Prayer for the Nukak people of Colombia

Lord, today we pray for the nomadic Nukak people of Colombia. Heavenly Father, we are so sad that suicide is such a part of their culture that men frequently drink poison and die when faced when rejection. Please help the Nukaks recognize that this is a harmful practice, and that they do not have to lose their loved ones in this tragic way. May brave social activists rise up within the communities to speak about changing this practice. Lord, we also pray for those who serve the Nukak people through New Tribes Mission, providing medical care, living together in a nearby village, and trying very hard to gain cultural and language proficiency so they can share your Word. Please prepare the hearts of the Nukak people to receive the Gospel when the day comes that they can hear it in their own language. And may your transforming power renovate hearts and thus lead to the elimination of destructive practices, including suicide. Amen.

Prayer against ISIS' war on Catholics in Europe

Jacques Hamel ministering. More info: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/07/26/murder-french-priest-brings-isis-long-threatened-war-on-christians-to-europe.html

Almighty God, today we pray against ISIS’ war on Catholics in Europe. We are absolutely disgusted that “soldiers” representing ISIS would attack an elderly priest in the midst of his church duties, make him kneel, and slit his throat. We pray for all who witnessed this atrocious event near Rouen, France. May they wipe this terrible image from their minds and find comfort in you, their heavenly father. Lord, we know the evil one is behind ISIS, driving them to attack peace-loving people who are actively serving you. Jacques Hamel posed ISIS no threat on any material level, but we are thrilled to know that what threatens ISIS is that ultimate victory is found in Jesus, and Hamel is now united with his Savior. Lord, please thwart ISIS’ efforts. Help authorities to ferret out and prevent terroristic acts. May those members of ISIS who currently believe their empty propaganda sense its futility and turn toward good deeds and your love. May we commit ourselves to praying against the evil one’s working through ISIS. In Jesus’ victorious name we pray, amen.

Prayer for those attacked in Sagmihara, Japan

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/07/25/at-least-15-dead-dozens-injured-in-knife-attack-outside-tokyo.html

Lord, today we pray for the disabled residents who were attacked at their facility in Sagmihara, Japan. With 60 out of about 150 long-term residents directly affected, we grieve with the entire community there. Their hearts are broken at the loss of friends and neighbors. They may be questioning their self-worth, due to the hateful motives of their attacker. Lord, please speak your shalom over that place. Rally the community around the residents and workers, spurring them on to showing love in creative ways. May your children communicate to these hurting individuals how much you prize them just as they are. May those who are recovering from their physical wounds receive excellent care and respond as model patients, finding quick recovery. Lord, we pray for Satoshi Uematsu, their attacker. Bring him to deep repentance. May justice be administered, and may he also receive any mental health care he needs. Finally, we pray for the family members of those living at this facility. Give them peace as they grapple through all the implications of this incident. May they get to their loved ones’ sides quickly, and may they receive your grace and mercy in their time of need. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Praising to change our hearts

Getty Images

This past week has held many reasons for discouragement: the attack in Nice, France; more police officers lured to their deaths, this time in Baton Rouge, USA; the United States’ bewildering political situation; and so much more. I have felt the need to pray (and have done so), but I have been too discouraged (and too busy) to actually post prayers.

Interceding on behalf of the world can be exhausting and discouraging. There are countless tragedies every day all around the world. But that is why we need to turn to praise. If we just ask, ask, ask, we can get bogged down by the needs. If we praise God for who He is, we can regain a healthy perspective.

So that is what I have been trying to do this past week. Today I’d like to encourage you to do the same.

Please read this post about praise: http://thebookoflifeblog.blogspot.com/2014/03/praise-puts-things-in-perspective.html, and then start praising Him as you seek Him on behalf of our hurting world.

PS This link will provide you some tools as well: http://thebookoflifeblog.blogspot.com/2014/03/theres-name-for-that.html. 

Prayer for Yazidi women and girls held as sex slaves

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/07/06/isis-tightens-grip-on-yazidi-captives-held-as-sex-slaves.html?intcmp=ob_article_sidebar_video&intcmp=obinsite. AP Photo/Balint Szlanko

Lord, today we pray for Yazidi girls and women being held as sex slaves by ISIS. Where do we even begin? It is mind-boggling to consider 3,000 women and girls being held as human chattel, being passed from man to man to do with whatever he likes. Lord, first we pray that ISIS will have no success in capturing any more slaves. Please thwart their every effort. Second, we pray for these women and girls to have supernatural clarity in determining ways to escape, and that they will have great success in pursuing safety. Give them courage, foresight, speed and protection as they travel quickly to safety whenever a chance arises. Next, we pray for their captors, that they would recognize these captives as human beings, as precious children of God, as people who could be their owns wives or daughters. Keep them from harming them. Plague their consciences so they cannot sleep or find peace until they relinquish their grip on these captives. We pray for the families and friends who know their loved ones are in captivity. We pray that they will sleep at night, experience your peace, and never give up hope, despite agonizing over their loved ones. Finally, we pray again for those who are currently held captive. Not only do we ask for their escape, but we ask for a special covering of protection over them to minimize the damage they are sustaining on every level. May they find complete healing someday--soon. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen. 

Prayer against rape culture in Germany

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/07/11/more-than-2000-men-reportedly-sexually-assaulted-1200-german-women-on-new-years-eve.html

Lord, today we pray against the rape culture in Germany. It is so disheartening to learn that German authorities believe 1200 women were sexually assaulted by 2000 men on New Year’s Eve, but that they also believe most of these instances will not be investigated. Lord, recognizing your desire to bring good from evil, we are thankful that this travesty has led to improved laws related to sexual assault in Germany. Thank you that “no” now means “no” in Germany. Lord, we pray for the mere 120 apprehended (of 2000) suspects to receive any punishment due them. We pray that justice will be strong enough to deter men from committing these crimes in the future. We pray for improvement of the dismal statistic of 8 percent of rape trials resulting in any sort of conviction. We pray for the authorities to have special wisdom in dealing with the refugee crisis, which appears to be directly linked to this rape crisis. We pray for healing for the victims. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Prayer for America in the midst of racially charged shootings

Lord, there has been a lot of praying without words in America this week. We reach for words, for the right things to say, for what we should do, yet we fail. Dismay grips our hearts as we see ugliness rising to the surface again—sin bubbling up from its hiding place, where it has lurked and festered and destroyed. We see beloved black men senselessly and shockingly killed in wide open places. We see vengeance lash out from a hiding place as police officers are shot down one by one. We recognize that what motivates these actions is nothing less than evil in our hearts, a wickedness that has been there since the garden. Lord, consecrate our hearts, revealing the hidden places, showing us where we harbor evil, resentment, blindness. Lord, consecrate our hands, that we may reach out to our neighbors in love and forgiveness, even when it is hard to do--even when we feel righteous in our stance. Lord, consecrate our feet, that we may do the right thing, acting in courage and hope, even when others don’t understand why we take our stand. Lord, today we pray against racism and call it what it is: sin, evil and a disgrace. We humbly and fervently cry out to you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.   

Prayer in the aftermath of China's flooding

https://weather.com/news/weather/news/china-pakistan-heavy-rain-floods. Photo: Getty Images

Lord, today we pray for China as its people continue to deal with the aftermath of this weekend’s flooding. One hundred twenty-eight people dead and more than 40 missing…  Lord, it’s hard to imagine death by mudslide. We pray for the families of those 23 people who died that way, that the images would not haunt their dreams, that they would find peace in you. It’s also awe-inspiring to consider the power of rain. You have created rain as a good thing, yet it wrought so much havoc within China this weekend—flooding, the mudslide, a wall collapsing, etc. Lord, may we humble ourselves before you. May we honor you in all our ways. May we reach out to our neighbors in their time of need, as you want us to. I pray that your children in China would do this during this difficult time. May they comfort those who grieve, help and pray with those who lost homes or had to be evacuated. Bless the efforts of everyone trying to help. And may the missing be found as quickly as possible. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer of thanksgiving for decreased violent crime in El Salvador

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2016/07/03/el-salvador-considered-deadliest-nation-in-2015-sees-drop-in-homicides-and/?intcmp=hplnws. AP Photo/Salvador Melendez

Lord, today we are thankful for good news from El Salvador. We are so grateful that the 2015 “World Murder Capital” has halved its murder rate for the past two months. We celebrate this progress! Please continue to strengthen the government and law enforcement as they seek to isolate gang leaders in high-security prisons, as well as crack down on gangs in other ways. Motivate the gang leaders to continue their supposed “stand down,” realizing that stopping the killing brings great relief and is the right thing to do. Protect innocent civilians from gang extortion and violent threats. Prevent young people from turning to gangs to have their social and material needs met. May El Salvador become a great example of how to address violent crime so its people can live with peace rather than fear. In Jesus’ powerful name we pray, amen.