Dear Intercessors of the Southwest Region,
Our theme this month is “Repentance.” A familiar passage is 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” This is a call specifically to followers of Christ, you and I, not the unbelieving, to humble ourselves. With a spirit of submission we pray to see our Lord God’s face. This is an opportunity to determine who has authority over our life. If we see and hear “You must be holy because I am holy” 1 Peter 1:16, we are compelled to “turn from our wicked ways.” Then when we repent, He hears us and authority is transferred back unto Him, where He exchanges sin and guilt with forgiveness and healing.
Thanksgiving:
• Thankful for all the volunteers who have participated in CityServe throughout Brooklyn last month, revitalizing the Bedford Stuyvesant Salvation Army, Betsy Head Park in Brownsville, and the Brownsville Salvation Army afterschool rec center.
• Thankful for the partnership with Convoy of Hope in organizing Hope Day community events.
• Thankful for the opportunity Luis had to speak at the Christian Cultural Center, pastored by AR Bernard, co-chair of NYCityFest, Sunday, 4/19. It is the largest church in NYC, with 37,000 registered members.
• Thankful for the clusters of churches across Brooklyn neighborhoods meeting regularly to pray and unite corporately to be the Church, serving their communities under the Lordship of Christ.
Requests:
• Pray for God’s favor as park permits to hold regional festivals are sought. Ask for humility, patience, and open doors. Pray that God’s wall of protection be erected for safety within and surrounding each park prior, during and after each event.
• As final details of the publicity materials are completed, ask that they be produced without flaw and are ready for distribution on time (in approximately 1.5 weeks) for the local launches.
• Continue to pray for Randy Burtis, Brooklyn’s regional director, those working under him and all the other Palau team members working tirelessly with so many events scheduled over the next three months. Protect them and their families. May nothing come between Your heart and theirs. May the life giving fragrance of Christ be evident in all their endeavors and the enemy deemed impotent in the coming days.
• Pray specifically for the continued and complete healing of Randy’s eye.
• Pray for the five neighborhood partnerships formed to organize and share the gospel at each Brooklyn CityFest event. Ask for momentum and excitement to increase.
1. Canarsie, comprised mainly of Haitian pastors
2. Sunset Park with Chinese pastors
3. Sunset Park with a diverse group of churches
4. Bushwick, centered around a neighborhood kids 3 on 3 basketball tournament.
5. Red Hook will include a major food distribution plan with their event. Pray for the leading of the Spirit to guide and fulfill its plans and purposes for the following Brooklyn CityServe events:
o Bedstuy churches are mounting initiatives to partner with schools.
o Brownsville churches are praying about the best way to reach at-risk young people.
o East Flatbush churches are planning an extensive program of combating gun violence and have already started ministering to the families of victims.
o Canarsie pastors are focusing on immigration issues and will host seminars to help undocumented people navigate the complex immigration system.
• Pray that language would not be a barrier within Brooklyn. Just as it was on the day of Pentecost, people came to belief and were baptized when they heard about the wonderful things God had done in their own language.
There is much to pray in preparation for the events, but we must not lose sight of the CityFest purpose: to proclaim the Good News so that no one will perish. Please send me names of those you are specifically praying for in the Tri-State region that needs to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. In the next prayer update I will include all the names submitted so we may begin praying for each person specifically. I look forward to hearing from you at luebke6@gmail.com.
What a privilege we have to be a part of preparing the way for the Lord through prayer. Isaiah 40:3-5 says, “Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, ‘Clear the way through the wilderness for the lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The lord has spoken!’”
Amen!
Connie Luebke
luebke6@gmail.com
Southwest Region
National Women’s Prayer Team