Prayer Point for Day 6, Jan 16th

During this time of prayer and fasting let's think about the people in our city, in our families and neighbourhoods.

Let's pray for Manchester, Salford, Eccles, Seedley, Weaste and surrounding areas. People need the Lord. The only lasting change and transformation in people's lives is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I'm reminded of the scriptures in Daniel 9. When Daniel saw the desolation of Jerusalem and captivity of Israel in Babylon, he couldn't help but to fast and pray and cry out to the Lord.

Just like Jerusalem, our cities and nation have become desolate, people have become dishonouring, disrespectful, disobedient. Crime and violence are constantly in the news, immorality, perversion of truth, broken homes, unfaithfulness - and the list goes on and on.

Daniel didn't cross his hands and say “it's nothing to do with me" but he fasted and prayed. Daniel 9:11-16 says,

“All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you. Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you.

You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem ... now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.”

Daniel prayed a prayer of repentance and asked the Lord to turn away from his wrath and save his people. He reminded God of his character as a merciful God and that the city bore his name just like we are his creation. We have his name as a designer's stamp on us.

In verse 19, he urged God to hear, act, listen and forgive. We all know what happened when Daniel prayed, in verse 23 it says that as soon as Daniel began to pray, his prayers were heard. The angel Gabriel said that Daniel was known in heaven as highly, esteemed....respected, admired, valued, regarded, acclaimed....wow how amazing to be known as such.

Let's encourage ourselves today that when we see the desolation of our city and our people we won’t become desensitized but let it cause us to rise up into intercession like Daniel and move the heart of God to act, listen, and forgive and save our city.

Imagine if we are to be people like Daniel who are driven by the needs of others, and motivated by love and compassion into fasting and prayer for our city and our churches, I have no doubt our heavenly Father will be proud of his highly esteemed children.

So our Day 6 prayer point is for our cities and souls. Along that line in next few days we will be praying for different ministries within our church each day that can affect and influence our city.

Be strong today, submit to God and resist the temptation of the smell of food or the looks of delicious cakes or that urge to get on social media or whatever you made your mind up to do as a sacrifice to God to humble yourself and draw close to him. I assure you he will honour those who honour him!