Prompted by an inter-cultural prayer meeting hosted by the North American Mission Board in November 2013, Southern Baptist leaders from around the country have called for a seven-day prayer emphasis to begin on Father’s Day, June 15.
Called “One in Christ,” the prayer focus includes daily Scripture readings and prayer encouragements that will be sent to the smartphones of all who register at OneFather.org. Scripture readings include the six chapters of Ephesians and Jesus’ letter to the church of Ephesus recorded in Revelation 2.
Father’s Day week was chosen for the prayer emphasis since all believers have one Father and are, therefore, one family in Christ. The book of Ephesians, with its emphasis on unity, has particular relevance for the struggles experienced by the 21st-century church and was selected as the scriptural focus for the week.
The call to pray for unity in the church is not new. Jesus prayed for us, present-day Christians, in John 17:20 when He said, “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world will believe that You sent Me.”
The end result of our oneness or unity is that people will believe in Jesus. That alone makes it a worthy goal. Praying in one accord was the hallmark of the early church and they turned their world upside down spreading the gospel, because of their love for Jesus and each other.
It is possible for us to see the revival and spiritual awakening we long for, and that God wants to pour out, if we simply love one another. That is easy to say, but often hard to do. The following are a few biblical prayers we can pray in agreement asking God to equip, empower and enable us to be one with Him and one with each other. May He grant our requests.
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SOURCE: Baptist Press
Elaine Helms
BCNN1 WP 