Hello, BRN Family. It’s good to be with you today.
You probably know the first Thursday in May is National Day of Prayer. This is a time when Americans across the country gather in parks, churches, schools, and state-houses to lift up prayers and petitions to God. On this occasion, we joyfully join in the prayers of our fellow brothers and sisters all over our nation.
But for our BRN team, every day is a day of prayer. We regularly pray for our BRN churches and pastors–by name! Also, on the first Thursday of every month, our BRN team unites together to fast and pray, devoting the morning for praying over BRN churches, ongoing projects, and personal concerns. Our team also prays during meetings, trainings, and personal interactions with our churches. Presently, my wife, Beth, is hosting a monthly Zoom prayer time for pastors’ and planters’ wives on the first Saturday morning of every month. You can learn more at brnunited.org/events.
We believe in the power of prayer. We sense God wants to pour out His blessings as we pray!
This year, the National Day of Prayer’s theme is, “Pray Fervently in Righteousness and Avail Much,” coming from the promise in scripture found in James 5:16b NKJV that says, “the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
I believe as we unite in prayer, we can “avail” much here in our own region. Clearly, the task of pushing back lostness in Pennsylvania/South Jersey is very large, which requires the Lord’s hand in all that is attempted. As we have increased our shared prayer times, I am sensing greater urgency, unity and direction in our work. Praise the Lord!
Perhaps you have specific prayers? I remind you of our Pastor Prayer Line, 800.451.6599 x7, where pastors can leave confidential prayer requests, only heard by and prayed for by our trained disaster relief chaplains.
Know that we are regularly praying for you. In fact, in honor of the National Day of Prayer, I want to read 2 Chronicles 7:13-15: “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.”
We pray God would heal our land, would hear our prayers and He would, certainly, forgive our sins when we cry out to Him. Thanks for praying for America. Thanks for praying for your community. Thanks for praying that the gospel will be expanded and that Jesus will be made more and more famous, not only in Pennsylvania and South Jersey, but in North America and around the world. Thanks for listening in today, and may God bless you.
