Turning Prayer "Up to 11"

December 30, 2010

What’s “PRAY “11”?
It describes a weekend focused on making space for the transformative power of God in us. It’s a way to remember a few things:

We remember that prayer begins with God. We turn to Him for the motivation and for some understanding of what prayer involves. The followers of Jesus asked Him, “Lord, Teach us how to pray”, in Luke 11:1.

We remember or have an increased awareness that time is going by, and we’re almost in 2011… and we don’t want to enter the new year without welcoming God’s presence in it!

You know what else? I was coming out of a friend’s living room, and there was a discarded poster that said, “turn it up to 11”. It suddenly flashed across my mind as I prepared for this upcoming weekend, so I looked it up. I found out through Wikipedia that it’s a pop culture term or an American idiom that means:

“using something beyond its ability,
and apparently exceeding them.”

We remember that God has used ordinary people in history and showed His love and power through them. This means that He is able to use you and me, too.

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.–Acts 4:13

May the people who hear your story or watch your life be astonished by you, and say, Wow, God is awesome! It’s a scary thought if we make our success and people’s approval all about us. We live to manifest the glory of God on earth, even in a seemingly tiny way! We can only make room for God to shine through us when reach out to him through the power of prayer.

We remember that prayer is a source of spiritual power and transformation, to revive us so that our life speaks in a maximum volume about the God we profess to believe in.

We remember that prayer is a source of encouragement and power not only for ourselves, but also for those who would come across our paths. We can actually be blessed to bless others! We can leave people better after meeting us because we are connected to a Higher Power!

Speaking of which, here are the eleven people groups that you are invited to remember in your personal prayers during the first eleven days of the new year. As you read through this list, specific faces or names of people may come to mind. Please make a point to remember them in your prayers in the next couple of weeks. Your own situation may come to mind! It’s okay to pray for yourself, and to ask for people to remember you, too.

January 1 Church and Leaders around the world
January 2 Single Adults
January 3 Young Adults and College Students
January 4 Marriages and Relationships
January 5 Children and Families
January 6 Senior Community
January 7 Friends and Neighbors
January 8 Local Congregation
January 9 Sick and Grieving
January 10 Senior Pastoral Search and Pastors
January 11 Teenagers and High School Students

What to Pray for and How…? Just P.R.A.Y!

Praise:
Praise God for who He is. Love, Creator,Saviour… Thank Him for this person or persons that you are praying for that day.

Reflect:
Read and reflect on a passage from God’s Word daily, such as II Chronicles 7:14. Claim the promise for renewal on behalf of the people you are praying for! You may also return to this blog for daily devotionals starting in January 2011.

Ask:
Ask for God’s help. Admit your need to love others and for wisdom. As an intercessor,you identify with the person and you ask on behalf of the person or persons you are praying for that day. Be specific, if possible.

Yield:
Surrender this person or persons to God’s amazing grace. Renew your own commitment to allow God’s presence to fill your life.

Amen.

~~~

joy and hope and blessings,
-Sabine