__________
NATIONAL  
PASTORS'  
PRAYER  
NETWORK
   
PRAYER STRATEGIES & INITIATIVES  - 12/11/2001
   ...Finding New Ways To Connect In Prayer


*C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S*
 *S*H*O*P*P*I*N*G*


__GIFT YOUR CHURCH
   National Association of Local Church Prayer Leaders
   Call 719-268-8213
   Give the Discount Code: "NPPN"
   Receive a 20% discount
   (You pay $60 rather than $75)  (You support NPPN with your purchase)


__GIFT YOUR PASTOR
   They Call Me Pastor - How to Love the Ones You Lead
   H. B. London and Neil Wiseman
   $ 12.99 / 288pages
   Call 800-4-GOSPEL,  identify NPPN code, receive 20% discount

   Clergy Tax 2002
   J. David Epstein   $15.99
   The Only Tax Preparation Manual Developed for Clergy
       in Cooperation with IRS Tax Officials
   Call 800-4-GOSPEL,  identify NPPN code, receive 20% discount


__GIFT YOUR PRAYER MINISTRY LEADER
   The Power of Extraordinary Prayer
   Robert Bakke
   Call 800-745-2202 ext 461 (Natalee)  identify "NPPN for  a 20% discount


__GIFT AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN PASTOR / PRAYER LEADER
   
It1s Prayer Time
   Prayer and Spiritual Warfare from the African-American Perspective
   Mark Pollard, General Editor        -    $12.99 / 184 pages
   Call 800-4-GOSPEL,  identify NPPN code, receive 20% discount


__GIFT YOUR INTERCESSORS
   
Beyond The Veil - Entering Into Intimacy with God Through Prayer
   Alice Smith    -    $12.99
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__GIFT YOUR PASTORS' PRAYER GROUP
   
City-Wide Prayer Movements - One Church, Many Congregations
   Tom White
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   Call 541-754-1345
   or send a check to Frontline, PO Box 786, Corvallis OR 97339
   or send an emessage to: tomwhite07@compuserve.com
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__GIFT YOUR PASTOR'S WIFE
   Heart to Heart with Pastors' Wives
   What's  it really like to be married to a man in ministry?
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__GIFT THE NPPN

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   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
   I N   T H I S   U P D A T E        ...and for our prayers:

    1.   PASTOR PHIL'S PRAYER LETTER
    2.   ON WATCH IN WASHINGTON, DC
    3.   FRESH PRAYER: FROM PSALM 34, "FOR THOSE WHO FEAR"
    4.   MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR A 2002 CONFERENCE
    5.   CALL A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY
    6.   CORPORATE HINDRANCES TO REVIVAL
    7.   http://www.urgentappeal.net
    8.   NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER CHANGES THEME FOR 2002
    9.   http://www.prayer-warriors.org/
   10. UNCOMMON PRAYER MEETINGS
            ~ GOD BLESS AMERICA
   11.  INTER-FAITH RAYER SERVICES?
   12.  FORGIVENESS AND THE FUTURE OF YOUR CITY
   13.  SOUTH KOREAN STUDY LINKS PRAYER WITH PREGNANCY
   14.  PRAYER POINTS FOR THE PRESIDENT
    *     HOW ABOUT YOU...YOUR PPG...YOUR CITY...
   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1. PASTOR PHIL'S PRAYER LETTER

(This is the most recent personal update Carol and I sent to our supporters and friends)

Prayer INC.   Connecting People To God ... Through Corporate Prayer
Ouch . . . Our last update to you was written just before Labor Day!
Please forgive us (OK, forgive ME, Phil) for taking so long to reconnect!

Our new adventure, which began July 1st, has been in high gear since day one.  God has blessed me with more than a full schedule.  Your support by way of encouragement, prayer, financial gifts, has enabled me to:
   *Lead a retreat for a 2nd generation Korean Church
   *Teach at the House of Prayer in Elgin, IL
   *Attend the City-Wide Prayer Leaders Consultation in Dallas, TX
   *Cover registration costs for several young, emerging ministry leaders
   *Lead over 250 at the Zion, IL Labor Day Mayor's Prayer Breakfast
   *Consult for a city-wide prayer alliance
   *Participate on several national strategic planning conference calls
   *Preach on and lead corporate prayer for churches in IL, MO, SC
   *Teach Prayer Workshops in IL, SC, TX
   *Form a strategic partnership with Promise Keepers and the National
    Men's Ministry Coalition toward mobilizing more men in prayer
   *Begin serving as a National Facilitator for Cities/Communities with the
    Mission America Coalition (80+ denominations & 300 national ministries)
   *Lead the One Great City Conference (a beautiful diversity of 275 of
    Chicago's pastors & leaders who pray for a city-wide Christ awakening)
   *Serve on planning teams for Pray Chicago (www.praychicago.net)
    City Impact Roundtable ( www.cityreaching.com ), Chicago Prayer Summit,
    Chicago Metro Baptist Association and the "NPPN" ( www.nppn.org )

And the Lord continues to open doors for ministry:
   .I've been asked to lead the follow-up to the One Great City roundtable by bringing pastors and leaders from across Chicagoland together for prayer and partnership (this could become the first city-wide network     for congregations and ministries to find each other and work together in serving Christ throughout Chicagoland)
   .My part-time consultant role with the IL Baptist State Association is providing opportunities throughout Illinois to preach, teach, and lead corporate prayer
   .A Prayer Journey to Mexico City to prayerwalk and train local pastors in the  biblical principles of corporate prayer
   .I've been asked to write an appendix for an upcoming book on prayer...

If you remember our vision for this new ministry...

   Connecting people to God through corporate prayer
       .In Churches        .Among Pastors
           .Throughout Cities    .Across Nations

...You'll realize God is affording us opportunities in each of these areas!

So, we had to write you and share this good news ... so that ... your faith will be increased .. so that ... your prayers will not cease.  The abundant blessings we seek require abundant faith to fuel abundant prayers.  It is
good to know so many of you join us in that hard but good work.

We will see Jorie and Tim (daughter and son-in-law who live in So CA) in both early December (Carol joins me on a trip that takes me to San Diego) and late December (they return "home" for Christmas.  And we are soaking up as much of Jennie and JJ (daughter and son-in-law who live just across the courtyard) as we can - they'll spend June, 2002 through May of 2003 in Zambia, Africa.

May we say "Thank you!" for your faithful, and patient, support?  It is taking me longer than I thought it would to develop efficient communication to those who are interested in or finance our ministry.  We are looking, and praying, for a way for Carol and me to tackle many of these tasks together.

May we ask for your help?
   -Praise to God for His abundant blessings!
   -Ask the Lord to transform those who receive ministry through us
   -Encourage others to subscribe@nppn.org {email a sample to e-friends}
   -Invite us to share the Prayer INC vision to a living room full of your friends (we must raise about 2/3 of the budget; speaking covers 1/3)
   -Introduce us to a foundation (two one-time grants covered us so far)

And, may we pray you the blessings of all that is yours because of the first Christmas,


Phil & Carol Miglioratti  €  1130 Randville Drive  €  Palatine, IL 60074  €  847-991-0153   €   phil@nppn.org
___________________________________________>>>

2.  ON WATCH IN WASHINGTON, DC
>From: USAPRAY@aol.com

RESOLUTION TO OBSERVE A "NATIONAL DAY OF RECONCILIATION" PASSES U.S. SENATE
   Rep. Tom Delay (R-TX) and colleagues in the House introduced Concurrent Resolution, HCR 184, on July 10, 2001.  It passed the House by voice vote and was sent to the Senate Rules Committee.  While opposed by secularists and controversial in some Christian circles, much prayer, fasting and persuasion has been occurring behind the scenes and S. Con. Res. 15 was passed in the U.S. Senate last night.  The goal is to reconcile and unify our leaders within the concept that America is "One Nation Under God." The wording is quite simple, and is as follows: "Concurrent Resolution - Providing for a National Day of Reconciliation.  Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That on a day of reconciliation selected jointly by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate, and with the Chaplain of the House of Representatives and the Chaplain of the Senate in attendance -- (1) the two Houses of the Congress shall assemble in the Hall of the House of Representatives; and (2) during this assemblyy, the Members of the two Houses may gather to humbly seek the blessings of Providence for forgiveness, reconciliation, unity, and charity for all people of the United States, thereby assisting the Nation to realize its potential as the champion of hope, the vindicator of the defenseless, and the guardian of freedom."

PRESIDENTIAL PRAYER TEAM NOW NUMBERS 600,000
   Begun in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, coordinators are working to enlist 1 percent of the U.S. population, or some 2.8 million, who will commit to remember the U.S. President in prayer on a daily basis, especially in this time of international crisis.  Offer thanksgiving as some 600,000 individuals have now signed up.  The Presidential Prayer Team is established as a non-profit organization and is funded by a private non-partisan foundation.  There is no fee for membership. Anyone interested in joining may call 1-800-295-1235 or sign up at www.presidentialprayerteam.org 

SALVATION ARMY REVERSES REGIONAL POLICY AND NIXES DOMESTIC PARTNER BENEFITS
   In a major turnaround, the Alexandria, VA national office of the Salvation Army rescinded a policy begun by the Army's 13-state Western territory to begin offering benefits to the unmarried domestic partners of employees.  Recognizing that they probably lose some historical funding sources, the national leaders' issued a statement declaring, "We will not sign any government contract or any other funding contracts that contain domestic partner benefit requirements."  "We prayerfully accept the challenge and [to] continue our ministry [in a way] that will not compromise any of our principles."  IFA joins with Focus on the Family and other ministries in encouraging believers to "throw a little more money in the Salvation Army kettles this season."

COLUMBINE PARENTS FINALLY ALLOWED TO HONOR THEIR SLAIN CHILDREN
   Almost two and one-half years after the tragic events of April 20, 1999, U.S. District Court Judge Wiley Daniel has ruled that the Columbine High School officials' ban on 80 small memorial tiles, deemed "inappropriate" because they contained scripture or religious symbols, to be an unconstitutional violation of the families First Amendment freedom of expression.  He ordered the tiles posted at the school within 20 days.  Amazingly, the school district's attorney said he would recommend an appeal!

To sign-up for this alert, contact usapray@aol.com, call 1-800-USA-PRAY, or via Web site http://www.ifa-usapray.org
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3.  FRESH PRAYER: FROM PSALM 34, "FOR THOSE WHO FEAR"
>From: FreshPrayer Notification <webmaster@waymakers.org>

God is a rescuer. He delights in rescuing us from fears that so often arise in difficult situations. Sadly, while God is the only real security we have, many have a fear of God that is based on false perceptions. Some are entangled in feelings of guilt and shame.

FreshPrayer will help you pray for God to meet and save those whose fears are paralyzing them and crippling their relationship with God.

FreshPrayer comes with a leader's guide to help you facilitate a small group prayer session, or a meeting of your "Lighthouse" prayer gathering.

FreshPrayer is free. All you need is the program Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is also free to download without hassle anytime.

Go to http://www.waymakers.org and click on the "FreshPrayer" section to download this issue.

yours for Christ's greater glory, Steve Hawthorne
___________________________________________>>>

4.  MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR A 2002 CONFERENCE
>From: "The Lighthouse Movement"

Five Pillars of Prayer: Establishing Your Church as a House of Prayer
February 8-9, 2002, Fielder Road Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas

The Conference is co-sponsored by Arlington PrayerNet (a local prayer ministry network) and the National Association of Local Church Prayer Leaders (NALCPL). The goal of the prayer conference is to:
-    Help pastors and local church prayer leaders understand their role in the development and growth of church prayer ministry
-    Demonstrate major elements of a comprehensive church prayer ministry
-    Equip pastors and leaders to implement a strategic plan to involve the congregation in life-giving prayer that reaches beyond church doors

If you are in the Arlington, TX area, consider attending this conference.  For more information about thd speakers and for registration information, please go to  www.reacharlington.org, email praynet@airmail.net or call 817-274-5111.
___________________________________________>>>

5.  CALL A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY
>From:  <RiverofLifeMailer@InChristsImage.org>

As the war against terror attains certain breakthroughs, we should not interpret these incremental successes as a signal to relax. In many ways, the battle has actually escalated.

Throughout the Bible, in times of crisis or when the Lord's help was uniquely needed, God's people consecrated themselves and sought divine help. To "consecrate" meant to "clean one's heart of sin, to prepare or rededicate oneself to God and His purpose." One who was consecrated was declared "set apart" or acknowledged as "holy unto the Lord." Perhaps the most poignant picture is presented by Joshua as he speaks to Israel on the plains of Jericho.

"Consecrate yourselves," he proclaimed, "for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you" (Josh 3:5).

These two actions -- consecration and the promise of divine help -- represent the one proven strategy offered by God in the Bible. If we expect miracles, where the world will acknowledge God's mercy, then as God's people we must humble ourselves and purify our hearts. Consecration is the prelude to power.

Yet, you ask, "Haven't we been in a state of consecration?" Clearly since September 11 the church has been drawing closer to God. Today, multitudes of Christians both in America and around the world are engaged in more prayer and fasting than ever. This is an important step. However, in recent weeks the Lord has also been vividly exposing the church's tolerance of immorality.

Do we need a renewed sense that we are a people holy unto the Lord? Absolutely. As Americans, we see ourselves as "good guys" in international affairs. However, to other nations, especially in the Islamic word, our flaws are glaring. Yes, we are generous, but we also export vast amounts of immorality into foreign nations as well. In the composite of America, the world sees a people whose freedoms have led to moral corruption.

Consider: Muslim women are often covered from head to toe, while Western women often expose as much flesh as they can. Our entertainment industry exploits the flesh. Even commercials that have nothing to do with sexuality, use sensuality to sell their products.

I am very concerned about the church. Almost every week I hear of another  minister or congregation dealing with problems of immorality. We pray, "lead me not into temptation," then watch entertainment in which the primary theme is temptation. If Jesus were to speak to the church in America, He might well use the same words He spoke to the church in Thyatira:
   "I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols" (Rev 2: 19-20).

These Thyatirans had many virtues, however they had one glaring flaw: they tolerated the spirit of Jezebel. They learned to live with compromise concerning immorality. This was a very serious situation in which the outcome was more expansive than the immediate consequences of loose morals. The goal of the Jezebel spirit is to use immorality to neutralize spiritual authority. Just as Jezebel ruled King Ahab, so when the spirit of Jezebel secures the thought life of a Christian, it rules that person, binding them in condemnation, false pursuits and religious hypocrisy.

Consider also: Jesus says the reward for overcoming Jezebel is "authority over the nations" (Rev 2:26). Jezebel fights to neutralize authority because Jesus desires to give us authority that literally touches nations. Yet, we will never have authority over the nations if we don't possess authority over our own souls.  Authority over others comes only when God has authority over us.  Indeed, what we call "spiritual authority" is simply the manifestation of God's power flowing through consecrated human vessels.

With our enemies already in the gates of our cities, we urgently need the Lord's help. Therefore, let us examine areas of sexual tolerance...  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal where you have been flirtatious and with whom...  We need to set and keep standards concerning movies, television and the Internet. Indeed, what entertains us, enters and remains. We have been enjoying conditions we should be distressed about.

Let's also be realistic. We did not stop being human when we became Christians. We still eat and drink; we continue to need sleep. All the biological functions of life continued, only as Christians Jesus Christ is our master, not sin. However, because we never discuss sexuality in church, new Christians think no one else has sexual thoughts except them. We have created an environment where it's difficult for people to be honest about their need. Thus, it grows in the secrecy and darkness of their souls. Suddenly, a friend sinks from view. What happened? They were ashamed to get help when lust first gripped their heart. Everyone in the body of Christ has areas in their hearts that are vulnerable to this spirit's influence. The cure is to be honest with at least one other person.

Call your church staff if you're in trouble. Men should call men and women should call women. Begin to expose it. The Bible says that when secret things are exposed to the light they become light.

Beloved, it is time to consecrate ourselves to God. We will not win our war without the help of God Almighty. Yet, if we consecrate ourselves, His word promises, "Tomorrow, the Lord will do wonders."

Lord, forgive us for our tolerance of Jezebel. Master, this day we consecrate ourselves from the immoral influences of our society. We desperately need Your help. Forgive us as a nation and as Your church. Let not the plans of the terrorists succeed anywhere on earth. In Jesus' name.

- - - - - - -
The Jezebel Spirit booklet can be ordered at our on-line bookstore price of $3.45. You may order directly from our website at http://www.inchristsimage.org Or, you may send your order, along with check or money order, to Arrow Publications, PO Box 10102, Cedar Rapids, IA 52410. To order by credit card, call toll free 1-877-363-6889 or email Daniel at dhite@frangipane.org. Bulk orders of 10 or more are available for $2.10 each. Contact Daniel to receive the bulk quantity discount. Please be sure to mention that this is in response to the weekly message. For international orders, email Daniel [dhite@frangipane.org] for current shipping rates. Thank you!

A service of In Christ's Image. Please visit our website at http://www.inchristsimage.org for additional messages and resources. To add, remove a name, or change a preference, please go to http://www.inchristsimage.org/EmailSubscriptions.asp    /   God bless you!
___________________________________________>>>

6.   CORPORATE HINDRANCES TO REVIVAL
>From: "Revival Congresses SA" mwtedeum@mweb.co.za

Today's churches are praying for revival in unprecedented numbers. They are holding "revival meetings" and "renewal conferences" in the hope that these will hasten the coming of God's Spirit in power. Yet, despite these sincere efforts, many churches have allowed unbiblical theology, as well as secular practices, to become entrenched into their corporate lives. Thus, they impede the very work of God for which they are praying. Many practices have been accepted uncritically into the churches and are dulling members, rather than sensitizing them, to God's voice. The following are some corporate hindrances to revival.

Misleading Terminology
. A movement of God among His people is characterized by a profound awareness of sin. Repentance of sin and revival are inseparable. In many churches, however, sinful practices are being renamed and reclassified.  Yet when a church member commits adultery, it is often said euphemistically that he or she "fell into an affair." The sinner may be portrayed as the victim of an overwhelming schedule, or an unsympathetic spouse. Terminology, such as "falling into" and "affair" subtly shifts the blame away from the sinner. Rather than hiding behind less offensive terms, Christians must be encouraged to confess their sins and accept responsibility for them. Another adjustment in terminology is to reclassify sin as a "weakness," "bad habit," or an "addiction." Rather than committing the sin of lust, the sinner is said to have an "addiction" to pornography. However addictive and enslaving habitual sin can become, its roots still lie in sin. Society commiserates with an addict; God judges sin. An addict engenders sympathy for his or her condition, whereas the Christian community knows that sin is not to be tolerated. Society encourages addicts to seek therapy, but not necessarily to repent of sin. By allowing worldly definitions for sin to creep into the church's vocabulary, churches inadvertently desensitize their people to the heinous reality of sin in their midst and the crucial need for repentance. If churches do not clearly identify sin for what it is, their people cannot properly respond to their condition.

Misdirected Appeals
. Churches can also unwittingly challenge people in an unbiblical manner. Churches often extend altar calls wherein people who have not been walking in obedient fellowship with God are invited to "rededicate" their lives to God and to His will. In this process, people may come before the church and acknowledge that they have disobeyed God's will. They will affirm their desire to dedicate themselves afresh to obey God. Often, members of the congregation will be invited to come and encourage the one who has expressed his intent to try harder to obey God. The problem with this is that it is not biblical. The crux of the gospel message is not a call to rededication, but a call to repentance. John the Baptist preached repentance (Matt. 3:2). Jesus preached repentance, both in His earthly ministry and as the resurrected Lord (Matt. 4:17; Rev. 3:19). If one's previous commitment did not keep him walking in obedience, a re-commitment is no more likely to make him faithful. The proper response to disobedience is not a commitment to try harder, but brokenness and repentance for rejecting the will of Almighty God. God looks for surrender to His will, not commitment to carry it out. Rather than asking church members to repeatedly promise to try harder, churches must call their people to repent before Holy God.

Mistaken Compassion
. Many church members are uncomfortable with spiritual brokenness and repentance. When the Holy Spirit works in peoples' lives, convicting them of their sin, churches often do not know how to respond. We are uncomfortable with the tears and anguish of a sinner under conviction by the Spirit. Rather than allowing people to respond to what God is telling them, we often seek to immediately intervene. We try to comfort one whom God is making uncomfortable!

Misplaced Priorities
. The structure of a worship service can mitigate against the Spirit's working. Pressure to end the service "on time" can leave little opportunity for people to respond to what God has said to them. Bringing the service abruptly to a close in order to announce the upcoming potluck dinner or church council meeting, can utterly quench the work that God began in the service. If worshippers are quickly ushered out of the auditorium to make room for another service, they are left with little time to process the awesome Word they just received from their Lord. The reality of many larger churches with multiple services is that they must follow a demanding schedule. Live telecasts of services on radio or television can allow media concerns rather than spiritual concerns to be the driving force of the worship service. The danger is that a mighty moving of God in the church may not "fit in" to the printed order of service!

Misunderstood Terms
. Many churches fail to properly understand revival terminology. The term "revival" is the returning of God's people to Him. This means their hearts are cleansed and sensitized to God. Revival does not refer to bringing unregenerate people to salvation. Contemporary "revival" services most often embrace an evangelistic theme. If several people respond to God for salvation, the church concludes that it had a successful "revival." Of course, any time a person experiences salvation a church should rejoice. Revival, however, is for God's people. Preaching evangelistic messages will not necessarily revive Christians who have become spiritually lethargic. Rather, spiritually deadened Christians will conclude that, since they are already converted, the revival meetings have no relevance for them.

The term "repentance" is also greatly misunderstood. It is often seen as a negative term in an age where everything is expected to appear positive. Yet repentance is one of the most positive words in the Christian vocabulary! It refers to turning from a destructive path and moving instead into God's abundant life. Too often, churches spurn the terminology of repentance, preferring instead to speak of God's love and forgiveness. God's love and forgiveness, however, can only be fully experienced on the basis of the sinner's repentance. Churches that misuse these terms may hinder their people from experiencing true forgiveness and true revival.

Misdiagnosis
. The temptation for churches is to deal with symptoms rather than causes. Instead of addressing the condition of people's hearts, churches attempt to change their behavior. If members are not attending particular programs or services, churches try to make these programs and services more appealing. If members are not sharing their faith with unbelievers, classes in evangelism are offered. If needs are going unmet in the church, ministerial staff is hired to meet these needs. Yes, it is important that services and programs be carefully designed, but we must look past people's behavior to the heart condition behind it. Rather than focusing on symptoms, God's people must be challenged to examine their love for God. People who truly love God will willingly serve Him, excitedly tell others about Him, and long to worship Him (John 14:15).

Misguided Relationships
. Matthew 5:23-24 indicates that Christians are obligated to be reconciled to anyone with whom they have a conflict. Yet in many churches this is not practiced. Church leaders are allowed to feud with one another and yet continue in ecclesiastical leadership. Entire churches refuse to forgive splinter groups, mission churches, or former pastors and yet they presume God will bless them. Churches have a corporate responsibility to seek reconciliation, just as individuals have been commanded to do so. If the church as a whole refuses to forgive, its members will also find it excusable to harbor bitterness toward others. If a church will corporately repent of unforgiveness toward another church or toward another person, it's members will be freed to be wholly reconciled with God in revival. There are many subtle attitudes, practices, and theological presuppositions which can hinder a church from experiencing revival. If these are properly dealt with, a church will be in a position to experience the mighty moving of God (G. Richard Blackaby).

The Bulletin of Revival is part of the ministry of Revival Congresses SA and serve as a Heart cry for a Biblical and Godsend Revival. There are so many "revivals" these days that few people could distinguish between false and real revival. The Bulletin will distribute and publish, sermons, stories and news of current movements of the Holy Spirit in Revival to the subscribers. The Bulletin is also aimed at all leaders, pastors and Christians that prayed and long for Revival. The purpose is to encourage and motivate believers to keep on praying for Revival. The Bulletin is usually sent out weekly. Please feel free to send this Bulletin to anyone you know who would be interested.
   Francois Carr, National Coordinator of Revival Congresses SA
PO Box 27130, Sunnyside, 0132, RSA,
http://www.revivalcsa.co.za
___________________________________________>>>

7.  http://www.urgentappeal.net

Attention Pastors---

Visit this site to get the latest information on the spring tour of the new Urgent Appeal document.  David Bryant and Dale Schlafer (National Prayer Committee) will be meeting with Pastors and explaining how this document can assist the Church in promoting a passion for authentic biblical revival.

Pastors will be invited into a "living room" setting to prayerfully consider this timely call for a revival that enables the Church to bring a Christ awakening to the city!
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8.  NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER CHANGES THEME FOR 2002
>From: National Prayer Committee <Natlpray@aol.com>

1) There has been a change in the theme for NDP 2002. The new theme is  "America United Under God", using Psalm 46:1. This is in response to the current national tragedy and issues. PR materials are expected to be ready some time in January.

2) Promoters are being encouraged to use last year's national prayer written by Dr. Billy Graham. This can represent an overall unity. Several prayer leaders are being prayed for regarding another national prayer for this coming year. Please pray that God's Spirit will be discerned so that God will be glorified.

3) State coordinators are being asked to encourage the citywide strategy approach: citywide events are meant to unite the body of Christ, rather than to point out division of denominations, which can easily be identified on any given Sunday morning.

4) The national conference for state coordinators is January 18-20 in Colorado Springs.

Please pray for Jim Weidmann and the whole NDP Task Force.

CHRIST IS ALL!
David Bryant, National Prayer Committee Chairman
___________________________________________>>>

9.  http://www.prayer-warriors.org/ 
>From: "Renee Belleville" <renee@compu-ad.net>
>Re:  Prayer Warriors of the World
___________________________________________>>>

10. UNCOMMON PRAYER MEETINGS ~ GOD BLESS AMERICA
>From: AwesomeRev@aol.com

   --->NPPNote: Use the phrases from the song to provide both a format and a focus for prayer.  Consider reading the commentary to help focus the prayers. Search for scriptures that strengthen the points being made. Use hymns or songs of praise as transition from one point into another...

We are a nation on  alert. We are a people on our knees. We are a country on tiptoe with patriotic pride. I haven't heard God Bless America sung this much in all my life. The other day I stopped to reflect on Irving Berlin's passionate lyrics and made some notes in my journal. As you take some time today to remember the carnage and the courage associated with our Tuesday of Terror, consider the following:

GOD, BLESS AMERICA...
   Would you please, Lord? Not because we deserve your blessings. We know we don't. You'd never guess it though, by the way we sing those words. It almost sounds like we are demanding something from You. Even the man who wrote our country's "unofficial" national anthem forgot to put a comma after the D and before the B.  Forgive us, Father, for the cavalier way with which we so often invoke Your name or attempt to order You around.

LAND THAT I LOVE....
   It's really true. I love this country of contrasting contours. Its amber fields of grain that wave in the wind. Its majestic purple mountains that attempt to steal our breath (and succeed most of the time). Its dry desert valleys and orchard-filled plains. Its Great Lakes and Badlands. Its farmlands and cities. Ranch houses and penthouses. From the brownstones of inner cities to the White House in the city named for our first president, I love this land where the seeds of freedom continue to grow 225 years after they were first sown.

STAND BESIDE HER....
   Because freedom has flourished and produced the fruit of prosperity, ingenuity, world influence and peace, our country at times has cockily articulated its self-sufficiency. But since that September morning a month ago, she has come to recognize just how vulnerable she really is. Her spirit is wounded. Five thousand of her children are dead. Dread grips her gut as she contemplates what lies ahead. Please stand beside her. Heal her broken heart. Deep within her fractured soul she knows she needs You. Without Your overshadowing Presence, freedom's fruit will no longer grow for future
generations to enjoy.

AND GUIDE HER....
   Yes, Lord, please guide us. There never has been a time when our beloved nation needed a compass like she does today. She is confused, disoriented and double-minded. Unsure of what she stands for, she is prone to fall for anything that presents itself as half-way believable. Time was when she looked to Your dictates for direction. The Bible was her road map. The Ten Commandments her milepost. But bending over backwards in order to be tolerant of every imaginable point of view, she has become a victim of moral vertigo. Nonetheless, as a result of this national detour of unprecedented proportions (that has brought our corporate journey to a screeching halt), I have a feeling this land we love is a whole lot more open to being led by You.

THROUGH THE NIGHT....
   In spite of what the thermometer flashes in L.A. or Miami, it's cold outside. The blackness lingers. The shadows of grief eclipse the promise of a new day. Darkness is doubled parked and refuses to move on. Will tomorrow ever come, Lord? How our nation longs for the warmth of a sunlit morning. The ruins continue to smoke. Children tucked into beds (by suddenly-single parents)  continue to cry out for daddy's and mommy's who will never again kiss them goodnight. Would-be fathers who (through embraces of love) seeded life will not be there for the harvest. Centuries ago the fathers of our faith claimed first hand knowledge of what they called "the long dark night of the soul." The long dark night of a nation can't be all that different.   

WITH THE LIGHT....
   There are glimpses of light all around us. Flashlights of rescue workers. Candles of prayer vigils. Spotlights illuminating that beautiful flag a top that makeshift pole. Even the headlights of cars that shine on city streets and Interstates in the middle of the day. The hundreds of firefighters, cops, EMT's and thousands of volunteers in and around Ground Zero are points of light that remind us, that even though our land is far from perfect, she is not bereft of those who know how to offer a beam of hope.

FROM ABOVE...
   But flashlights and candles fail. Batteries die and wax melts. Even the human spirit flickers and grows dim. Beneath this canopy of national crisis and endless blackness, only heaven's light can dispel the darkness once and for all. Eternal Son of God, would You be so kind and merciful to focus Your warm rays in our direction? With laser-like precision, please penetrate the membrane of sorrow and worry that blankets our country and suffocates our hope.

FROM THE MOUNTAINS
   >From Mt. McKinley to Pikes Peak, from the Rockies to the Smokies. From the virgin green timbers of Mt. Rainier to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
   >From Mt. St. Helens in Washington to Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. Lord, may the glory of Your creation (in this breathtaking land) cause us to lift up our eyes to the hills and, with the psalmist, sing Your praises. And as we worship this day, redirect our glance, O God we pray, from the mountain of debris that continues to smoke to the heights You desire we climb.

TO THE PRAIRIES
   Windswept yet fertile. Wheatlands and cornfields boasting rich black soil. The heartland of our nation, where hardworking people prove that determination irrigated by sweat and tears is all that is needed to grow the American dream. Although the mountain peaks may (at first blush) seem more exotic, we're grateful for these who model the skill it takes to tame the earth by farming level ground. Reward their efforts, Lord. And would You teach to be more grateful for all they do (and produce) on our behalf?

TO THE OCEANS WHITE WITH FOAM
   Salty waves that froth and spit. A nonstop surf that dances effortlessly on a stage of undisturbed beaches. A dance in which every move is choreographed by the moon You hung in the sky. Eastcoast. Westcoast. Leftcoast. Rightcoast. The Atlantic and the Pacific define the borders of the land called brave and free. And that is You see, because we proudly owned a destiny detemined by You. A destiny that manifested a pioneer spirit by which new  trails were blazed from east to west until we ran out of land. But our white-foamed oceans are more than water boundaries. They are also the waterways immigrants have traveled in search of a better life. Lord, may You continue to bring to our land those who will enrich us by their varied experiences and those whose poverty we can eliminate by our bounty and Your grace.

GOD, BLESS AMERICA
   It is a simple request, Lord. Yet, it is one we humbly ask. It is a prayer we ask with fervent hope. Knowing what we now know, we cannot imagine life in this land apart from Your blessing. Our enemies are few but deadly. Our vulnerability, unmistakable. Our destiny, solely in Your hands. And so we confess that unless You bless us, we in all likelihood will topple from the pedestal on which we have staked our reputation for nearly a quarter of a millennia. God, would You bless our country? Would You forgive our sin? Would You heal our land?

MY HOME SWEET HOME
   Granted, it is not the only home for those who populate this planet flung into space by Your fingers. But America is our home. She has sheltered us from threat of war and given us a place of belonging. It was in this home You determined we would be born, nursed with moral values, coached in talking our first steps along the open path of opportunity, coaxed to claim our right to freely speak and encouraged to find our calling in a land where everyone voice is heard. Our home sweet home, indeed. And thanks to You, Almighty God, how very sweet it is.

Now those are awesome thoughts to think about. Thanks for letting me share  them. If you are so inclined, please forward them to friends and family.

Greg Asimakoupoulos

"More Than Survivors" is one ministry's response to the spiritual hunger uncovered by the events of September 11th. Why not ask your pastor to investigate Mainstay's new 50 Day Spiritual Adventure to see if this all-church Bible study might serve the needs of your congregation and community? The toll free number is 800-224-2735 and the website is http://www.sundaysolutions.com
___________________________________________>>>

11.  INTER-FAITH PRAYER SERVICES?
>From: charisma@strang.com

Richard Cizik, spokesman for the National Association of Evangelicals, commented: "We take issue not so much with interfaith services but with the impression they leave in the minds of millions of Americans who are confused about the nature of God to begin with. We want it understood that Christians, Buddhists and Muslims are not praying to the same god. Allah is not Jehovah."

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12.  FORGIVENESS AND THE FUTURE OF YOUR CITY
>From: www.inchristsimage.org    - Arrow Publications RiverofLifeMailer@InChristsImage.org
>By: Pastor Francis Frangipane

Terrorists have openly, defiantly proclaimed no city in America will be safe from their attacks. Our own government has warned that these attacks, whether through biological, chemical or nuclear warfare, are a "clear and present danger." We need God's mercy. The following message is adapted from the House of the Lord. In this article is an important revelation concerning the effect of extending mercy and its consequential effect in releasing God's protection over a city.

The Power In Forgiveness
       Perhaps nothing so typifies the transforming, cleansing power of God as that which is experienced when a soul receives forgiveness. It is the power of new life, of new hopes and of new joy. It is the river of life flowing again into the cold, hardened valleys of a once-embittered heart. Forgiveness is the essence of revival itself.
       Whenever pardon is given there is a dramatic release of life, not only between those once estranged, but also there is an increase of life in the heavenly places. Observe the release of power when Jesus prayed "Father, forgive them . . ." (Lk 23:34). At that very moment every demonic principality and power which had infiltrated man's relationship with God was legally "...disarmed!" (Col 2:15) As Christ pleaded, ". . . they know not what they do," hell's gates began to unlock, soon tombs opened, the veil into the holy place rent, and heaven itself opened -- all because of Jesus' forgiveness! (Matt 27:51-53)
       When Stephen forgave his murderers, a plea for mercy with Saul of Tarsus' name on it ascended to the heart of God. In response to Stephen's mercy request, Saul was transformed into Paul, a great apostle of God.
       Would you like to see the Lord shatter the spiritual prisons in your life, the areas where you feel trapped? Then forgive those who put you there, for surely the walls of your imprisonment are made of your own anger and unforgiveness toward others.
       When Jesus, on the cross, "canceled out [our] certificate of debt," by not taking our sin into account, He simultaneously disarmed "...the principalities and powers" (Col 2:14, 15KJ). Likewise, when we forgive there also is a canceling of debts and a disarming of the enemy. You see, Christ's forgiveness disarmed the devil in mankind's heavenward relationship with God; our pardon of others disarms the enemy in our earthly relationships toward one another!
       Consider the last time you experienced full healing in a severed relationship. It is likely such words as "wonderful" and "glorious" were used to describe the baptism of love that renewed your souls.  Can we see that forgiveness is the very heart of Christ's message?

To subscribe: http://www.inchristsimage.org/EmailSubscriptions.asp
___________________________________________>>>

13. SOUTH KOREAN STUDY LINKS PRAYER WITH PREGNANCY
>From: "Crosswalk.com" newssummaries@lists.crosswalk.com
>Reply-To: Religion Today Summaries newssummaries@lists.crosswalk.com


A study reported in the September issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine involved 219 women receiving fertility treatment in a South Korean hospital.  The women were classified into two statistically similar groups.  One was prayed for by Christian intercessors, and one was not, according to a report in ABP, Associated Baptist Press.  The women ranged in age from 26 to 46, and were treated between December 1998 and March 1999 at Cha General Hospital in Seoul.  

The two groups were divided and randomized by an independent set of researchers not affiliated with the rest of the study. One group served as the control group and they were not prayed for. The other group became the object of regular intercessory prayer, although they did not know they were being prayed for.  All patients were treated with the same medical protocol.  

Results of the fertility treatments were not reported to those conducting the prayer study until after pregnancy results were available for the entire test group.

In the final analysis, the group of women who received the prayer support had a 50 percent pregnancy rate, compared to 26 percent in the control group.

Further, after adjusting for three spontaneous losses in each group, the group receiving prayer ended the study with more than double the rate of term deliveries as seen in the control group. Forty-six percent of women in the prayed-for group delivered at term, compared to 22 percent of women in the group not receiving prayer.

http://www.abpnews.com/abpnews/story.cfm?newsId=3013            
Copyright © 2001 Crosswalk.com, Inc. and its Content Providers. All rights reserved.
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14.  PRAYER POINTS FOR THE PRESIDENT
>From: "Moms in Touch" info@momsintouch.org
>Reply-To: MomsInTouch-feedback-4@lb.bcentral.com


Please join me in praying the Scriptures daily for our Nation, President Bush, his family and staff. You may choose to pray one of the Scriptures or a whole section each day.  These Scriptures may also be used for family prayer and devotions.  God’s word will take you from fear to faith. When we look to God we will never be disappointed, for our HOPE is in our Sovereign King ruler over heaven and earth.

"For the Lord hears the cries of the needy ones, and does not look the other way". Psalm 69:33 (TLB)

With united hearts, Fern Nichols, President - Moms In Touch International

Scripture Prayers for Our Nation - USA

Let's pray the words of David for our Nation - replacing the word "me" for "America".

O Lord, fight those fighting me; declare war on them for their attacks on me. Put on your armor, take your shield and protect me by standing in front. Lift your spear in my defense, for my pursuers are getting very close. Let us hear you say that you will save me from them. Dishonor those who are trying to kill us. Turn them back and confuse them. Blow them away like chaff in the wind - wind sent by the Angel of the Lord. Make their path dark and slippery before them, with the Angel of the Lord pursuing them." Psalms 35:1-6 (TLB)

O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent. Do not be far from me, O Lord. Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord. Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me. Do not let them think, "Aha, just what we wanted!" or say, "We have swallowed him up." May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace. May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, "The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant." My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long."  Psalms 35:22 - 28

"You are my King and my God..  Decree victories for your people. For it is only by your power and through your name that we tread down our enemies; I do not trust my weapons. They could never save me. Only you can give us the victory over those who hate us.  23Waken! Rouse yourself! Don’t sleep, O Lord! Are we cast off forever?  Why do you look the other way? Why do you ignore our sorrows and oppression? We lie face downward in the dust. Rise up, O LORD, and come and help us. Save us by your constant love."   Psalms 44:4-7 and 23- 26 (TLB)

Scripture Prayers for President Bush
(Place President Bush's name in the Scripture - examples below)

Show (President Bush) your ways, O LORD, teach (him) your paths, guide (him) in your truth and teach (him), for you are God (his) Savior, and (his) hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5

Since you are (President Bush’s) rock and (his) fortress, for the sake or your name lead and guide (him). Free (him) from the trap that is set for (him), for you are (his) refuge. Psalm 31: 3-4

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32:7-8

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave. Psalm 86:11-13

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca (valley of weeping), they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. Psalm 84:5-7

No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:16-22

But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Psalm 31:14-15

...we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:9-13

"Father I ask that President Bush will know without a doubt that His Jesus is greater in him than he that is in the world. May the peace of God guard his heart and mind in Christ Jesus. May You grant him faith to know that if he lacks wisdom that he can ask You and you will tell him what to do. Help him not to be frightened by the size of the task but that he would be strong and courageous and be about the work that you have called him to do. For you will see to it that everything is finished correctly. May he know that as you were with Moses so you are with him, for you will never leave him nor forsake him. May he be humbled to know that you have put him in this place of power - for such a time as this. In Jesus name - Amen (may it be done according to your will).  (I John 4:4; Philippians 4:7; James 1:5; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Joshua 1:5)

But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. >From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.  Psalm 3:3-8

"Be strong and courageous and get to work. Don't be frightened by the size of the task, for the Lord my God is with you; he will not forsake you. He will see to it that everything is finished correctly..."  1 Chronicles 28:20 (TLB)

Psalm 91 - the whole chapter!

No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Joshua 1:5

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.  Psalm 4:8

Scripture Prayers for Laura Bush and daughters (Jenna and Barbara)
(Place their names in the Scripture)

In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues. Praise be to the LORD, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city. In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:20-24

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Psalm 34:7

We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; his perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what he might do to us. If we are afraid, it is for fear of what he might do to us, and shows that we are not fully convinced that he really loves us. I John 4:18 (TLB)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Scripture Prayers for the President’s Cabinet and Congress
(You may pray collectively or by name)

Open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. Act 26:18

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?...Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me.
Psalm 6:3-4,9

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. Proverbs 3:5-7

A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength; for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers. Proverbs  24:5-6

When pride comes then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them... Proverbs 11:2-3a

Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your shield and helper and your glorious sword. Your enemies will cower before you, and you will trample down their high places.  Deuteronomy 33:29
___________________________________________>>>

*  HOW ABOUT YOUR PPG...YOUR CITY...?

How we can give praise and thanks with you
...for what the Lord has done in your city?

How we can join you in prayer for your region?

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Phil Miglioratti, National Pastors' Prayer Network. 1130 Randville Drive, Palatine, IL 60074
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