A CALL TO PRAYER

Hello InterVarsity :) Casey, Raquel and I really think that we should spend time this week (and always) praying and fasting for ourselves and our 'fellowship' or lack of it (just saying! it could be better, deeper. dissatisfaction is sometimes a great thing. thirsty anyone?). I'm highlighting this week since next week is our "Thirsty" outreach and its a joint outreach. We NEED to pray for ourselves, for each other, with each other.

For yourSELF pray like David prayed: (Psalm 139:23-24)

"Search me, 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."

As Christians we have a tendency to think, "I'm saved, I'm good! That doesn't apply to me. That's for non-christians." LIE! "Getting saved" is just the beginning. God is calling us to a life of FULL and CONSTANT surrender.

It helps to pray in COMMUNITY and for COMMUNITY! :

"Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18: 18-20)

-> Jesus said it so believe it and act on it.

"InterVarsity is great as is, why pray for community when we already have it?"

LIE! A bunch of people hanging out together doesn't make community.-> True community is not stagnant, it is not complacent with its level of vulnerability, level of love (as in from the heart), level of communication (teaching, correcting, rebuking/calling out, encouraging). True community is initiated and fueled by Christ and it presses on for deeper intimacy (you know what I mean). So don't be satisfied with how things are. God wants to unite us as a fellowship (ivcf), and also as the whole body of Christ (all Christian orgs on campus).

So pray like Jesus prayed:

"I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:20-21)

Why am I emphasizing praying ourselves individually and as a fellowship and for fellowship: God says

"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." (2 Chronicles 7:14)

We want God to heal our land, UCSB, so let's surrender to Him, surrender our ALL so that we can partner with Him in what He is doing and what He is going to do. This is SUPER IMPORTANT!!!!! "Let us prepare the way for the Lord"!

Read and meditate on Psalm 24.

I'll be praying for you (and for me). Have a blessed week (that doesn't mean "easy"...there may be a storm but take refuge in God either way). ♥

(Oct. 31st, 2011)