Steps For A Prayer And Worship Gathering At Home Or Church…

There are six sections below, each one taking about 10-15 minutes total depending on the length of prayer.

Theme: Perseverance In Suffering

PART I: Perseverance for Christians

Song Suggestion: “Lord I Need You” by Matt Maher (please click HERE)

Two Readings

1 Peter 4:12-13 The Message: Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.

Romans 5:3-6 NLT: We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

Prayer: In groups, please pray for Believers in locations below to hold firm to Jesus through the trials of life:

1. Locally (in your town/neighborhood)
2. Locally Extended (in your county)
3. Regionally (your section of the United States)
4. Nationally (United States)
5. Internationally (all nations of the world)

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PART II: Finances/Material Needs (Believers & Non-Believers)

Song Suggestion: “Your Love Never Fails” by Jesus Culture (please click HERE)

One Reading

Matthew 6:25-34 NLT:“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Prayer: In groups, please pray for Christians and non-Christians in locations below to continually seek Jesus instead of worrying about today & tomorrow’s material needs/wants:

1. Locally (in your town/neighborhood)
2. Locally Extended (in your county)
3. Regionally (your section of the United States)
4. Nationally (United States)
5. Internationally (all nations of the world)

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PART III: Spiritual Re-birth of Non-Christians

Song Suggestion: “Amazing Grace (My Chains Are GOne)” by Chris Tomlin (please click HEREo

One Reading

John 3:1-21 NIV: Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked.

“Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?

Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen,

but still you people do not accept our testimony.

I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe;

how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,

that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but to save the world through him.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.

But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

Prayer: In groups, please pray for non-Christians in locations below to continually seek Jesus as The Way, The Truth, The Life, The Savior, The King, The Light, The Hope, The Redeemer:

1. Locally (in your town/neighborhood)
2. Locally Extended (in your county)
3. Regionally (your section of the United States)
4. Nationally (United States)
5. Internationally (all nations of the world)

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PART IV: The Physical Health of Believers and Non-Believers

Song Suggestion: “Blessings” by Laura Story (please click HERE) or “Even If” by Kutless (please click HERE)

One Reading

Matthew 4:23-25 The Message: From there he went all over Galilee. He used synagogues for meeting places and taught people the truth of God. God’s kingdom was his theme! He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. Word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all. More and more people came, the momentum gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds came from the “Ten Towns” across the lake, others up from Jerusalem and Judea, still others from across the Jordan.

Prayer: In groups, please pray for Christians and non-Christians in locations below to look to Jesus for physical healing and spiritual peace/contentment/joy regarding their illnesses/ailments:

1. Locally (in your town/neighborhood)
2. Locally Extended (in your county)
3. Regionally (your section of the United States)
4. Nationally (United States)
5. Internationally (all nations of the world)

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PART V: Political Leaders Around The World

Song Suggestion: “Need You Now (How Many Times” by Plumb (please click HERE)

One Reading

1 Timothy 2:1-7 NLT: I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth. I’m not exaggerating—just telling the truth.

Prayer: In groups, please pray for Christian and non-Christian political leaders in locations below to have wisdom and seek to honor the LORD in the way they lead their people:

1. Locally (in your town/neighborhood)
2. Locally Extended (in your county)
3. Regionally (your section of the United States)
4. Nationally (United States)
5. Internationally (all nations of the world)

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PART VI: Praying For God’s Blessing On Those Who Mistreat Christians

Song Suggestion: “Forgiveness” by Matthew West (please click HERE)

One Reading

Matthew 5:43-48 The Message: “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”

Prayer: In groups, please pray for God’s blessing on those who mistreat Christians in locations below; pray that they would receive Jesus as their Savior and cease persecuting God’s people:

1. Locally (in your town/neighborhood)
2. Locally Extended (in your county)
3. Regionally (your section of the United States)
4. Nationally (United States)
5. Internationally (all nations of the world)

Closing Song Suggestion: “Build Your Kingdom Here” by Rend Collective Experiment (please click HERE)