happen. It's the difference between you fighting for God and God fighting for you." ...
ReplyDelete"Over the next 40 days, we're going to pray like it depends on God and work like it depends on us. And I BELIEVE that God is going to show off His power, His grace, His goodness." ... Mark Batterson, Draw the Circle, Session 1 "Drawing the Circle"
Session One
DeleteDay 1: Get Ready
Day 2: Established by God
Day 3: Amazing Things
Day 4: Don’t Pray Away
Day 5: Write It Down
Day 6: Shameless Audacity
Day 7: Put on Waders
Day 8: One God-Idea
Day 9: Dream Factory
Day 10: Crazy Faith
Day 11: First-Class Noticer
Day 12: Sow a Seed
Day 13: One Day
Day 14: Speak to the Mountain
Day 15: Contend for Me
Day 16: Lord, Surprise Me
Day 17: Do Not Delay
Day 18: Keep Circling
Day 19: Memorial Offerings
Day 20: Go. Set. Ready
Day 21: Set Your Foot
Day 22: Prayer Fleece
Day 23: Not Now
Day 24: Find Your Voice
Day 25: A Prophetic Voice
Day 26: Game with Minutes
Day 27: Double Circle
Day 28: Quit Praying
Day 29: A New Prayer
Day 30: Abide in Me
Day 31: Spell It Out
Day 32: Get a Testimony
Day 33: Prayer Covering
Day 34: Raise Up a Remnant
Day 35: The Longest Lever
Day 36: Senior Partner
Day 37: Prayer Contracts
Day 38: Climb the Watchtower
Day 39: Holy Ground
Day 40: Prayer Alphabet
Batterson, Mark. Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge
LOVE those powerful quotes!
DeleteThe day we lose our burden for our prodigals and the lost is the day we lose everything...drawing a prayer circle with you and believing and claiming victory that each one will open their eyes and hearts to see the truth....
ReplyDeleteAmen 🙏 and hallelujah!
Delete