Praise God for the righteousness He grants us through Jesus Christ. Pray for us all to value Christ and our walk with Him above everything else. Ask Him to give us insight into how our life with Jesus informs, affects, and defines everything else in life. Pray for God’s help in resisting the temptations that come from all the other things that compete with Christ for our affections. Ask God to continue to grow our knowledge of Jesus. 

This week we are praying for M-POWER Ministries, a faith-based, non-profit organization providing services to individuals and families in need and addressing poverty through education and health services. We are also praying for Dawson Memorial Baptist Church and Pastor David Eldridge.

DAY 1: Pray for the students of M-POWER’s education center to experience the dignifying effect of the gospel at work in their lives. Pray for them to succeed in their GED studies and other certifications. Pray they would respond to the gospel.

Day 2: Pray for the patients of M-POWER’s health center to experience physical, emotional, and spiritual healing by God’s grace through the faithful service of believers. Pray they would experience healing and respond to the gospel.

Day 3: Pray for this ministry to continue to adequately serve as a means for the Church in Birmingham to fulfill Scripture’s call to love the poor. 

Day 3: Pray for the staff and volunteers to persevere in doing good. 

Day 5: Pray for God to use M-POWER to bring restoration to Avondale and greater Birmingham for His glory. 

Day 6: Pray for the work of service to flow out of a spirit of humility for the good of the staff, the volunteers, and the people they serve. 

Today, November 4, is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. This week we want to pray with our brothers and sisters who are suffering around the world because of their faith in Christ. Persecution is a negative reaction by government, ideologies, society and family to the presence of Christ. Persecution often takes place in many forms, but its purpose is to silence witness. Believers in persecution remind us, though, that persecution in the Bible is normal. Suffering for Christ is as common as the “sun coming up in the east.” But as the body of Christ, when one part hurts, the whole body hurts. So let us submit ourselves to pray this week for believers who are suffering. Let us pray that, even in the midst of threats, danger, and even death that they would proclaim the Word of God even when it costs. 

DAY 1: Mature believers in persecution often say, “Don’t pray for our persecution to end. Pray that we will be obedient in our suffering.” Pray then for the persecuted church to be obedient and to remain steadfast in the reality of persecution. 

DAY 2: North Korea is ranked the most oppressive place in the world for Christians. Pray for believers who are in labor camps because of their faith. Pray for God to sustain them, to provide strength for them, and to help them remain steadfast in their faith. 

Day 3: Somalia has been on the World Watch List since 1993 as one of the worst countries for Christians. Christians barely survive on the outskirts of society and face significant persecution. Martyrdom is very common. Pray for God to sustain Somali believers and make bold the church in sharing the gospel. Pray for hearts of Somalis to be opened to the truth of the gospel and for many to know Christ. 

Day 3: India, the world’s largest democracy, is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His leadership pushes for a pure Hindu state. As a result, a radical Hinduism has steadily increased and caused significant persecution for Christians who will not convert to Hinduism. Pray for Modi to be saved by Christ. Pray for Indian Christians to remain steadfast in the face of opposition. Pray for the church to continue to spread rapidly in spite of the government’s religious oppression.

Day 5: Iran has long been closed to Christianity, and persecution has been a way of life for any Iranian believer. Yet, Iranian believers have not given up hope, and God is growing His church. Iran may be a closed country, but the hearts of her people are open. Pray God will continue to move and build His church in this country. 

Day 6: Pray for a great spiritual harvest in the places where our persecuted brothers and sisters live. Pray for God to continue to use the persecuted church to spread His kingdom. Pray we, who have freedom of religion, would not silence our own witness, but would be bold to proclaim Christ.