This month the prayers are for marriages where either the husband, wife are working or involved in the area of religion or philosophy.
Religion is composed of a set of morals, rules. Religions generally have a set of dogmatic beliefs and practices that are designed to help a person achieve a spiritual goal. A religion is about believing and doing the right thing in order to be ‘right’ with the spiritual universe. Christianity is a relationship with Jesus Christ, a faith in Almighty God. The Son of God commanded Christians to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Mat 22:37-40)
Philosophy is a critic of belief and belief systems devoted to wisdom which acts as a guiding principle for behaviour. Philosophy is man’s explanations for our existence.
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.” (1Cor 3:19 KJV). “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” (Romans 1:20 KJV)
- Pray that all Christians would not only live out their faith in the midst of the world, being that salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16), but that they are all effectively discipled in order that each believer knows how The Lord Jesus has commanded them to live out their relationship with Almighty God and their neighbour (i.e. everyone). There has never been a more urgent time to share the gospel message. Many in Australia have suffered because of drought, fires, floods and job insecurity, and are searching - please pray that they would meet with the God of Hope and thank God for those who have. Pray that they would be effectively discipled.
"The carnal person fears man, not God. The strong Christian fears God, not man. The weak Christian fears man too much, and God too little." (Rev. John Flavel) - Please pray for those who have been led astray into the worship of false gods, and have yet to meet with the true God of the universe.
- Thank God for the many hearts opened to the gospel message. Thank God for the ease with which the gospel message is reaching across the nation through the use of social media and Christian radio stations.
- Please pray that all churches would be urgently stirred to provide an effective ministry to married and soon to be married couples; teaching them the Word of the God on married life. Families, with/without children should be viewed by themselves and the church as centres of evangelism into a hurting world. Please pray that churches would seek to have an effective ministry of reconciliation for all people.
- Please pray that the youth would also be taught the importance of purity and the importance of marriage in society and how God views co-habitation (God designed human marriage to be a visual illustration of his relationship with his people & the Bible's view of fornicators - Revelation 21:8.
- Thank God that the government is seeking ways in which to address the blot of domestic abuse on our nation. Please pray for wisdom for all involved. Pray for those that have found themselves in an abusive relationship verbal or physical, pray that they would be enabled to seek and find the needed help, especially those who are in a relationship bound by a religion. Pray for healing. Pray for the law court system that deals with domestic abuse - especially the granting of bail to potential offenders.
- God created 'marriage'. Please pray for those who are in a traditional marriage, especially Christians - that their marriage is based on a covenant 'as long as they both live', that they serve one another cheerfully and that they sacrificially choose to love one another always, and refuse to take offense. Christian marriages should reflect the gospel, being submitted to The Lord Jesus.
- Please pray that society recognizes the value of marriage and that other forms of relationship between couples have yet to demonstrate that they are as beneficial as marriage. 'Marriage is a powerful creator and sustainer of human and social capital for adults as well as children, about as important as education when it comes to promoting the health, wealth, and well-being of adults and communities.' (article in the magazine "Why Marriage Is Good For You")
- Pray that those who endorse assisted suicide/'mercy killing' or endorse abortion remember that they were also 'born'. Pray that all people are valued Ps 100:3. Pray that those considering ending a person's life either in womb or out of it, would receive godly council and turn from this. (Ps 100:3) Pray also for compassion and healing for those who have taken this step.(Romans 3:23)
- 'Children are a blessing from the Lord'(Ps127:3) conceived by a man and a woman - their mother and father. Pray that the move to remove the terms 'mum' and 'dad' , boy and girls and other such terms from accepted use by society fails, and that parents of children would boldly declare their right to teach their children the Word of the Lord and His values. Pray for those who seek to falsify the birth certificate so that the certificate no longer shows both the natural birth parents. Cry out for justice - that more voices would be raised and heard that stand by Godly truth and that the 'Cass Report' from out of the UK into sexual identity is adopted by Australia - nothing is too difficult for our God!
- Pray that there be no 'religious spirit' attached to Christians - including married couples and that all would serve the Lord with joy. That all would be humble and respectful.(Phil 2:3)
- In NSW there are 'ethics' classes (SEE) as an alternative to SRE. Pray that SRE remains available in schools. Children are taught to 'think, reason and discuss'. The website 'primaryethics.com.au' states: 'Students are encouraged and supported to make their own judgments about whether something is right or wrong, good or bad and to explain why, using evidence and reason. All Primary Ethics classes are based on this approach as distinct from blind appeal to authority or moral relativist approaches.' Please pray that children would be led to form opinions based on biblical truths. Pray for those leading these classes - for God's will to be done through them and that God would compel them to speak the Words of God, even if they have no intention of doing so.
- Pray for churches to work together to ensure that all schools have a SRE teacher who loves God. Pray that the material used in SRE would clearly lead students to know and understand biblical ethics. Thank God for SRE and those who teach it.
- Pray for all married couples that, with the Lord's help, they may teach each other, and any children, the truth that is the Word of God, and that family members are brought up in the knowledge and fear of the Lord. Please pray that all would diligently seek the truth of the Word of God as it was written in the original text. Thank God for those who do. Pray for those believers in Christ whose spouse has yet to meet/submit to Christ as their Lord and saviour.
- Thank God for the gift of religious liberty we had in the past and those who upheld it. Pray that laws are never enacted to remove God and His Word from the public arena. Pray that all people would be able to practise true freedom of conscience.
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."
(Philippians 4:6 (KJV))
