PRAYER BOX – Part 2

 

Continuing with the cards going into the 3 X 5 card box we started a few days ago…  Now add these sections and cards.

 

• Daily section – my most urgent concerns.  I put this section in front of the numbered tabs.  With one card for each need, including my husband, a couple of friends with cancer surgeries and treatments, a friend who is going through divorce, my day’s appointments, and anyone I’ve told I’d pray for them this week.  (After that, I may mark that card “Wednesday” and pray for it once a week.)

 

• Friends – These cards have an orange stripe across the top.  I have an orange tab at the back of them for rotating them back.  I pray for two of these each day.  They include friends who’ve moved away, friends who are deployed, prodigal children of friends, and so on.  These are the people I want to pray for from time to time, but not every day.

• Missionaries and ministries – Thursday is my day to pray for missionaries and ministries such as the chaplains on our military bases.  I have picture cards for as many of them as possible.  I pray for their health and finances.  I pray for their effectiveness in ministry.  I pray for their families and marriages.  Then I rotate their cards to the next Thursday date.

 

• Our pastors – I pray for the staff of our church by name on Fridays.  I pray similarly to what I pray for missionaries, but also for the church’s direction and creative team.  Some of our staff are pregnant or have been sick.  This card is marked “Friday” in the top corner and I rotate it back to the next Friday date.

 

• My co-workers – people I work with, one or two per day.  These card have a green stripe across the top.  I have a green tab behind them for rotating them back.

To pray for something every 2 or 3 days, just put a 2 or 3 in the top corner, and rotate it accordingly after you pray for it.  Or if it is something you want to pray for occasionally, put 10-20-30 or 5-19 on it to pray for it on those days.  Each day, you will pull out a manageable set of cards to pray over.

 

(To be continued…)

PRAYER IN A BOX - Part 1

PRAYER IN A BOX – Part 1 

Note:  This may be uncomfortable to those of you who are “unstructured”.  If so, don’t worry about the system.  JUST PRAY! 

Years ago, when I was feeling guilty over my prayer life, the Lord gave me an idea for managing my prayer time.  I felt like there was much I was forgetting to pray for and in some cases I was only praying sporadically for very important things.  Then there were those people I’d said I’d pray for and forgot about afterward.  (No wonder I felt guilty!) 

So I got a 3 X 5 card box and some dividers.  I put tabs on cards for the days of the month, numbering them 1-31.  Then I began to put cards into each section for the following, layering in each category: 

• My children (and later their families) – I wrote their names and their needs on a card.  These got a pink highlighter stripe across the top.  I put a pink tab on another card.  I put two of my children’s cards in the first day, two more in the second day, and so on.  Then I put a pink tab in the day after these.  I would pray intently for them on the day their cards came up, then rotate them to the pink tabbed section and moving the tab back to the next day. 
• My extended family – I decided to pray for my siblings on Tuesdays.  These cards with their names and needs got a blue stripe.  They rotate back to the next Tuesday.  I put our parents on Wednesdays.  They also have a blue line across the top and “Tuesday” in the top corner.
• Big issues, including world affairs and current events – Modified from Dick Eastman’s Change the World School of Prayer*, these needs are on one card for each day of the week.  I pray for the following:

 

• Monday – world evangelism.  I pray for my personal friends who are on the mission field and for those who are involved in spreading the gospel throughout the world.
• For WORKERS – Mt. 9:38 – that they would be strengthened and faithful for the work
• For OPEN DOORS – Col. 4:2,3 – for all nations to allow the preaching of the gospel, especially Communistic & Muslim countries.
• For FRUIT that remains – 2 Thes. 3:1 – people to be saved and discipled who can then lead others to Christ
• For FINANCES for the work – Ro. 10:14, 15 – that workers would be encouraged, not slowed or disheartened by financial needs.
• Tuesday – my church. 
• For LEADERS WHO PRAY – Acts 6:4
• For SAINTS WHO SERVE – Gal. 6:2
• For PEOPLE WHO PRAISE – 1 Pet. 2:9
• Wednesday – world issues / current events
• For the counties involved in “The Arab Spring” and for religious liberty to come out of that. 
• That unjust or repressive leaders would be removed and replaced by those who favor religious freedom
• For natural disasters and national crises. 
• For the persecuted church. 
• For the nation of Israel.
• Thursday – for spiritual awakening / revival
• For HUMBLE REPENTANCE – 2 Chron. 7:14
• For HUNGRY DESPERATION – Jer. 29:13
• For HELPFUL GENEROSITY – Is. 58:10-12
• For HOLY UNITY – John 17:20-21
• Friday – my family – based on Luke 2:52
• SPIRITUALLY (in favor with God)
• SOCIALLY (in favor with man)
• MENTALLY (increasing in wisdom)
• PHYSICALLY (increasing in stature – good health)
• Saturday – political and civil leaders (Dan.2:19-22) – that they would realize their authority comes from God.  That they would be wise and judicious.  The foolish and ungodly leaders would be removed.
• National, state, and local office holders
• Legislation
• Judges
• Police & Fire
• Public services
• Sunday – myself
• That I will be “F.A.T.” – faithful, available & teachable
• That I will maintain integrity and purity
• For input that will cause spiritual and personal growth.  Sometimes this requires outside sources when the church is focused on new believers.  I pray the Lord would bring them into my path.
• My wishes and dreams

After I pray for these needs, I rotate the cards back to the next numbered day that matches the day of the week.

(To be continued...)

 

*You can find Dick Eastman’s prayer map at www.EveryHomeForChrist.com.