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My life alongside God's word, volume 3. 'Daily Christian discipleship section. We read something of our Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching about “giving” in Luke 21:1-4 and Mark 12:41-44. “Giving” is passing over ownership of something that is yours to somebody else, expecting nothing from them or anyone else in return for doing it. We all use shops most days of the week. We spend our money in them, buying food or other things we need. When we put money into our church offering it is different from shopping because we are not going to take away anything in exchange. This general principle is from 1 Corinthians 16:1-4. The church there was going to help believers far away. They heard about their special need and they gave. From the gospel readings above: Think about these five Christian ways to give: 1. Give in the sight of Jesus. In the Jerusalem temple, the Court of the Women, our Lord watched people dropping money into “13 trumpet-shaped containers in the walls”. He always sees everything, even today. 2. Give worshipfully. Regular offerings were made as religious people came to pray. Two trumpets were for temple taxes. The other 11 were for voluntary gifts, some for a particular purpose, others not. Like the Jews the Muslims give their zakat roughly a 2.5% tax. For the Christian giving is a gift of God, 2 Corinthians 8:7. “Just as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us – see that you also excel in this grace of giving”. Believers are to be extremely good at giving. 3. Give sacrificially. Compared to people who donated large amounts but who left plenty for themselves, this widow chose not to keep anything herself but give every last penny she had to God’s work. She only had an extremely small amount of cash, but she held nothing back. What an example! She was totally reliant on God from now on. 4. Give, even if it is only a little. From God’s standpoint this widow had given Him the most – more than anyone else. She was disadvantaged by being poor and by being a widow. “She had almost no legal, religious, political or social status”. But, her next to nothing was everything! I’ll write that again. Her next to nothing was everything! 5. Give, in total trust and commitment to God. Until she worked again this widow may not eat. She relied on ‘Father in heaven’. Her money, like her life, was on the cross.

My life alongside God's word, volume 3. 'Daily Christian discipleship' section. Bible reading: Matthew 6:1-4, 19-21, 24. The first Sunday of 2015 Brenda and I visited a church 400 miles north of home, in order to meet up with someone who used to be in our congregation in Khartoum. She now serves God in South Sudan out of Nairobi, Kenya. That morning the pastor preached on “the gift of giving”, from 2 Corinthians 8:1-9. Of twelve dictionary meanings in English, the verb ‘to give’ here means: “to provide someone with something”, “to make someone (else) the owner of something you owned”. Taken together 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 teach all Christians about using our possessions to meet other people’s needs as well as our own. This applies even when we have few things. The example for us to follow is our Lord Jesus Christ: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich”, 8:9. “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift”, 9:15. Do not look at what other people are doing. Carefully think about Jesus. God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, was given to the world by God the Father for the potential spiritual benefit of the world population throughout all of time. God gave Himself. We must try to use a lot of ‘ourselves’ to bless others. The Greek word “gift” used in 9:15 is dorea, meaning a free gift. Christian giving is not forced in any way. Jesus must be the pattern for our Christian giving. When we look into the river or a watery swamp on a sunny day we can often see our faces reflected. Every time we look into God’s word, the Bible, we see reflections of our daily lives. To mature as Christian disciples we must understand where we presently fail. When we see we do not reach the set standard we must deliberately change our behaviour. So we become more like the Lord Jesus, who died to make us act and react Christianly in this life. In Matthew 6 our Lord Jesus is teaching His disciples, (see the beginning in 5:1-2). Having said several things about how differently His followers should live, compared to those around them, He comes to speak about money in 6:1-4. Giving money to relieve the poverty of other people is a Christian deed, an evidence of a genuine change in life’s values. Our Lord Jesus is expounding 6:20. He underlines real Christianity’s radical holiness. Our lifestyle must show that we know our God is watching us all of the time and in everything we do. We want to please Him 100%, every day and in every way. We are not interested at all in what other people see, or say or think. Notice by 6:2 our Lord Jesus assumes His followers will give. Jesus says, “when you give to the needy”. He does not say, “if you give”. Giving is not optional. Whenever we receive anything, some of it must be given to others who are in need. This applies to money we get for working, crops that are harvested from the ground, trees or animals, aid we are personally given, gifts we receive from others, rents we get, anything that comes to us from someone else or from our own human effort. We receive and so we give. In 6:4, having condemned all public show in giving, we learn that our benefit from this secret giving is a reward from God. We hide our giving from other people, but our all-seeing God will make sure we are blessed because of it. Here we must carefully avoid a trap many Christians fall into. We do not give so that God will give more back to us! Matthew 6:19-21 informs us of where our heart-affections should be focused. Christians who are real followers of our Lord Jesus Christ know that rewards in heaven are much more valuable than any “blessings” down here on earth. I put “blessings” in inverted commas because earthly, worldly blessings can be a heavy curse on those who have them. Even in Sudan and South Sudan some of you know from experience how quickly and easily houses, crops, lands, shops, churches and other community buildings, wells and other water supplies cause conflicts or can be demolished, destroyed or stolen, 6:19-20. Our Lord Jesus urges us to focus on “heaven” for our treasure, 6:21. Everything we value and see as most important ought to be out of this world, literally! Everything of most worth to Christians is in heaven, where God the Father lives in absolute control, 6:1. He has all the eternal benefits, gained by our Lord Jesus by His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, kept safe for us. They are in heaven where no earthly enemy actions, no natural disasters, no thieves, and even none of our own careless choices can corrupt them or take them away. Later in this teaching our Lord Jesus says that the birds and flowers we see around us daily are visual reminders of God’s promises to us, 6:25-34. The same Almighty God who supplies food to sunbirds, sparrows and who dresses the glorious bougainvillea, will give you enough to live on for as long as He wants you to live on this earth, 6:31-33. I paraphrase 6:24 as, “You must serve God or money. You cannot serve both”. If every Christian in Sudan/South Sudan served God by secretly helping other people who do not have life’s necessities, our situation would change.

My life alongside God's word, volume 3. The practical “loving of your enemy” stands a good chance of stopping violence. By it you show the difference that being a Christian makes to your everyday life. Our Lord Jesus teaches a revolutionary way of living in the following collection of His sayings. What follows is our Lord Jesus Christ speaking to His disciples, as recorded by Luke 6:27-38. He is telling us what He wants for us: “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to other (people) as you would have them do to you”. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you”. So, for our Lord Jesus, “Loving your enemy” and “doing good to people who hate you” (or appear to hate you) is at the heart of the Christian gospel. It was while we were still opposing God, disliking Him very much or at best largely ignoring Him, that our Lord Jesus freely gave His own perfect human life on the cross as a price for our salvation. Our Lord Jesus tells those who choose to follow Him through life, ten ways to treat people who try to harm them, not picking and choosing one or two ways, but rather doing all ten: 1. Love them, Luke 6:27, 35. 2. Do good to them, vs27, 35. 3. Bless them, vs28. 4. Pray for them, vs28. 5. Give to them, vs30, 38. 6. Put their rights before yours, vs31. 7. Be merciful to them, vs36. 8. Do not judge them, vs37. 9. Do not condemn them, vs37. 10. Forgive them, vs37. Yes, this is difficult to do. In fact, it is almost impossible. But Christians are called to pick up and carry their crosses, to follow their Lord, Luke 9:23. Let’s do it, now. Loving enemies and doing good to those who hate reflects exactly what God did for us. “While we were sinners and enemies of God, Christ died for us”, Romans 5:6,8. To love our enemies means to reflect the nature of God, who loved the world despite our rebellion, John 3:16. Just as Christ’s remarkable act of self-sacrificial love produced reconciliation between God and human beings, so our self-sacrificial love and service to others, in the power of the (Holy) Spirit, can break the cycle of hate and violence and produce authentic reconciliation”.

My life alongside God's word, volume 3. 'Daily Christian discipleship' section. In Ezekiel 1:1-3 we are introduced to a man who was a long way from his home. He was brought up in a priestly family. As a youngster he had witnessed some of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. His people around him were “exiles”, displaced, and most were treated as slave labour by the dominant Babylonians. It appears to have been Ezekiel’s 30th birthday, the day he would have expected to have been ordained into the Jerusalem priesthood for which he had been prepared. Instead all he could see around him was hopelessness, ruined dreams, and many people depressed in their circumstances, disillusioned with their God, and puzzled – if not downright angry – about God’s ‘unfulfilled’ promises. Not a very promising ‘congregation’! When we find ourselves away from where we feel we should be, either geographically, socially or spiritually, we do well to learn from four phrases in Ezekiel 1:1-3, see the bold type below. Verses 2-3 are written by the scribe and describe two things that happened to Ezekiel. The remainder of chapters 1-3 are the testimony of the priest himself, describing his dramatic call from God to become a prophet, 2:3-7 and watchman, 3:16-17 for the nation. 1. “The heavens were opened” 1:2 This phrase points us towards listening and seeing. A radio,TV, ‘phone or I-pad can be always there with us, but it is only when the devices are switched on and tuned in that we can hear and watch what is being sent to us. Even in the middle of tough times it is our Christian responsibility (and especially that of Christian leaders) to be alert for whatever God is revealing from heaven. More often than not this comes through private Bible reading and personal prayer, but sometimes by God’s grace we may have a special window into the future God wants us to minister towards. 2. “I saw visions of God” 1:2 These initial verses from 1:4 onwards describe an awesome Person, sovereign overall 1:26, able to move anywhere quickly 1:14, 20-21, to see everything everywhere 1:18, with the ability to do anything He wants 1:8. Ezekiel describes this being as, “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord”, see the end of 1:28. This is the “anthropomorphic reversal” of Genesis 1:26-27. The use of the words, “of God” is capable of two meanings in English. It may mean the visions were of God Himself, like a photograph shot of our family today, or, that the visions came from God. Reading on in the chapters we see both are true. Before the next stage of our ministries, to make us spiritually effective and practically fruitful, we must let the attributes of God Himself burn into our hearts, and His calling drive everything we seek to achieve. 3. “The word of the Lord came to Ezekiel” 1:3 Two particulars are in this phrase. It is God’s word that must be received and it is His message, especially to Ezekiel, that is vitally important. In our time there are many voices competing for our attention. Different Christian voices may seek to persuade us to go this way or do the other thing – ‘good ideas’ perhaps, but not ‘God’s idea’. It must be His voice we discern from all the rest. God’s voice is not only the best voice we must hear, it is the only voice to give us right purpose and full provision for the jobs He gives us. Ezekiel absorbed God’s word into and throughout his very being, 2:9-3:3. Ezekiel was prepared by God for the calling God created him for. It was only for Ezekiel. Yes he did have contemporary colleagues, but what he was challenged to do by God, Ezekiel alone had to do. It is the same for you and for me. Be what God made you for. Accomplish His plan for your life. 4. “The hand of the Lord was upon him there” 1:3 This phrase carries with it the twin ideas of placement and protection. It may not have been Ezekiel’s own idea of a career but it was definitely what God wanted for him. Because of this God would keep him alive until his required task was done. Over 42 years I have been in some dangerous places for Christian ministry – in South Vietnam, North & South Ireland, Indonesia and Sudan – and I have always been strengthened and known peace by the knowledge I was completely safe until God wants me with Him in heaven’s glory. This is true for you too. Finally look at the last word in this phrase. “There” describes the place of exile, the burden of slave labour, the disillusionment with God and the despair bred by hopelessness. It was in this terrible circumstance that Ezekiel met with his God in a life-changing and special way. Ezekiel did not have to make things improve before he had this encounter. When God chose to open His window, He offered Ezekiel the chance to look in. Ezekiel took it. I ask you to think about your position in life today. Where are you? Why are you? What are you? How are you? Next, deliberately choose to look away from yourself and focus the sight of your heart on your Father in heaven. Look and worship. Then listen. Clearly pick God’s voice from the rest. Enjoy the comfort of knowing your Shepherd’s voice even when His challenge to you is costly, John 10:11,14-15. Remember the Calvary price He paid for you.

My life alongside God's word, volume 3. 'Daily Christian discipleship' section. Some years ago my wife and I hosted a discipleship class using an acrostic: Discipleship Involves Submission to Christ In Practical Living Everyday. Disciples are followers of someone or something. Famous people in our world have thousands of followers on social networking sites. Followers find out as much as they can about their heroes. They dress like them, listen to them and begin to think like them. The very first followers of Christ Our Saviour started His life’s work by calling people to become His followers, Matthew 4:18-22, 9:9-13. These individuals left what they were doing and followed Him. What the disciples did can be seen by reading the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. We then can see that they fulfilled the dictionary definition of a disciple (above). I can see: 1.They paid attention to what the Lord Jesus was doing. 2.They did what He commanded or advised them to do. 3.They went along in the same direction as He did. 4.They were interested in His progress. 5.They began to really understand what He was saying. 6.They did the same as He was doing. 7.They showed in their own lives the truth of His life. R. C. Sproul defines Christian disciples as “those who are committed to follow Jesus as their Master”. Commitment tells of a cost, as one slave serving his master. Followers have to choose Christian men and women who want to be genuine disciples have to make many decisions every day. They are constantly called to choose between their way of living and God’s way. We are faced with the choice; remain like the world or become more like the Lord Jesus Christ. For all believers there is a wrong way and a right way to live. This is the spiritual struggle into which true Christians are born again. It begins in our minds – with our thoughts. These then influence our words and actions. Let’s read Romans 12:1-2 (italics mine): “Therefore, I urge you, brothers (and sisters), in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of (true and proper) worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will”. Having given the theology of the gospel in Romans 1-11, Paul makes immediate application in how to live for Jesus Christ – with Him as our Lord. The Old Testament sacrificial system of the tabernacle and temple was replaced by the New Testament command (and yes, it is a command – it is not optional) to “put ourselves alive on the altar. To be a Christian means to live a life of sacrifice, a life of presentation, making a gift of ourselves to God”. We do not sacrifice to make ourselves Christians, but because we are Christians we sacrifice ourselves. Followers change Being a true disciple, this kind of sacrifice will affect every part of my life. My family life will be patterned on God’s Word whether as a loyal and loving husband, a spiritual and submissive wife, or an honouring and obedient child. My work life will reflect God’s values; not stealing time or materials, breaking business confidences or telling lies. My ethics will be those the Lord Jesus Christ would have in my situation. I decide to care for my friends and neighbours, putting their welfare even above my own and meeting their needs as I am able. I ensure that my Christian service will mirror my Lord. I will sacrifice myself using my skills, health and time for the spreading of the gospel by word and deed. The way I use my money and other resources God has loaned me will honour Him and His ways – thus being totally different to the non-Christian people around me. A new believer who wants to know God’s will for his life may find it by prayerfully reading and studying the Word of God. This will help him to start thinking like God, and his new mind will develop new values. In everyday life these values will soon make him stand out from the crowd. By what he does he will be known to be a follower of Jesus Christ. When a man knows what God loves and hates it is quite easy for him to choose what to do – one’s choices following the pattern of His thoughts, which are now becoming his own! Followers cultivate Figuratively, we who are Christian disciples live near the foot of the cross of our Lord Jesus. We learn to cross out the wrong and to cultivate the right in our lives. Yes, we do make mistakes. But we learn from them and seek to avoid them in the future. Using definitions from our dictionary we see that “cultivate”, to prepare ground for growing crops, is an important word for Christian disciples. Through the Holy Spirit we prepare ourselves to produce spiritual fruit. Digging, weeding, feeding and protecting are all involved. A cultivated person is well educated and knows how to behave politely. We might say that a cultivated Christian lives a style of life that radiates the holiness, grace and love of Jesus Christ to everyone with whom he or she has contact. As in gardening or farming, preparation is the key to producing a good crop. The follower’s cost Our Lord told His first disciples that following Him would not be easy. Through them He likewise warned us: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it”, Luke 9:23-24. Jesus Himself counted the cost and lived every day in God’s honour. The cross on which He was executed was part of following His Father’s will, and in Gethsemane He chose crucifixion rather than release Luke 22:42-44. Giving honour and obedience were seen throughout His life – even as a child of 12 years Luke 2:49; Matthew 3:17, 17:5; John 15:10. Notice that in Luke 9:23 the decision to follow Jesus had to be made at least once every 24 hours. The followers “L” In many countries, people learning to drive have to have a red letter “L” attached to their motorbikes or cars. Here are seven “L’s” of the first disciples. They: Let go of their old ways in life Lived with Jesus Christ, the traveling teacher Learned from Him as He explained Scripture (the Old Testament) to them Listened to Him Looked at Him Looked more and more like Him as time went by Loved God with their heart, soul, mind and strength, and their neighbours likewise Mark 12:30-31. Followers speak without words When Christians live as followers of Jesus all day, every day, those around will take notice. Could it be that some do not follow Christ now because we do not follow Christ closely enough? True Christian discipleship speaks every language in the world. It is a picture for everybody to see our Saviour. No one is beyond the reach of believers who live like the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 2:12, 2:1-2; 1 John 2:6, 3:1-3. First published in Grace & Truth Magazine, April 2015.

My life alongside God's word, volume 3. 'Daily Christian discipleship' section. Christians do work as their worship For the Christian all of life is integrated worship. This obviously includes his or her church life. Sometimes overlooked are his home life, her family life, her social life and his work life. Every one of these aspects of life must be seen as genuine “worship” for the true follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, just as much as singing and clapping through songs in and around the Sunday services. Worship means, to give honour to God, to declare He alone is worthy of special praise, prayer and service, not only on Sundays but each day of every week. “True worship is done in love, truth, respect and humility”. Replace the word ‘worship’ with ‘work’ (in bold twice above) and read the lines again. Since most people work for at least eight hours, five or six days a week, work is the single thing we spend more time doing than anything else in life, except for sleeping! This alone makes it essential that Christians see work as a big part of their worship, deliberately offered to God. To work means “to have a job”, usually one that you are paid to do, and, “to spend time and use physical or mental effort trying to achieve something”. In physics work is, “the process of changing energy from one form into another, usually in order to make something move or operate”. A person’s wages are part of themselves converted into pounds or dollars. In the Bible God is seen to work in the Creation account. Nine phrases are used to describe God’s work in Genesis 1:1-2:3. Many of them are repeated. Here are the first time uses: “God created”, 1:1; “God said”, 1:3; “God saw”, 1:4; “God called”, 1:5; “God made”, 1:7; “God set”, 1:17; “God blessed”, 1:22; “God gave”, 1:29; and “God rested”, 2:2. Look for them again in the chapters. I love Genesis 2:2, “By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing”. To finish is to complete something. God built incredibly long-lasting systems into our world to govern our time, our space, our boundaries, and our reproduction, each “according to their various kinds”, 1:11-12, 1:21, 1:24-25, so that seasons, climate and the land would each meet the needs of life for all. What a great God we worship! And do not miss Genesis 1:27, human beings are “created in the image of God”. God the Son, our Lord Jesus Christ on earth, was “the image of the invisible God”, Colossians 1:15. The only person ever to live with no sin, Jesus was 100% so like God, people who saw Him actually saw God. God displayed Himself in Jesus. What God did Jesus did. And remember, Jesus studied as a student, Luke 2:46-47, 51-52; He worked as a carpenter, Luke 3:23, Mark 6:3, Matthew 13:55; He worked as a travelling teacher, He worked miracles to meet other peoples’ needs for food, health and safety. You and I are to be like Him – in His image – in our attitudes to all of the work we do. Psalm 111 describes “the works of the Lord”, vs.2. Do you see your work in the same way that God obviously sees His? Since you are in His image, you surely should? Work is, “great, delightful, glorious, majestic, memorable, providing, powerful, faithful, just, trustworthy, and upright”, vs.2-9, etc. It is true that hard, tough and difficult work is the result of humankind’s fall into sin, Genesis 3:17-19. But work itself is not a curse. The Genesis account shows how man was to work in the Garden of Eden even before the Fall, Genesis 2:4-5, 15, 19-20. All people are designed to work by our Creator God. To deny this by doing as little work as possible is to fight against God’s plan for our lives. Worldly people may do this, but Christians are called to be different. We must lead others by our example, Genesis 3:23-24, 4:2; Exodus 20:8-11; Proverbs 18:9. The earliest Church had collections to make sure no-one suffered unbearable hardship in times of oppression and famine, Acts 4:32-37, 11:27-30; 1 Corinthians 16:1-3; 2 Corinthians 8:1-7. Christians knew it was wrong for people to be idle when they should be working to provide for themselves and share with the wider families, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15; 1 Timothy 6:17-19. The letters have strong words criticising any who do not work as they should. “… Take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed”, 2 Thessalonians 3:14. Early believers understood from Creation, and from the character of God Himself, that their work was a vitally important part of their Christian lives, and therefore of their Christian worship. People were urged to worship seven days a week by offering their worldly work to God, seeing it as a sacrifice of praise. “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. … Be transformed by the renewing of your mind”, Romans 12:1-2. The Hebrew word pa’al means ‘to work, act or function’. As’ah means ‘to make, to do or to create’. Ma’aseh describes ‘labour and behaviour’. God shows His love by His mighty acts for people. The Greek word ergon means ‘employment or task’. Ergasia means ‘a work, a business or a performance’. The verb ergazomai means ‘to earn by working’, and katergazomai means ‘to achieve by toil’. Do you show love by your work? God places these words in the Bible so that we Christians will learn how to work as worship. Work is not separate from our worship. It is a vital part of it.

My life alongside God's word, volume 3. 'Daily Christian discipleship' section. An anniversary is a date when people celebrate something important that has happened in a previous year. I have many photos that remind me of events like teaching at a pastors’ conference in Bahri, preaching to young people in Arabic ministries near Suk 2 Khartoum, taking a service in Fittihab ECS, travelling to speak in El Obied, El Gedaref and Port Sudan SPEC churches. All these events were in the last century! The month of May in recent years holds many sad memories for Sudanese people. It is the anniversary of: • North fighting a war with Southerners in Abyei, over oil, in 2008. • North occupying Abyei, a then disputed border region, in 2011. • Sudan pledging to pull out and resume bilateral talks on Abyei, in 2012. • Conflict between Southerners displacing over 1million people and forcing 5 million (almost entirely Southerners) on to humanitarian aid in order to live, in 2014. • Only God knows what is going to happen in Sudan and South Sudan during 2015/2016/2017. (I write this 13/04/15). Jesus may even return! In case He does not, let us keep praying for a just peace to come. When Joshua erected a memorial of twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan river at the very first campsite they made in the promised land, it was to act like an anniversary. In following years, every time people saw the memorial stones they were to remember what God had done in drying up the Jordan river until everybody had safely crossed, see Joshua 3:14-4:13. Christians regularly remember the human body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ when celebrating Communion, sometimes called the Lord’s Table, the Lord’s Supper, Breaking of Bread or the Eucharist, see 1 Corinthians 11:24- 25. Jesus sacrificed Himself to get into the position where He could be the Saviour of the world. It is a ‘bloody’ feast, but it is Jesus’ pure sinless blood that makes it effective. Only Jesus is Mediator between human beings and God. A life-transforming encounter with the Lord Jesus is God’s appointed Way for people to become His people. I have written in the front of a small New Testament, in my own young handwriting: “On 23rd June 1962 I became a Christian through the efforts of a Hounslow Youth For Christ team”. (Hounslow is on the west side of London). Seeing this reminds me of what God has done in my life. My wife Brenda and I may go out for a special meal on the anniversary of that day. What anniversaries or memorials, will you think of this month? A touched wedding ring may remind you of loving promises. Eaten bread and wine do show the eternal salvation you have begun to experience now. A national and international peace accord will surely mean a lot when it is reached between Sudan and South Sudan, and between the various factions in both countries. So, “We pray for all in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our Saviour”, part of 1 Timothy 2:1-6. We pray, and we keep on doing all the good that we can.

My life alongside God's word, volume 3. 'Daily Christian discipleship' section. The fifth of the Ten Commandments reads: “Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you”, Exodus 20:12. The reference to “land” was to the Promised Land, which Israel was to soon enter and possess. It does not give a clear promise for today. The need for children, especially Christians, to treat their parents thoughtfully and in ways that show we know they are important to us, however, is always current and valid. Our Lord Jesus quoted this official order from God in Matthew 19:18-19. Paul used it in Ephesians 6:1-3, quoting Deuteronomy 5:16, and including the promise of long life while leaving out any special land. Personal Reflections My Dad lived to a good age before dying of cancer in a London hospital. My Mum was killed outright in a head-on car accident when I was just 23 years old. Having become a born-again Christian believer as a child of 11 years, I have always tried to love, respect and thank my parents, and honour their memory. I recall two incidents where a clash of wills made this very challenging. I admit I may not have acted properly at the time. It was difficult to reconcile what I believed God wanted me to do with what my parents, especially my Dad, wanted for me. Of course, as a teenager I thought I knew everything. The first incident This was when I was 13 and I wanted to be baptised by immersion as a believer. Dad said, “No”, because I had already been baptised as a baby. I believed, and still do, that we should take a public stand for our Lord Jesus Christ by going through the waters of baptism after being personally converted. As it happened I waited a year at my Mum’s suggestion (along with the church’s wise youth leader). When I eventually was baptised my Dad came to the service, for which I was very grateful. I believe he could see my life was changing as I followed my Saviour. Praise God! The second incident This was six years later. I had felt increasingly that God was calling me into Christian ministry and I wanted to go to theological college. I was already serving God in youth work and in my local church, but my Dad once more said, “No”. This time Mum, Dad and I came to an agreement discussing my future together. I started working for a bank and studied for and passed my banking exams. I also saved money from my wages towards training at a Christian college. I did little else. Mum and Dad saw this and, after a while, said they would not stand in my way any longer. In fact they were a terrific help in every way they possibly could be. I am still thankful to God for the obstacles my parents put in my way because they actually served to strengthen and confirm the call God had given me. I am also pleased and humbled that my folks could see God at work in my life. Some years into my mission service in UK and visiting Africa, Dad was not able to get out much because of his health. His “church” became a weekly BBC TV programme that was broadcast from an individual’s house to the nation for 30 minutes every Sunday morning. One day it was televised from Dad’s home. Dad was able to give his testimony of God’s faithfulness to him and to tell of his love of gardening, hospitality to students from all round the world and his “power-house of prayer” for them and others. On the programme there was a five-minute slot for a message. Dad asked the BBC if I could give it. They agreed. Last Christmas, my wife and I gave DVDs of that programme to all of Mum and Dad’s children and grandchildren. We felt it was a way that Dad could speak to his descendants, perhaps for several generations to come. In this he and I would speak together, with one voice and one message. Your parents Your parents gave you your existence. Thank them by becoming what God intended you to be. Honour their memory. If they were believers, share their story of faith with your own children. Pass it on! “Honour (respect, treat with integrity, give serious attention to) your father and mother”. First published in Grace & Truth Magazine, November 2014. Slightly altered here.

My life alongside God's word, volume 3. 'Everybody living happily together' section. – by Manase Woja Alfred God created every people – all tribes, clans and families to live together because they are all created in His image and placed to live in this world together. Every tribe is created in order to worship God. Tribes are created for God’s glory. As South Sudanese we should be proud and celebrate because each one of us belongs to a specific tribe. You should celebrate because God gives you your tribe and it’s name. God knows your tribe. We are created and decreed to live together as different unique tribes in South Sudan. These uniquely different tribes have corporately formed one nation called South Sudan. Because of this we have a great reason to celebrate. South Sudan would not be complete if one tribe were omitted from it. No tribe should look down upon any other tribe. No tribe should claim that it is better than the other tribes. Whether a tribe is small or big, all are created by God to live together and to glorify God who has placed them in South Sudan to live peacefully together as one great nation. All tribes in South Sudan must accept one another as a unique creation by God. Despite differences in cultures, languages, colour, shape and height, we must accept each other as together the people of our one beloved nation. The Bible says that before Genesis 11 the whole world was one tribe speaking one language. Because the people were one they decided to build a city that would reach heaven to make a name, a reputation for themselves. God saw what they were doing and commented that if as one people of one language men were doing that, nothing would be impossible for them to do. So God scattered them and confused their language. People were scattered all over the world, Genesis 11:1-9. This resulted in the formation of different tribes speaking a whole variety of languages. That was how your tribe came to exist in what is now South Sudan. Your tribe was placed here in South Sudan to be one of the tribes that form our new nation of that name. I have a reason to celebrate because God created me in a tribe of Kakwa, a name given by God to a tribe that has settled in a place called Yei, a name also given by God. Kakwa is among the tribes that formed South Sudan. I must celebrate because Kakwa is one of the tribes that God has created to live together with all the other tribes in South Sudan. This may be easier said than done and so I want to provoke our thinking about this. For us to live together in this prosperous, green, beautiful and unique land of South Sudan, there are practical steps, which can lead us into a better society. Among them are the following: a) As South Sudanese we must accept one another as people of different tribes called to live together as one nation. b) We must respect all tribes. We should not mock or look down upon other tribes by giving them caricatures and critical names. As South Sudanese we all know with which names we mock other tribes. This is wrong and must stop. c) No tribe should feel inferior or superior to the other tribes. d) Tribe should never be made as a standard or base for qualification or appointment. e) Tribe should not be used to discriminate between the people of one nation. f) There should be intermarriages freely among all the tribes of South Sudan. g) Anybody from any tribe should be free to live, work and own land, in any part of South Sudan whether he/she belongs to the dominant tribe living in that particular place or not. h) Each tribe should respect and accept other tribes’ cultures, languages and traditions. No culture, language and tradition are better than others. We should be proud in South Sudan because we have such rich languages, cultures and other traditions. No culture, language or tradition from other tribes should be forced upon any other tribe. i) No tribe should oppress any other tribe. If we follow these among many other practical steps, we will build a strong, prosperous and peaceful South Sudan. May God help us to do so, determinedly, securely and well.

My life alongside God's word, volume 3. 'Everybody living happily together' section. – by Simon Kuengbuny Pal “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his court with praise, give thanks to him and praise his name”, Psalm 100:4. Introduction We are taught from God’s word to enter His gates with thanksgiving, that is a thanks offering, in our hearts and to enter His court, that is His special presence, with praises. (See Leviticus 7:11-15; 2Chronicles 29:31, 31:2, 33:16). However, the verse above in Psalm 100 opens up our eyes in a bigger way regarding the power of these thanksgiving and praises. Indeed, it is through your thanksgiving and your praises that the gateways are opened so that God will come to you, or shall we say, to us. There is something about thanksgiving that is fragrant. Thanksgiving is an aroma that draws God’s attention to us in an irresistible way. I am challenging and inviting you to set aside a nice and a quiet chunk of your time to lift up to God everything you are grateful for. Lavishly and extravagantly thank our heavenly Father for these things. I found this spiritual exercise was so powerful and therapeutic for me. The Lord encourages us to give sacrifices in the form of praises as it is clear from another Psalm that says, “He who sacrifices thank offerings honours me, and he prepares the way, so that I may show him the salvation of God”, Psalm 50:23. The following five categories are ways you can show your gratitude to our Father in heaven: 1. Give thanksgiving to God for our preservation When we look around us in our villages, and our counties, and even the world at large, we see and hear much sad news. We see heart-breaking events and many destructive incidents. We need to give thanksgiving to God for how He has preserved our families and us in such a special way. We are no better than those who have fallen victims to the events. Only His preserving mercies have covered us and protected us from being part of those incidents and casualty statistics. We have an example from the Bible about the power of praises and thanksgiving, which protected the Israelites from being overcome by their enemies when they were marching around Jericho’s walls. On the last day they were going around the city and singing praises to God, Joshua 6:1-21. The result was victory and God preserved them from their enemies. Like them, we must do what God tells us. 2. Give thanksgiving for His provision to us Provision of our needs, wants and likes are the things that we always rehearse in our daily prayers and talking. In our Lord’s prayer we have asked God to give us our daily bread, Matthew 6:9-13, especially verse 11. Daily bread is one of the things that our God provides, but He also gives us health, friends, families and other blessings, including some things that we have not asked for. God provides our needs because He cares for us. So we need to thank Him for both what and how He has provided for us. We ought not to take God’s abundant provision for granted. Thanksgiving is a duty of the believer. It has to be one word often and sincerely used in our vocabularies. Once it is meaningfully done it becomes like an aroma that perfumes the rooms or the dresses. It attracts God’s presence to us. It somehow makes God closer and happier. We give Him something He really wants. 3. Give thanksgiving for His purpose for us Each one in the world, every person – man, woman or child – the God of creation has brought him or her into this universe with a purpose. No one has ever come to this world accidentally. God has a purpose for you and for me. He has purpose for your life. He purposes to make us prosper2 and to make us great and to build us to His likeness, if we dearly and closely follow Him and put Him in our hearts as our Saviour, Creator and Master. We need to give God thanksgiving for all of the ways He has encircled our lives with His purpose. 4. Give thanksgiving for His presence with us God’s presence is felt on many occasions by His dependability, especially in the times of chaos and difficulties. We can always rely on Him. Whenever you are faced by hardships and you are saved or delivered from them, you may say together with Psalmist that, “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever”, Psalm 30:11-12. You must thank God for His very presence in everything and at all times and on every occasion. 5. Give thanksgiving for our prayers and His listening Whenever a person prays among us, we expect some answers from God. In most cases we expect an immediate answer, because of the urgency of the situation we are in, or the urgency of what we need. Here, thanksgiving to God and an attitude of thankfulness are very necessary for each one of us. God is happy when we thank Him for what He gave us after our prayers, as an answer for what we have requested from Him. Thank God for all the answered prayers, even when the answer is not exactly what we would have chosen for ourselves. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Thank God for His mercies in answering the prayers. Thanksgiving is the continuous and permanent key for future answers whenever we pray. Thanksgiving for answered prayers is our declaration of God’s sovereignty, our recognition of His strength, His ability and willingness to hear us, and to communicate with us whenever we need Him. He is there to listen in our mundane, everyday living. He is also there to listen in our times of crisis. There is in fact never a time we do not need Him! Conclusion Remember to be lavish and make time for thanksgiving and praises to God. You are going to find that, this not only grants you a breakthrough for things you are looking for on the horizon, but you will find a transfer or shift that actually happens within yourself. I want to assure you that it is an amazing thing. Just go ahead and do it! Do not forget to give thanksgiving to God for all the privileges He has given you in your life. Thank Jesus for His love. Thank Him for your life, your family, your job, your fellowship and your friends. Thank Him for Himself, His preservation of you, His provision for you, His purpose for you, His presence with you, and His answering of your prayers. “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LordI, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: to show forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night”, Psalm 92:1-2 (KJV), (italics mine). “It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night”, Psalm 92:1-2 (NIV).

My life alongside God's word, volume 3. 'Everybody living happily together' section. – by Joseph Noel Sati Please read Genesis 15:1-21. What is your biggest worry? Do you know that you’re not the first to worry and you will not be the last. The good news is that God understands our struggles and patiently helps us to overcome all of these and hold on to the hope we have in Him. For He is Yahweh (I am who I am) the Great and the Almighty, Exodus 3:13-14. In this reflection we will see how Abram, who is called righteous by God, went through a tough experience similar to any you might experience or you may have gone through already. This Scripture record is to encourage us all not to fear but rather to believe and to trust in Yahweh (God). God is our shield, we should not focus on our problems – Genesis 15:1-3 God is our shield in all times. From the previous chapter we know Abram has just came out of war where he went to rescue his relative Lot, his brother’s son. He had a great victory over the people of that land. But being a stranger among them he had two fears: - He had the fear of the people. Being a stranger in a foreign land he thought people might attack or harm him - He also feared the real world that was full of evil around him as well as good. That is why God talked to him in vision, one of the ways God talks to His people. Abram had a heavenly visit. “After these things the word of God came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward”. God Himself promised that He was and would always be Abram’s shield or, in another word, protector. Reflecting on our context in South Sudan, where we have been through and are still going through many civil wars and armed conflicts bringing insecurity in many places, we need to hold on to God’s promises of Him being our shield. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 91:1-2, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’”. He realised what we all need to understand, that God promised by Himself and nothing else, to be our Defender, Shelter, Protector and Guard, in every one of our daily circumstances. In Old Testament Hebrew God is Yahweh (I am who I am), “… Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield (or sovereign), your very great reward”, Genesis 15:1. Do not focus on your problem: rather trust Him Abram, although being given the promises, had not yet received any tangible things to assure him these promises would be true. He acted honestly and confessed his biggest worry, which was that he did not have a child of his own and so Eliezer of Damascus would become his heir. This is what had been taking Abram‘s mind even after God had promised to be his shield. Still he needed to be sure that his own offspring (whom he did not yet have!) would be his heir. God had patiently helped Abram understand and be sure of his promise that his heir will be his own offspring. God gave him a clear example by bringing him outside to count all of the stars in heaven, if he could! His offspring who will come from him will be such a great number. No-one else’s child will be his heir. Abram believed God and that was counted as righteousness to him, vs. 5-6. Many of us, with all the available promises of God in the Scripture, continue to live with fears and worries of who will hear us, or, in the situation that we may be going through we think that God has forgotten us and so we look for tangible things to hold on to instead of God. However, God wants us to believe in Him and His mighty power, for since He can create the stars in heaven by just His word, then nothing at all will be too difficult for Him. Therefore we need to hold on to his promises because there is great reward for those who wait upon the Lord and His promises. He is never too late as the apostle Paul wrote in Roman 8:25, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience”, and Isaiah 40: 31 in the Old Testament says, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint”. God who keeps His promises – Genesis 15:4-6 As a practical example to Abram that his offspring will be many like the number of stars, which is a figurative speech simply meaning they will be so many as cannot be counted. Abram believes and that is counted as righteousness to him, for to believe is to trust God for things that we have not seen or touched, just as we believe God for His nature, Who and how great He is, and that is counted as righteousness . Abram did not get into an argument with God by asking “how?”, or “why is it taking so long?”, or even, “when will it happen?”. He just simply believed that it would happen since God had said so. We are called to learn this lesson of faith and believe in God’s words for He is not a man to lie. It is our struggle many times over, especially when we want something and it takes a much longer time then we expect. We can be tempted to look for short cuts, which will never work (Abram later did try one but disastrously failed in it). Believing can sound so simple. It is only required from us to trust God and count on His words being true and reliable, but this is where the hard part comes in. We always want to do something for ourselves so that we can feel good and satisfy our own desires. But you are called today just to believe, Hebrews 6:11, and to wait patiently for God to fulfil His promises in our lives. This should also be our belief and trust in God for the situation of South Sudan, our country. God knows and controls the future – Genesis 15:7-16 Abram asked for a sign to understand how he would possess the land. God gave him a solemn and certain promise it would happen and God asked him to offer a sacrifice for that purpose. The incident that happened during the sacrifice tells the future of Abram’s offspring. It reveals to us God’s nature of knowing what kind of future the offspring of Abram are going to face. They are going to be sojourners in a strange land for four hundred years (four generations) and then God will bring them out to the promise land. Abram did not complain about it. He just submitted to God’s sovereign plan recognising His Lordship over all. He received the promise that he will live longer and go to his Father in peace, both rewards for his belief and his faithfulness to God. God’s covenant and promises are for our good – Genesis 15:17-21 God made that covenant with Abram and gave him the details of the territory, which later the children of Abram would inherit. This confirmed to Abram about the land that he would one day possess. God answered all his questions, and not only that went on to make a solemn covenant with him. Looking through these Scriptures helps us to understand that God is the God who keeps His covenant and, once again, it requires us to just believe. Yet sometimes, or actually many times, we think we can do something to help God out! This is where we miss, and often prolong, the fulfilment of His promises to us. Therefore allow me to urge you (here including myself) to believe and not to try to do something “to help God out”. Always seek to quietly obey God and rely on Him to act despite the context or the situation you are living in. Let us believe that God has heard our prayers for South Sudan and Sudan, and He will deliver us from all evil and one day we will celebrate His goodness in both of our lands. The story of Abram’s faith and belief in God is narrated to us in the Scripture, to teach us and remind us that: God is there to protect us as He has promised by Himself for He is Yahweh (I am who I am). He is the One who appeared to Moses in the burning bush later in the Scripture and the One who came in flesh as Jesus to redeem us from sin and the power of darkness, to bring us into the freedom of His salvation by grace. He keeps His promises no matter what has happened. He knows the future for He is omniscient, and His plans are always for our good. When He makes a covenant with us He does not break it at any time or in any case. We have seen this with Abram and all those who believe in Him. Let us shelter in Him and focus on Him, because our God alone is our strong Deliverer.

My life alongside God's word, volume 3. Prayer section. – by George Tabaan The Minister of Cabinet Affairs for the Republic of South Sudan, Dr. Martin Elia Lomoru, on Christmas Day 25th December 2014, urged the Church to pray for the Government, and for peace to prevail. This was because of the challenges facing the country. When I heard that, I noted it as a very important message to the Church, made up of the members of the congregation he was addressing on that day, plus many more in the Body of Christ. The message was not only meant for the bishops, the priests or other clergy as some may think, but to the whole Body of Christ. The Church is the highest level of government or authority that God uses on the face of the earth. And when the Church prays, God moves, Isaiah 9:6-7. Believers are all called to exercise this authority through intercessory prayer. What is prayer? Prayer is communication with God. It takes different forms, but basically it occurs when mankind talks with God and God talks with mankind. Praying is to the spiritual life what breathing is to the physical life. God speaks to us through His word, the Bible. We must respond to God in worship, adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. Prayer is described as: Calling upon the name of the Lord, Genesis 12:8; beseeching the Lord, Exodus 32:11; pouring out the soul, 1 Samuel 1:15; crying to heaven, 2 Chronicles 32:20; looking to God and pleading with the Almighty, Job 8:5; looking up, Psalm 5:3; lifting up the soul Psalm 25:1; crying unto God, Psalms 27:7, 34:6; seeking the face of the Lord, Psalm 27:8; pouring out the heart, Psalm 62:8; drawing near to God, Psalm 73:28, Hebrews 10:22. (Please note, the precise wording may vary in different Bible translations, but the concepts are clearly there). Prayer involves not just talking to God, it also involves listening. Prayer is communion, a two-way conversation that lasts long over time. When you pray, expect God to speak back to you. Most often He does this through His written word or by a still, small voice that seems to speak to your heart. Sometimes He will give you a vision or will interpret back to your spirit what you have prayed. Do not only present your requests to God without taking time to hear from Him. Allow time for Him to speak to you. He will give answers to your questions, guidance for the day ahead, and help you order your priorities. Sometimes He will give you a special message of encouragement to share with someone for whom you are interceding. Levels of prayer The three levels of intensity in prayers are: asking, seeking and knocking: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened”, Matthew 7:7-8. Asking is the first level of prayer. It is simply presenting a request to God and receiving an immediate answer. In order to receive, the condition is to ask, “… You do not have, because you do not ask God”, James 4:2. Seeking is the second and a deeper level of prayer. This is the level of prayer where answers are not as immediate as at the asking level. The 120 people who were gathered in the upper room, where they continued in prayer, are an example of seeking. These men and women sought fulfilment of the promised coming of the Holy Spirit and they continued seeking until the answer came, Acts 1:12-2:4. Knocking is the third and deepest level of prayer. It is prayer that is persistent when answers are longer in coming. It is illustrated by the parable Jesus told in Luke 11:5-10. It is also illustrated by the persistence of Daniel, who continued to knock on God’s door, despite the fact that he saw no visible results because Satan hindered the answer from God, Daniel 10:12-14. Definition of intercession Intercession is defined as “the action of intervening on behalf of another” or “the action of saying a prayer on behalf of another person”. An “intercessor” is “one who takes the place of another” or “pleads another’s case”. When you pray thisway for other people, for your country, or for the nations of the world, you are interceding. Intercession and prayer are the breath of the Church. Human beings cannot live without breath. Fish cannot survive without water. The Church cannot be a healthy living Church without prayer and intercession. When the country is in trouble, we always point the finger of blame at the government and not the Church. Yes, we can blame the government, but what is the Church doing about such situations since the Church is the highest level of authority on the face of the earth? Christ did not say that ‘upon this government I will build my Church’. He said, “On this rock (the believers) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it”, (will not prove stronger than it - NIV alternative footnote), Matthew 16:18. The Church is believers who believe in the power of intercessory prayer and will not allow the wicked forces to triumph. The Lord gave Beverly Pegues, the co-President of Window International Network, a word during their 17th-23rd March 2013 African Leadership Training Summit on the 10/40 Window, held in the Nile Beach hotel, Juba, South Sudan. This is what she said about the vision: “I saw Arabs in Khartoum seated around a table negotiating the plight of South Sudan. They discussed whether they should go to war to keep South Sudan from becoming an independent nation. These Muslim leaders decided to allow South Sudan to secede from Sudan and to sign the Comprehensive Peace Plan. They reasoned that the South Sudan leaders lacked the education, intelligence, experience and work ethic to successfully develop their new country. They declared that the intertribal warfare would also render the South ineffective, vulnerable, and substantially decrease the population. At that point, these Muslim leaders surmised it would be easy for the North to reclaim the South and acquire their abundant oil and natural resources. Handling the succession this way, the Muslim leaders schemed to position themselves to be viewed as heroes to the international community. The Lord God revealed the tactics of the enemies of the Republic of South Sudan”. “After I shared this vision, brother Amos from Nigeria stated that he saw exactly what I described on Aljazeera Television News the evening before the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed”! This vision was revealed to the Church so we could pray over the exposed schemes of the enemies of South Sudan. In Mark 4:22 our Lord Jesus says, “ For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open”. Those who attended the summit did not take it seriously enough to mobilise the Church and destroy the scheme of the enemy. Nine months after the vision the 15th December 2013 conflict took place confirming some of the things mentioned in the vision. The conflict led into rebellion and it is still going on between the two warring parties, the Government of South Sudan and the Rebels in opposition. No peace deal is reached yet (12th June 2015). I don’t know what is going to happen next if we don’t stand in the gap to pray about what was revealed in the vision, listening carefully to our God. Churches in South Sudan should do something about this by crying out to the Lord to intervene on behalf of our nation. Otherwise the situation in the nation will not change. God’s people must commit themselves to 24 hours/7 days a week intercessory prayer until shalom is established and all of the suffering stopped. A call to intercessory prayer For centuries during the first and second civil wars, 1955- 1972 and 1983-2005, and before token independence 2005- 2011, the Church had been meeting for prayer and intercession. It was a central part of churches’ life, an indispensable part of the weekly programme. I know that in the first civil war, the Church played a significant role not only in intercessory prayer but also in advocating and mediating for peace until the Addis Ababa agreement was signed in 1972. The role the Church played was recognised as significant even by the international community. For the 10 years between 1972 and 1983 there was relative peace in Sudan and I believe the Church continued to pray for an everlasting peace. In 1983 war broke out again and this was the worst civil war ever in the world. It claimed the lives of many people because the root cause of the conflict was not addressed. The Church within and without the country, prayed and advocated for war to stop. In 1989, the University of Juba was relocated to Khartoum because of the intensity of war and insecurity in the south of Sudan. Many Sudanese Christians from the south were taken to settle in Khartoum and other parts of the three cities. As a result of the Christian presence, local churches were planted and they had dynamic praying meetings and outreach programmes. Groups such as Young Christian Fellowship (YCF), Campus Crusade and the Fellowship of Christian University Students in Sudan (FOCUSS), had a tremendous impact among the youth and the churches, in spite of a hostile Islamic environment. Intercessory prayer meetings such as the Global Day of Prayer and the National Day of Prayer that included forgiveness and repentance were very important key times. These had great impact before the independence of South Sudan. After the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and especially Independence on 9th July 2011, the South Sudanese were proud of the new nation that God had given them on a silver plate. It was a great victory and everybody knew it was God who intervened for South Sudan to peacefully break away from Sudan, without any conflict, the result of the prayers of many believers across the globe. But the people of South Sudan did not continue their long commitment to God. Many people became so busy to develop a new life for themselves and a lot turned to corruption. Cases of crime in the capital are very high even now and people are still living in fear. The authorities are not doing enough to protect people. The Church was supposed to bring hope to the people. But something seems wrong that is stopping the churches fulfilling their mandate as the highest authority on the face of the earth. What was once a major emphasis of church activities during difficult times, as in the early church, Acts 4:23-31, has been considered less important, or worse, ignored by most members. Furthermore many prayer meetings today involve little prayer. Even in meetings setaside for prayer, some people come late and leave early before time, plus other activities typically crowd in leaving little time for adoration, confession, intercession and thanksgiving to the Lord. Praying meetings have become a special gathering for a few dedicated members rather than the weekly activity of most members. Questions one may ask are: ‘what has happened?’ and ‘where is the problem?’ One would have thought that the Church had few greater priorities than her relationship to God in prayer and reaching out in evangelism to her neighbours. All our churches need to recognise that authentic Christians are those who really love God, real Christians are those who love to read the Bible, love to pray or intercede, and real Christians are people who hate sin. Church members should not be counted on the basis of how many attend the Sunday service, but by how many attend the Bible study and intercessory prayer meetings. A hunger for God’s word and a desire to pray are some of the first evidences of the new birth. The more of God’s word we study the more we want to pray. The more we pray the greater our compulsion to share the Gospel with the unsaved all around us. This was what the early churches experienced. As they laboured in intensive, heartfelt prayer, they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they went out and proclaimed God’s word boldly, Acts 4:31. The Church is called to be “a House of Prayer for all nations”. Intercession, evangelism and mission should be indispensable parts in every congregation. The prophet Samuel described prayerlessness as sin, 1 Samuel 12:23. The Bible places great emphasis on prayer, “Pray continually”, 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Quoting the reformer John Knox’s prayer, “Give me Scotland or I die!” it was no wonder Mary Queen of Scots declared that she was more afraid of the prayers of John Knox than of an army of tens of thousands! I pray that God may raise someone like John Knox to cry out to God: “Give me South Sudan and Sudan or I die”! We are not only called to pray or intercede when there is a crisis, but to intercede continually beyond crises. Many believers in Sudan and South Sudan are keenly aware of the spiritual forces at work both within and without their congregations over many years. Conflicts seen in Darfur, Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile and in South Sudan, show every day people created in the image of God brutally mistreated and dying. Unless we intercede, the crisis, corruption, poor leadership people face, will not end. The ministries of preaching, teaching, lecturing and discipling have little or no impact against these powers. “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit’, says the Lord Almighty”, Zechariah 4:6. We are dealing with some strong forces of darkness that need to be cleared through intercession. Members of every local church with all para-church ministries must be involved in unceasing, intercessory, concentrated, prevailing prayer. There is tremendous power in united prayer, Matthew 18:20. The first step If you are not a born again believer, the first step in learning how to pray is to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. The Bible says, “all have sinned”, Romans 3:23, and “the wages of sin is death”, Romans 6:23. “At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly”, Romans 5:6. Jesus has paid the wages of our sin! All you must do now is to pray to God, admit your own sin, ask God for forgiveness, accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and invite Him to take control of your life from this moment onwards, John 3:1-21. If you have not done this already, bow your head where you are and make your first prayer one of confessing your sin, acknowledging your need of a Saviour, and accepting Jesus Christ as the substitutionary sacrifice made for your sin. The biblical basis for intercession. The biblical basis for the New Testament believer’s ministry of intercessory prayer is the calling as a priest before God. The word of God declares that we are a holy priesthood, 1 Peter 2:5, a royal priesthood, 1 Peter 2:9, and a kingdom of priests, Revelation 1:5-6. The background for understanding this calling to priestly intercession is the Old Testament example of the Levitical priesthood. The priest’s responsibility was to stand before and between. He stood before God to minister to Him with sacrifices and to bring mankind forward at the place of blood sacrifices and offerings. Therefore the priests stood between a righteous God and sinful mankind, bringing them both together at the blood sacrifice. Hebrews 7:11-19 explains the difference between the Old and New Testament ministries of the priests. The Old Testament Levitical priesthood was passed on from generation to generation through the descendants of the tribes of Levi. The “Melchizedek priesthood” spoken of in this passage from Hebrews is the new order of spiritual priests. It is passed on to us through our Lord Jesus’ blood and our spiritual birth as new creatures in Christ. The model intercessor God’s purpose in sending Jesus was for Him to serve as an intercessor: “He (the Lord) saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; (“And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor”, Authorised (King James) version). so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him”, Isaiah 59:16. Today Jesus stands before the Father, between God and sinful man, just as the Old Testament priests did. “For there is one God and one mediator (intercessor) between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”, 1 Timothy 2:5 (italics mine). “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us”, Romans 8:34. “Therefore he is able to save completely (forever NIV footnote) those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them”, Hebrews 7:25. Jesus brings sinful people and the holy, righteous God together at the place of the blood sacrifice for sin. No longer is the blood of animals necessary like it was in the Old Testament. We can now approach God on the basis of the blood of Jesus, which was shed on the cross at Calvary for the remission of sins. Because of the blood of Jesus, you and I can approach God boldly, with confidence and without timidity, Hebrews 4:14-16. Jesus was an intercessor while He was here on earth, He prayed for the sick and those possessed by demons. He prayed for His disciples. He even prayed for us when He interceded for all of those who would believe on Him in the future, John 17:1-19, especially verses 20-23. Jesus continued His ministry of intercession after His death and resurrection, when he returned to heaven. He now serves as our ‘Intercessor’ in heaven. How to intercede As intercessors, we stand before God and between a holy, righteous God and sinful man. In order to be effective standing “between”, we must first stand “before” God to develop the intimacy to fulfil this role. Numbers chapter 14 is one of the greatest accounts of intercessory prayer in theBible. Moses was able to stand between God and sinful men because he had previously stood before Him alone and had developed intimacy. Numbers 12:6-8 records that God spoke with Moses as friend to friend and not through visions and dreams as He did with other prophets. As New Testament believers we no longer sacrifice animals as in Old Testament times. We stand before the Lord to offer spiritual sacrifices of praises, Hebrews 13:15, and to offer the sacrifice of our own life, Romans 12:1-2. It is on the basis of this intimate relationship with God that we can then stand between Him and others, serving as an advocate and intercessor on their behalf. Peter uses two words to describe this priestly ministry, “holy” and “royal”, 1 Peter 2:5,9. Holiness is required to stand before the Lord, Hebrews 12:14. We are able to stand before the Lord only on the basis of the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, not our own righteousness (we have none!). Royalty is descriptive of the kingly authority, which is delegated to us as members of the “royal family” so to speak, with legitimate access to the throne room of God the King. “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings, and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness”, 1 Timothy 2:1-2. At other times intercession is made by the Holy Spirit. It may be with groaning resulting from a heavy spiritual burden. It may also be in an unknown tongue. When this happens, the Holy Spirit speaks through you, praying directly to God and according to the will of God. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will”, Romans 8:26-27. “For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit”, 1 Corinthians 14:2. When we intercede, we need to pray: According to God’s word and will. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him”, 1 John 5:14-15. In Jesus’ name. “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you”, John 15:7-8. See also John 14:13-14. To be earnest and persistent in prayer. “… because of the man’s boldness (persistence) he will get up and give him as much as he needs”, Luke 11:8-13. Why intercession is important Revival usually begins with prayer meetings. The regular prayer meeting of the church members for the purpose of uniting in earnest prayer is sadly becoming very rare. Many churches no longer schedule prayer meetings, and in those churches that do, typically only a few members would participate. In most churches, prayer meetings have become dull, cold and lifeless, lacking biblical focus. Our Lord Jesus in His own ministry on earth emphasised the importance of intercession. The Bible has also recorded stories of men and women who experienced powerful results through effective intercession. Even today many believers have seen and experienced immediate break through as the result of powerful intercession. Charles Spurgeon wrote in “Only a Prayer Meeting”, “We shall never see much change for the better in our churches in general until the praying meeting occupies a higher place in the esteem of the Christians”. (downloadable from http://theprayeroftheday.com/Prayer_Meeting.pdf ). That is true with us in Sudan and South Sudan, we will never see much change for better in our nations in general until intercessory prayer occupies a higher place in the esteem of the Christians. Through effective intercession we can, “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ”, 2 Corinthians 10:5. We can spiritually touch anywhere in the world and any place in any country. Prayers have no limitations of distance, and we can penetrate unreached nations crossing through geographical, cultural, military and political barriers without transport tickets. We can affect the destiny of individuals and entire nations. We can help save the lives and souls of men, women, boys and girls, and extend the gospel of the Kingdom of God in our own nation and around the world as we engage in intercessory prayer. Dr. Joel Beeke challenges: “If every God fearing family, in every God honouring church around the world, took the congregational prayer meeting seriously, what impact would that have around the globe? I believe that Scripture and church history teach us that the future of our children, our family, our church and our nations depends on God’s people storming the mercy seat together”. Matthew Henry and Jonathan Edwards both wrote similarly, “When God desires mercy, He stirs up prayer”. Intercessory prayer is the normal means that God uses to shower His heavenly blessings upon the earth. We need to record our appointment with prayer on a calendar and then keep to it. Will you not mark your church prayer meetings on your calendar as an engagement of the highest priority for your entire family? Will you prepare for them and try to bring a friend or two with you? Let us treasure praying meetings and engage in prayer with all our hearts, remembering that revival usually begins with a prayer meeting. Prayerlessness is a root to sin. God acts in answer to prayer. Prayer is the price of spiritual success. A price is something that costs you something. Prayer is to the soul what breathing is to the body. If you are too busy to pray then you are busier than God wants you to be. There is nothing beyond the reach of prayer except that which is outside of the will of God. Please read Ephesian 3:14-21. Positions for prayer There is no particular position approved as the posture for prayer. The Bible speaks of a variety of posture for prayers. We read of some: Lifting up your hands, Psalm 28:2; Lamentations 2:19; 1 Timothy 2:8; standing, 1 Kings 8:22; Mark 11:25; bowing down, Psalm 95:6; kneeling, Acts 20:36; 2 Chronicles 6:13; Psalm 95:6, Luke 22:41; falling on your face, Numbers 16:22; Joshua 5:14; 1 Chronicles 21:16; Matthew 26:39; spreading out your hands, Isaiah 1:15; 2 Chronicles 6:13; and praying with eyes open, John 17:1. While it can be very helpful to fold your hands, close your eyes and bow your head when you pray, to avoid being distracted, the primary issue is not the position of your body but the condition of your heart. Frequently the practice of kneeling in prayer helps humble our hearts before God. Most importantly, prayer must come from a pure heart. Heart attitude is more important than any bodily action. Answered prayer The Bible is very clear about answered prayers. Some prayers God answered: 1. Immediately at the time “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear”, Isaiah 65:24. “While (Daniel) was still in prayer … an answer was given, which I (Gabriel) have come to tell you”, Daniel 9:21-23. 2. With a time delay “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep on putting them off? I tell you he will see they get justice, and quickly”, Luke 18:7-8. 3. Differently from the desired answer “Three times I (Paul) pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”, 2 Corinthians 12:8-9. 4. Beyond expectations “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know”, Jeremiah 33:3. Also, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us …”, Ephesians 3:20. When we intercede according to God’s will for what burdens us about our nations, our families, our home area or even our workplace, God answers those prayers. It doesn’t matter how soon or long it will take. God’s timing is always better than our timing anyway, and for sure our prayers will be answered. Hindrances to prayers being answered You need to try and identify hindrances to effective intercession and then eliminate them from your life. A hindrance is anything that stands in your way, preventing you from interceding effectively and therefore stopping your prayers from being answered. Deal with these obstacles right away to eliminate them at the outset. Scriptures reveal many major hindrances to effective intercession: Unrepented sin of any kind Read Isaiah 59:1-2; Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 1:15; Proverbs 28:9 and John 9:31. It is clearly revealed through the Bible that in many instances God does not answer our prayers because of our sins. God spoke through Isaiah to the Children of Israel, “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear”, Isaiah 59:1-2. During your time alone with God, make confession part of your prayer. Humble yourself before Him. Ask Him to search your heart and reveal any sin. Make David’s prayer your prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me, and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”, Psalm 139:23-24. When God shows you your sin, be quick to confess it and get rid of it. Do not allow the enemy to get an opening for hindering you from receiving your answers. Disobedience Read 1 Peter 3:12 and 1 Samuel 15:23. Disobedience is rebellion. When we allow any disobedience to remain in our life, it cuts our communication with God. The key to receiving answers to our prayers is walking in obedience to God and His word. “We have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him”, 1 John 3:21-22. When we walk in disobedience, we limit what God can do for us, but when our hearts are clean and pure before God, we can know that He hears us and will do what we ask, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil”, 1 Peter 3:12. As we humble ourselves before Him and repent of disobedience, He will forgive and hear us. God’s covenant promise to us is, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land”, 2 Chronicles 7:14. Idols in the heart Read Ezekiel 14: 1-3. Idolatry is not limited to bowing before gods of wood or stone. Idolatry is anything you put ahead of God – your possessions, hobbies, habits, even your loved ones or your ministry. God wants to be first in your life. If you have been putting someone or something ahead of God sometimes then on your knees with His word, in worship and prayer, repent and ask God to forgive you. An unforgiving spirit “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins”, Matthew 5:23-24; Mark 11:25-26. One of the most frequent causes of unanswered prayer is the lack of forgiveness. There are many Christians today who have not received answers to their prayers because they are holding on to an unforgiving spirit, bitterness and resentment in their heart towards others who have hurt them. Jesus said that if we are unwilling to forgive others, our heavenly Father will not forgive us, Matthew 6:15. Forgiveness is part of the prayer Jesus gave His disciples when they came to Him, asking Him to teach them to pray, Matthew 6:12. To have power with God through prayer, our hearts must be tender and compassionate toward others. When we are treated unfairly or wronged in some way, we must guard our hearts against unforgiveness. Instead of becoming bitter, Jesus said we are to pray for those who despitefully use us, Matthew 5:44. Paul said we should forgive as God in Christ forgave us, Colossians 3:12-13. As we walk in love and forgiveness toward others, we receive forgiveness from our heavenly Father and are then able to come before God boldly, with full assurance of faith, knowing He will give us whatsoever we ask in His will. Wrong motives Read James 4:2-3. James gives us an insight into a major reason why we do not receive answers to prayer. He said, “You want something but don’t get it. … When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures”. When we ask for things according to God’s will, that is things that we have a right to ask for, we will receive them. However, if we ask with a wrong motive or for our own selfish gratification, we will not receive them however much we ask. Our Father desires to work on our behalf and give us the things that we need and desire, but our underlying, true motive should always be that God would be glorified in answering our prayers. Jesus clearly revealed that the purpose for answering prayer is that God’s Name will be glorified. “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father”, John 14:13. Ask God to search your heart and reveal any wrong motive you may have. You may be asking for things you know God wants to provide for you, but you may be asking with a selfish motive. Repent, and ask God to purify your motives. Wrong treatment of a marriage partner Read 1 Peter 3:7. Peter taught that husbands and wives should honour one another and build their relationship on the fact they are joint heirs of the grace of God. Wrong treatment of a marriage partner hinders prayer. The husband who is cross, harsh and domineering in his relationship with his wife, or a wife who is angry, nagging and unreasonable towards her husband, cannot expect their prayers to be answered. If the husband does not treat his wife with love and respect but is selfish and uncaring of her and her needs, his prayers will be blocked. The same is true in the wife’s relationship with her husband. If she is disrespectful, resentful and refuses to live in godly submission to him as the head of their home, her prayers will also be hindered. Self-righteousness Read Luke 18:10-14. In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the Pharisee prayed a self-righteous prayer, thanking God that he was not like other men, in particular not like the tax collector. In great contrast the tax collector cried out for mercy and forgiveness from God. Isaiah 64:6 says that our righteous acts are like filthy rags. Imagine appearing before the King of the universe in soiled and torn clothing! That is what you are doing when you pray from a spirit of self-righteousness. Unbelief Read James 1:6-7. James writes that if we waver and do not pray in faith, we will not receive what we are asking for. The writer to Hebrews, possibly Paul, said, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, for anyone that comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”, Hebrews 11:6. The prayer of faith does not have to be a long, drawn-out prayer. The Syro- Phoenician woman in Mark 7:24-26, the two blind men in Matthew 9:27, blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:47, and the ten lepers of Luke 17:12, did not pray long prayers. In their desperation, each one simply cried out something like, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” It wasn’t the words they spoke that were so important; it was their cry of faith. When they cried out to Jesus, they were expecting to receive their healing. They had unwavering faith that would not give up until they received the miracles. Abraham was 75 years old when God gave him the promise that He would bless and multiply his seed and make him the father of many nations. Twenty-four years later, when Abraham was 99 years old, God appeared to him and promised to give him a son through Sarah. In the natural, it was absolutely impossible for Abraham to father a child or for Sarah to conceive and give birth. As Abraham waited for the fulfilment of God’s promise, his faith did not waver. He did not question God, but his faith grew stronger, Romans 4:18-21. As long as you waver or doubt, your prayers will be hindered, and you will not receive from the Lord. You will not be able to take hold of the impossible. Not abiding in Christ and His word Read John 15:7. “If you remain in me and my word remains in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you”. This is a master key to intercession. Your position in prayer is dependent upon your relationship with Christ. Only when your mind and heart are one with His can you ask for what you know He wants. A major hindrance blocking many answers to prayer is the neglect of keeping in good relationship with God. Jesus said you are “to abide”, (AV/KJV), meaning to remain vitally united with him. In order have power with God through prayer you must live in unbroken fellowship conversation with Jesus on a daily basis through prayer and reading His word. Hypocrisy, pride or meaningless repetition Read Matthew 6:5-8 and Job 35:12-13. We have to study and learn from the prayers of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time. Jesus called them “hypocrites” and added that God does not hear such prayers. Satanic hindrances Read Daniel 10:10-13 and Ephesians 6:12. Daniel’s prayers were heard from the time he began to pray, but demonic forces hindered the answer. As you release the prayer in your life, you will come against forces of the enemy that would block you from receiving your answer. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”, Ephesians 6:12. Not seeking the Kingdom of God Read Matthew 6:33. According to this verse, only when you seek first the Kingdom of God are you assured of receiving the other things you need as well. Seek His kingdom first in prayer, and then all else that you rightly request will be added to you. Heartlessness and selfishness Read Philippians 4:18-19 and Proverbs 21:13. Many people claim the promise in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus”, but they fail to take into account the context. They do not realise there is a condition involved in taking hold of this promise. This promise was made to the Philippian believers who had liberally given to Paul’s ministry, Philippians 4:18. When you pray for God to release His provision to meet needs in your life, be sure that you already have been giving liberally to the work of God to help meet the needs of others. The word clearly tells us that if we shut our ears to the cries of the people in need when they cry for help, God will not hear us. “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered”, Proverbs 21:13. How to eliminate hindrances Allow God to purge and cleanse you of everything in your life that is displeasing to Him. Ask Him to reveal any wrong attitudes of your heart or strongholds in your mind that need to be changed. If you have hatred, unforgiveness or resentment towards anyone, confess it and ask forgiveness from God and the person(s) involved. Eliminate each of these hindrances, and do not allow any opportunity for the enemy to disrupt your intercession. Organising for prayer To be an effective intercessor, you need to make time to pray. Notice I deliberately said, “make the time”. One way to do this is to plan for regular prayer times, both individually and with others. The New Testament reveals the following structure for organising prayer: Personal prayer Prayer is to be made on an individual basis in private. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you”, Matthew 6:6. It is very important to set aside a special time each day for prayer, preferably early in the morning before you begin your day. If you are not a ‘morning person’ then select another more suitable time. This is the time when you will perform your priestly ministry of standing before God with praise and worship, then between God and man with petitions and intercession. Before you begin to intercede have a time of personal repentance and ask God to cleanse you from all sin. Repentance is foundational to effective intercession. Two praying together Two believers praying together is the smallest unit of corporate prayer. Its biblical structure, as well as its inherent power, is revealed in the following words from our Lord Jesus, “Again, I tell you, that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father who in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them”, Matthew 18:19-20. Find a friend who wants to be an intercessor and begin to pray regularly together. If you are married, you might want to choose your mate. If you have someone praying with you, they can help you keep going when you get discouraged – which you will. Small groups Small groups (sometimes called “prayer cells”) consist of more than two individuals joining together in intercession.We have just seen there is great power when two or three people join together for this purpose; because our Lord Jesus Himself joins in, Matthew 18:20. You might want to meet weekly for prayer with a small group of friends, co-workers, or relatives. Total congregational prayer The entire church should also pray together in times of corporate intercession. “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers”, Acts 1:14. Acts 12:5 reveals that constant intercession was made by the church for Peter while he was in prison. Act 4:24 records the believers raising their voices together in prayer to God. If you are a pastor, church or Christian Union leader, it is your responsibility to plan such times of corporate prayer. Overcoming obstacles to prayer The German Reformer, Martin Luther described prayer as: “The hardest work of all – a labour above all labours, since he who prays must wage almighty warfare against the doubt and murmuring excited by the faint-heartedness and unworthiness we feel within us … that unutterable and powerful groaning with which the godly rouse themselves against despair, the struggle in which they call mightily upon their faith”. “Audacious prayer, which persevere unflinchingly and ceases not through fear, is well pleasing unto God,” wrote Luther. “As a shoe maker makes a shoe, or a tailor makes a coat, so ought a Christian to pray. Prayer is the daily business of a Christian”. Intercession is a hard work which needs commitment. Anyone who has ever prayed effectively has first faced obstacles that had to be overcome. Overcoming these challenges is part of effective intercession. Each challenge you face take to God through the “Spirit of prayer” and He will help you remedy it. Some of the common challenges you might face are: Lack of time We always find time to do what we really want. Lack of time is not an excuse. The busier you are the more you need to intercede. It is important to set a time for prayer and not to let anything intrude into that time. Intercession does not have to be lengthy to be effective. Consider the effectiveness of the prayer of the thief on the cross, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”, Luke 23:42. Contrast this with the Pharisee’s long-winded, self-righteous prayer about himself that we read earlier, Luke 18:11. Distraction Minimise interruptions during intercession. Leave instructions outside so that you are not to be disturbed during the prayer time. If you have a telephone, put it on to ‘silent’ or disconnect it or use an answering machine. Do not pray where any radio or television set is in use. Tiredness If you grow weary or sleepy during a prayer time, try walking about or praying out loud. Lack of desire Desire for the ministry of intercession can be systematically developed. It starts with the discipline of doing it regularly, whether you feel like it or not. Our entire Christian experience is based on faith, not feeling. When you begin to see the results of intercession in your own life and in the lives of others for whom you are interceding, your prayer time will be transformed from discipline and duty into a delight. Ideas to use - Prayer walking A prayer walk is simply what the name reflects. It is an individual or team walking through specific, strategic areas of a school building, business premises, village, town or city, interceding as they walk along with eyes and ears open to God. When you prayer walk, you pray for the presence of God in a particular area and for His Holy Spirit to proclaim the Kingdom of God physically and spiritually in that area. Prayer walking is not really about the physical act of walking. It is more about praying outside the walls of the church or our homes, and being closer to the people we are praying for. The purpose of prayer walking is to pray ‘on site with insight’. The walk helps you to see much more about the residential, business or political area. You see the faces of people, the cars they drive, their children’s faces and you hear music from their houses. There are several passages related to ‘prayer walking’ although the term ‘prayer walking’ is never mentioned in the Bible: God spoke to Abraham saying, “Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you”, Genesis 13:17. Nehemiah walked around the ruined city of Jerusalem prior to commencing the work of rebuilding the walls, Nehemiah 2:11-18. Another example is the account of Joshua conquering the city of Jericho. God had already told Joshua, “ I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses”, Joshua 1:3. Walking (“marching” – NIV) around Jericho for seven days before the walls collapsed is a tremendous model of joining man’s availability with God’s miraculous ability to accomplish His purpose, Joshua 6:1-21. In the New Testament, Jesus prayerfully looked over the city of Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37-39, and the apostle Paul was stirred as he saw the city of Athens “full of idols”, Acts 17:16. The Bible clearly instructs us to pray for the peace of the cities, even places of hostility. “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to where I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper”, Jeremiah 29:7. Historically Nebuchadnezzar carried the people of Judah into Babylonian exile, but theologically it was God’s doing. Intercessors must learn to look beyond what is happening to see what God is doing. Prayer walking is a great way to obey this command and systematically cover any community with prayer. Organising a prayer walk Prayer walking can be done by an individual, a family, in pairs or groups, by one church or groups of churches. It is possible to organise prayer walking teams to cover an entire community. The organisation can be as simple as an individual or family prayer walking around their neighbourhood one evening, or as complex as using a map to divide the entire city among church members, allocating streets to assure that every area receives prayer. Prayer walking can be done for a specific target, such as inmates in a prison, students in a school, people in a farm or factory, organising to prayer walk their entire facility. Seven mountains that transform a society In April 2015 Beverly Pegues from Window International Network visited Juba, South Sudan and presented “the Seven Mountains that Transform a Nation”. She said that, “Whoever controls the tops of these mountains, controls the society”. These Seven Mountains were presented to some church leaders and some intercessory prayer groups in Juba. The late Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade, and Loren Cunningham, founder of Youth With A Mission, coined the phrase “There are Seven Mountains that Influence Nations” in 1975. They felt that in order to positively bring transformation to their society Christians must deal with the following mountains: • Arts, Entertainment and Sports • Business and Finance • Education • Family • Government • Media • Religion (see Seven days/seven mountains of culture Prayer Guide, Cry Out America, September 4-10th 2014 ). I propose to look at these areas in relation to our nation: 1. Arts, Entertainment and Sports (writers, actors, producers, singers, musicians, dancers, athletes, coaches, photographers, graphic artists and other individuals working in these areas) South Sudan is a new nation open to new ideas as far as building the nation is concerned. This ‘mountain’ needs to be controlled by people who fear God and have a Kingdom of God mentality towards influencing society. The church needs to encourage men and women of integrity into arts, entertainment and sports so they will glorify God there. Pray for the Lord to raise up those people who are gifted in these areas. Pray their lives would glorify the Lord continually. “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship”, Exodus 31:2-5. “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples”, Psalm 96:1-3. 2. Business or Marketplaces (including sciences, medicine, retail, customer services, management, restaurant, etc.) Foreigners mainly control business in South Sudan including most hotels, restaurants, big supermarkets, petrol stations, warehouses, shops, water tanks, food stores and more. Most of the staff workers hired in these businesses are foreigners too and there are very few South Sudanese in the workforce. A lot of the money earned does not rotate within the country but goes outside, badly affecting our economy. The foreigners owning most of the businesses should hire nationals and train them up into learning business for themselves. The church needs to claim this ‘mountain’ by educating our people about the importance of being “salt and light” in businesses to help fulfil the great commission, Matthew 5:13-16. If foreigners, especially Muslims, continue to own this ‘mountain’, they will control the economy of this country. If they control this ‘mountain’, then they will remain powerful. We must pray that businesses in South Sudan prosper and God will indeed bless the economy. Pray for the expat business community, that it takes an honourable and active role in training South Sudanese. Pray that laws will be passed requiring the expat community to hire and provide on-the-job training to the local labour force. Pray the Government will require expat businesses to hire and train at least 25% of the South Sudanese in their businesses. Pray the number of South Sudanese workers will substantially increase in private sector jobs. Pray for the strengthening of Christian business owners, CEO’s, managers and workers – that they would conduct their businesses with integrity and honour God. “They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honour”, Psalm 112:9.15 “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow”, Proverbs 13:11.16 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men”, Colossians 3:23. 3. Education (teachers, administrators, coaches, staff, and volunteers working at any level of education) The late President Nelson Mandela stated,“No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated”! South Sudan came out of war and the rate of illiteracy is said to be very high. If that is true, then education is key for the people of South Sudan. People need to be educated so that they can read, write and communicate. If they can read, write and communicate, then there is development. If there is development, people can be educated. This is a vital circular process. Education has helped the church to have learned people who can teach God’s word, interpret and apply it well, raising others able to do the same. Pray for the country of South Sudan to become 95% literate by the year 2020! Remember, God can do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think, Ephesians 3:20-21. He is the One and Only God with supernatural power. Pray for leaders in every sector of society to commit to educate all people of South Sudan. Pray for a hunger to learn among all children and illiterate adults. Pray for educators whom God has called to teach with excellence, and for students who learn well and quickly. “Proverbs … for gaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young”, Proverbs 1:1-4. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up”, Deuteronomy 6:5-7. “Teach me knowledge and good judgement, for I believe your commands”, Psalm 119:66. 4. Family: all spheres of the culture dealing with family life—including parents, children, counsellors, ministers, social workers, educators, etc. Many families have been traumatised as a result of the recent conflicts in South Sudan. Widows and orphans are struggling to survive. Families and family members are separated from one another. Raising children together as parents is a challenge. There are people who have worked hard and laid down their lives for the freedom of this country. These are the fathers and mothers of the nation. People who love their country and who are working hard for the development of the country are the mothers and fathers today. They are not working for personal interests but in the interest of the nation and for the next generation. We are history makers. As churches and believers we must control this ‘mountain’ by being fathers and mothers who want to see positive transformation. Pray for God to bring healing and restoration to families who have been devastated by years of war. “Father, even though parents are traumatised by recent political events, we ask You to enable them to help their children through this crisis”. Pray that all parents will teach their children to love South Sudan and that they will raise their children in the ways of the Lord. “Father, we pray that You heal all of our families emotionally, spiritually, physically, psychologically or in any way You know they need healing”. “Father, we pray for every provision needed for families as well as widows, orphans and the poor”. Pray every South Sudan adult becomes a father and mother to all of South Sudan. Households, clans, families and the orphaned/widows are all important to God. “They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house”, Acts 16:31-32. “So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with his clan and family”, Numbers 2:34. “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord”, Ephesians 6:4. “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling”, Psalm 68:5. 5. Government (military, local, state, national government leaders, employees and volunteers) Poor leadership is a cancer to most of the Africa nations. South Sudan needs leaders of integrity, who fear God, and are passionate to humbly serve and to love all people. Somebody said that, “if people were to govern themselves according to the word of God, then there would be no need for big government”. The church should teach people to govern themselves Christianly, living according to God’s word, following God’s purposes for their lives. Pray that the Lord raises up God-fearing leaders who will love the people God has given them the privilege to serve. Pray that the executive, legislative and judicial leaders will govern the country in honesty and with absolute integrity of heart. Pray the Lord helps leaders as they make important decisions that impact South Sudan for generations to come. Bless those who are in authority. Pray for their protection. Pray Isaiah 11:1-3a over the government leaders and workers, “A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord – and he will delight in the fear of the Lord”. Pray the Lord assigns wise men and wise women who fear God to give government leaders God’s solution to opportunities and to problems. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”, Isaiah 9:6. “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness”, 1 Timothy 2:1-2. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’”, Matthew 28:18. “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”, 2 Chronicles 1:10. “By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down”, Proverbs 29:4. “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him”, Daniel 2:20-23. 6. Media (those working or volunteering in the area of television, radio, Internet, newspapers, magazines and other media outlets) Media are powerful tools for influencing society. People in charge of media control the society through the news or information they produce. Sadly, some of this news or information is half-truth and half lies. Deception, manipulation, immorality and other sins are part of the media. If we have people in there whose lives do not glorify God, then they influence society negatively through their controlling of the media. Pray for a desire for holy purity and righteousness to infiltrate the media people. Ask the Lord to bring a spirit of integrity to those who work in the media. Pray against the spirit of manipulation, deception, immorality, and greed. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer”, Psalm 19:14. “My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give understanding”, Psalm 49:3. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”, Philippians 4:8. 7. Religion (fivefold ministry workers, staff and volunteers) The main religions being practised in South Sudan are Christianity, Islam and Traditional African religions. The church must own this ‘mountain’ by fulfilling the fivefold ministry. “(God) gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God’s people for works of service” Ephesians 4:11-12. This ‘mountain’ will help the Church to cut across the other ‘six mountains’ with the values of the Kingdom of God. The churches must pray, be united, speak with one voice about the wrongs of injustice, corruption, tribalism, the oppression and suffering of any people. The Church is the highest authority on the face of the earth that God uses. Pray for God’s Church to fulfil her calling to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and teach the Bible, God’s word. Pray the high priestly prayer Jesus prayed for His children in John 17:26, “I (Jesus) have made you (Father) known to them (the disciples), and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them”, (italics mine). Pray the churches in South Sudan will work together in God’s Spirit of unity to help deal with the trauma of this great nation. Pray that pastors/teachers will be servant leaders like Jesus Christ. Pray Isaiah 11:1-2 over the whole Church, as we just did over the Government. “A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord – and he will delight in the fear of the Lord”. Pray the churches provide leadership who influence these ‘mountains’ with the Kingdom of God. "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place” 2 Chronicles 7:14. “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”, Matthew 28:18-20. “(Christ himself) gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming”, Ephesians 4:11-14. “Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him”. But the people said nothing”, 1 Kings 18:21. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching”, Hebrews 10:23-25. “He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’”, Luke 10:27. “I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me”, John 17:23. ““But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it”, Matthew 16:15-18. Please note: In writing this chapter I am indebted to: Bennie Mostert Praying with Purpose (CUM books: Vereeniging, South Africa) 2008. Peter Hammond The Power of Prayer Handbook (Frontline Fellowship: Chattanooga TN) 28th September 2007.