Our theme for the January National Prayer Conference call this month was to sound the alarm to sow and prepare for the Harvest. John 1 came to mind. Beginning in verse 6 it says, “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light…then jumping down to verse 23 it says, “John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”
And so that is us, witnesses like John the Baptist, making straight the way for the Lord to come to New York City--be it as intercessors, counselors at CityFest, or volunteers at a CityServe event; all servants are making straight the way for the Lord. And there is much to make straight! Let us invite all we know to be a part of something bigger than our daily routines, our homes and families, our churches, our communities, even our states. We are a part of ‘making straight the way for the Lord’ to do something BIG in New York…and the great thing is that we do not need to live in or go to New York to participate! Join us every second Tuesday of the month by phone as we unite in prayer across the United States in praise, confession, thanksgiving and supplication as God knits our hearts together.
Brooklyn is the borough with the largest population and is very ethnically diverse – Chinese, Latino, Haitian, African, and African-American. Though they co-exist well, we want to see them united in Christ’s love. A challenge for many churches in the Greater New York Metropolitan area, Brooklyn included, is the language barrier. Let us ask for the same unity amongst the multi-cultural followers of Christ as when the Tower of Babel was built. Spirit of God, level the ground for the many cultures to walk arm in arm, communicating through Your language spoken in their hearts, love. Then those who don’t know You will be amazed as they witness the unity and brotherhood amongst the autonomous ethnic groups, bringing honor and glory to You!
Thanksgiving for:
• The Palau staff and team meeting together in Portland the week of January 12. May thoughts of NY not consume their thinking, but instead you, Jesus, would be the center of their attention, just as it was for Peter when he got out of the boat and walked on water. May the five regional directors do the unthinkable, like David’s stones, and take down the giant city of New York in Your name.
• Randy’s time home in Oregon, that it was a great Christmas season in their home. We pray for Randy, that his appointments with many pastors individually after the Pastors Prayer Summit would be profitable in spearheading additional like-minded church groups gathering, collaborating and serving their communities.
• Four Brooklyn mini-festivals being planned in Sunset Park, Bushwick, Williamsburg, and Canarsie. We pray for spiritual and physical protection over these areas so your Word can go forth!
• Thank you for the education and criminal justice initiatives occurring in Brownsville and Bedford-Stuyvesant. We ask for other aspects of the Brooklyn communities to become involved.
• Thank you for the immigration clinics in Canarsie for the Haitian people.
• We rejoice for the participants who are already registered for the Re:New Conference being held in Brooklyn. We ask specifically for 2000 attendees to fill Brooklyn Tabernacle!
Supplication:
• We ask that the pastors of the churches would yield to the Lordship of Christ and receive clarity of vision; that there would be unity and equal value and importance for different gifts, responsibilities, and visibility.
• We lift up the Annual Pastors Prayer Summit in Norwalk, CT January 19-21, that capacity would be maximized and every Pastor would leave on fire with your Holy Spirit, filled up and recharged to give Living Water to all they contact.
• We pray for the Re:New Conferences. They are being held February 10-13 with Luis, Francis Chan, and Passion Worship in New Jersey, the Bronx, Manhattan, & Brooklyn for one night in each location.
Lastly we somberly turn our attention to the people of Brooklyn and greater NYC, as they grieve and continue to muddle through the rubble of social unrest and violence. For such a time as this we pray for the families and friends of police officers Liu and Ramos, and for all the people of greater New York City, when forgiveness is difficult, peace is elusive, and healing seems impossible, our Savior is greatly needed. Lord Jesus come quickly - Amen!
Connie Luebke
Regional Prayer Leader for the Southeast, praying for Brooklyn