When Ramadan begins tomorrow (Wednesday August 11) many Christians will be praying for Muslims to find Christ.

It is becoming more and more common in the last several years to hear about Muslims seeing visions and dreams of Jesus and converting to Christianity during the 30 days of Ramadan.

Also it is a great time to remember Christians living under persecution in Muslim dominated countries. During Ramadan the Christians are subjected to even more pressure and persecution than at any other time during the year.

In fact Open Doors Ministries has developed the

30-day Ramadan Prayer Calendar.

Each day is specific to a country on the organization’s World Watch List—a ranking of 50 countries where the persecution of Christians is most severe.

Also, millions of Christians from around the world will be supporting a prayer campaign initially launched by YWAM:

30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World

Check out these sites and participate. You may not be able to go to the Middle East as a missionary but your prayers can get there and make a real difference.

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2. Dueling Prayers: Changing the Spiritual Climate of America

(Image by Lel4nd (busy) via Flickr)

Historically in America we are in a transition time politically and economically when ‘business as usual’ no longer works. Anyone who tells you they know where this is going to end up is just wrong or prophetic.

I know I’m not the only one that has been going though some difficult times economically in my business and in our family. Church and ministry leaders are finding it far more difficult to fund their ministries in 2009 than in previous years. So many in the Christian community are suffering along with everyone else in this economy.

The church that I’m part of has had to find ways to cut expenditures without downsizing valuable ministries. The economy in wealthy Orange Co. Southern California has taken a heavy hit and nearly every family is being affected in one way or another which affects giving.

In the midst of this downturn one program in the church has grown exponentially—our food and thrift warehouse. The Lord has sent capable people our way to administer our food bank. It really is a miracle when you consider that a couple of years ago it was just an empty warehouse but our pastor had a vision that one day we would be supplying food to 1000’s in need. Didn’t really seem possible or even needed 2 or 3 years ago but now we are sending entire containers full of cloths to Africa and Southeast Asia and we are feeding 1000’s of needy folks even many in our own congregation that are going through some tough times.

We are now handing out roughly $100,000 worth of food every month—there are some real miracles happening when it comes to the exponential increase in our suppliers. Not only that—it has become a real ministry outreach and an opportunity to provides for folks on many different levels including healing.

One of the major backbones of the church is our prayer ministry program—HOPE ‘House of Prayer for Everyone’—on Wednesday morning we have a Marketplace prayer group that meets and prays over the businesses of church members, over the sales of the sales folk in the congregation, and we pray for jobs for those out of work. It is a practical time where many have received prophetic insight and direction from the Lord on how to carry on in these hard economic times. Lately we have seen lots of ‘break throughs’ in business where we seem to be going one way while the economy is going another. Not only that but new innovative businesses are being launched with incredible potential.

For years, all of us Christians have carried on our everyday business like everyone else in the country and that has been good enough in this wealthy land—now like everyone else the Christian community has been going through some tough times. It is no longer ‘business as usual’ and I submit to you that it never will be again. I repeat—It never will be quite so easy for us in the future as it has been in the last 60 some years.

It is time for Christians to be involved in God’s Kingdom Economy. One way to do that is sponsor ‘Marketplace Prayer’ groups in every church and allow the Lord to reach out in a new ways and bless us with his inspiration corporately and support one another in our everyday businesses and occupations. Let Him expand our horizons and business visions in Jesus name, Amen.

Here’s a good article I just read on this: Take Possession of Your Land!              *Top

As a stay-at-home mom, Rose’s world was very small. In fact, some days she wondered if her children would ever grow up, or would she forever be “Mommy”? Then Jesus reached way down for her; He came to her world, and she was never the same. She began a new walk, and prayer became a normal part of her day.

Every day is an adventure in the Spirit, and God will expand your vision of the world. On that day many years ago, Rose began a new adventure in prayer. Her three older children were in school, and the baby was asleep. As was her custom she went into her bedroom where she knelt to pray. The sun shining through the window welcomed her, and she was transported into the Sonlight of God’s love. Kneeling there, enjoying the warmth and the presence of her Lord, she became aware of other people. God opened her eyes, and she saw a parade of people dressed in native costumes walking before her. Overwhelmed, she asked, “Lord, what does this mean?”

God expanded her vision beyond the four walls of her home. That day she caught a glimpse of the heart of God and praised Him for including her in His plan for man. God loves the whole world. Jesus died that men and women of every nation and tribe might be free. Walking in the love of God became her great quest, her aim in life.

God will enlarge our capacity to love that we might understand His heart and see as He sees. He has involved His church in His plan. Our prayers prepare the way for His will to be done on earth even as it is in heaven. Let us be about our Father’s business.

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Related Posts?:

1. Kingdom Economy: Not business as Usual
2. -Kingdom Culture: God Promises Peace of Mind and Joy in Your Life

Here is how it works. Blue cards and small pencils are placed on the seats in the main worship room before every major service. On the cards are different boxes that can be checked. If you want to be on the VCC mailng list you can add you name, address, and phone number in the appropriate slots. There are several boxes to be checked for: more information on specific church ministries, personal contact, to make a commitment to Christ, or to request baptism. Then at the bottom of the long card (3 3/4″ x 8 1/2″) is the prayer section entitled:

“Prayer Request or Praise Report:”

with check boxes for __Confidential, __For Prayer Team, __Praise Report;

followed by 15 lines to write the request or praise report on.

There are lock boxes to drop the cards in at every exit from the sanctuary. Pastoral staff handles the cards and sends the prayer requests on to a prayer team of intercessors who pray over them each week.

Once a month or so, our pastor will comment on a praise report or have someone in the congregation come forward and give their testimony. The ‘Blue Card’ ministry has become legendary among the members of our church. Personally I have put in several confidential requests for prayer for one or more of my grown children and have seen wonderful results. The best part, it has increased the faith of our people tremendously.

Here are links to just a few of the ‘Blue Card’ praise reports that folks sent in:

Blue Card Testimonies- October

September Blue Card Praise Reports

August Blue Card Testimonies

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1. Kingdom Economy: Not business as Usual