10 ways to pray Scripture over Ukraine
By Rob Jackson
President, Romanian-American Mission
- As with Solomon, I ask God to give the Ukrainian leaders (and all leaders in these difficult times) wisdom from above (1 Kings 3:5–12).
- As with David, I ask God to show Himself as Ukraine faces their Goliath (1 Sam. 17). I am asking that the world will see “some trust in chariots, others in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Ps. 20:7).
- As with Gideon, I pray God will confuse the Russian army (like the Midianites) so they will turn on each other, become demoralized, flee and desert (Judg. 7).
- As with Hezekiah, I ask that “Sennacherib” will return in defeat to his homeland (2 Kings 19:32–37).
- As with Moses, I pray the “chariots” or tanks and all vehicles will get stuck in the mud, run out of gas and break down.
Furthermore, may God so thwart the Russian army that their rockets, missiles and bombs malfunction and cause minimal damage (Ex. 14:21–29).
- As with Elisha, I ask God to blind the enemies surrounding the cities, so they are rendered ineffective (2 Kings 6:11–23).
- As with Daniel, I pray God will remove the leader(s) who mocks the Lord our God. I pray Vladimir Putin will fear and see the writing on the wall (Dan. 5).
- As with Peter, I pray Baptist churches (and other churches and relief organizations) will feed the Ukrainian “sheep” in the name of Jesus.
I pray the refugees who are flooding the neighboring countries seeking food, shelter, transportation, spiritual help and so forth will see Jesus in us (John 21:15–17).
- As with all Christians, I pray we will be shown what each of us can do (individually and collectively) to help alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Ukraine (Matt. 25:35).
- Finally, I pray Ukrainians, Russians and the entire world will be amazed at what God is doing, resulting in a worldwide revival and awakening as people repent and believe the good news of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:41). There will be no lasting peace until the world acknowledges the Prince of Peace!
EDITOR’S NOTE — Rob Jackson is director of the office of church health for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions and president of Romanian-American Mission, an organization that works with churches across Europe.
5 ways to pray for Baptists in and near Ukraine
- Pray for safe travel for those fleeing danger within Ukraine, for God’s presence to provide them with hope and assurance, and for the churches providing refuge to have enough resources to meet the growing needs.
- Pray humanitarian aid funds will reach their destination, be used wisely and accomplish God’s purpose.
- Pray for God’s protection for Baptists in Ukraine, for hope in suffering, for love toward their enemies and for the gospel to spread beyond the borders.
- Pray for God to provide churches in Ukraine and neighboring countries with an abundance of resources and opportunities to share the gospel as they receive refugees.
- Pray for Baptist missionaries and others like them to be filled with God’s spirit as they share the hope of the gospel and embody the sacrificial love of Christ.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This prayer guide was written by members of the Texas Baptists Christian Life Commission.
Facing the reality of forgiveness
“… be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32
By Karen Moore
karenmooreauthor.com
The part of the Lord’s Prayer we might find a bit tricky is the section that asks God to “forgive us as we forgive others.” The language is loftier than this phrase, but the intention is the same. The message is that God will forgive me in the same way I forgive those who have offended me.
“Forgive” is a word that humbles our spirits and maybe even our conscience. Forgiving means I have to let go of something my ego wants me to put up on a marquee for all the world to see. After all, the other person doesn’t deserve my forgiveness, right?
Okay, but think about it. Do you deserve God’s forgiveness? Have you been so entirely holy that He would not find a spot or a blemish on you? Of course not. We desperately want to be forgiven. We crave it deeply. And God grants that to us! I am forgiven by God, making it possible for me to do better from here.
Forgiveness may feel difficult if you still have people who cause you to grow angry when you think of them, even though you’ve tried to let it go.
Consider this: How many times has God forgiven you? How many times did you deserve His forgiveness?
God wants you to forgive others the same way He forgives you — which is fully, unconditionally and forever.
We have to forgive each other because that’s the very height of love.
“PRAYER IS NOT A VEHICLE TO REVIVAL; IT IS REVIVAL ITSELF.”
Pastor Cam Triggs
Grace Alive in Orlando, Florida
“Most of us could not imagine being uprooted from our homes and relocated to a whole new world, but these folks are in the middle of doing just that,” Tammy Whitmire of “Project: Afghan Response” shared about Afghan refugees fleeing to the U.S.
“Wherever there are hurricanes, floods, ice storms or tornadoes, I contact our team and we head out,” said disaster relief volunteer Butch Porch, a member of Woodland Baptist Church in Brownsville, Tennessee.
“Campuses with a Christ-centered mission tend to be caring and supportive of students, with faculty and staff who consider their work with students to be a calling,” said Ben Sells, president of Ouachita Baptist University.
“God found me in my comfort and said, ‘You look a little too comfortable. How about we grow some of that faith?’” said singer and guitarist Matt Hein of I Am They.
“Understanding why we believe what we believe is critical and sets the foundation for the remainder of our lives,” said Paul Akin, dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
“There are times when you just get inspiration. Something hits you, and you know you need to say something. That’s really what this record was like,” said Skillet lead singer John Cooper.
“Going to prison was the best thing that ever happened to him,” said Georgia Baptist missionary Jason Cobb of a young cocaine addict who ended up in prison for theft. “He got sober. He was able to hear the gospel message. He got saved. He got baptized. It was a total change in his life. As a result of his salvation, his entire family has become Christians now. It was a transformation not only for him but for his entire family.”
“The first day I found out I was pregnant, abortion crossed my mind, but I knew it was never the right thing to do. When I walked into the CENLA Pregnancy Center, I was at the darkest moment in my life,” said Miranda Underwood of Alexandria, Louisiana, who would decide to continue her pregnancy.
A Baptist association is a family of churches. Just like in any relationship, when one is struggling with health, the other steps up to help. Regaining health and vitality is not easy, fast or convenient. But the rewards are rich, meaningful and grows the family. So, let’s keep working at it! Johnny Rumbough, director of missions for Lexington Baptist Association in South Carolina (via Facebook)
From the Twitterverse
@davidjeremiah
One of the reasons I tithe is because by doing it, every year and every month and every week, I am proving in my own heart that God’s truth is indeed trustworthy. He will take care of us.
@BradHambrick
Don’t get so distracted by what is bad or could be better, that you fail to see what is good.
Seeing and cherishing what is good, helps us maintain the resilience to work on what is bad and could be better.
@howertonjosh
Contrary to our instincts, hard conversations usually don’t kill relationships. They save them. It’s choosing the short, life-saving pain of surgery over the longterm, fatal pain of cancer.
@MichaelCatt
The Holy Spirit is ready to do His office work if we will give Him office space.
@LysaTerKeurst
To have both sorrow and celebration in our heart isn’t denial.
It’s deeming life a gift — even if it looks nothing like we thought it would right now.
@DustinBenge
Cultural demise?
The church has joy.
Political disorder?
The church has joy.
Worldwide upheaval?
The church has joy.
A joy that streams, without any circumstantial obstruction, out of a heart that is wholly satisfied in Christ and the promises of Scripture.
@philipnation
Remember: Prayer is not our way to convince God of how to meet our needs. It is God’s way of aligning our heart with His will.
@DianeLangberg
Trauma brings emotional darkness and aloneness because it feels like no one cares and no one could possibly understand. When we are heard by someone who seeks to understand and feel with us, we are no longer isolated and alone in our suffering.