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| James Poitras, Director of Education/AIM |
It is often said that "Prayer Changes Things!" We should also add, "Prayer Changes Us!" It is true that your prayers will change things around you but sometimes your prayers change you. At times our situation even remains the same; but we are different.
The disciples in Acts 4 were threatened and warned not to speak or preach in the name of Jesus. They did not react by going to God in prayer pleading, "Lord change things! Lord, change our circumstances." They rather asked that the Lord would "
...grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word..." (Acts 4:29). Their attitude was, "Do not change our circumstances; change us!"
"For things to get better, sometimes you must get better."We may change our circumstances and even seek for a more favorable environment but we will take ourselves with us wherever we go. Jesus asked us to "consider the lilies (flowers)" in Matthew 6:28. These flowers grow where they are planted. Many of us refuse to grow where we are placed and because of that we never take root anywhere. Instead we want to be planted in a better set of circumstances. One man said, "I have found the problem and it is I."
There are things in all of our lives that must die through prayer, fasting, and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is not so important what happens to us; It is more important what happens in us.The Psalmist David wrote "The Penitent's Psalm" of Psalm 51. This Psalm was written after Nathan, the prophet had come to David revealing his sin of adultery with Bathsheba, and the murder of her husband. (2 Samuel 12:1-13) David did not ask for a change in his circumstances but cried out "Lord, Change Me!" Read about this in Psalm 51:1-19. He prays for a clean heart, and a right spirit. He knew that "a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart..." (51:17) were necessary for the Lord to make a change in him. David basically prayed, "Lord, I have sinned against you! Clean me up! Change me so that I can be a blessing to your people." This attitude was quite different from that expressed by Saul. When he sinned, he said, "
...I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel..." (1 Samuel 15:30). He was not interested in a real change in his life through repentance. He was more interested in how he appeared before the people.
Prayer allows us to become like Jesus. It is spending time with Jesus, our friend. It is said, "You show me your friends and I will tell you who you are." The type of friends that we have serves as a good indicator of who we are. Jesus has promised to be our friend that "
...sticketh closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). In prayer we are trying to not only know Him; but also become more like Him. The Bible teaches, "
Everything reproduces after its own kind" (Genesis 1:24). God expects us "
...to be conformed to the image of his Son." (Romans 8:29). He accepts you as you are but will not leave you there. He wants you to be changed.
Max Depree in Leadership is an Art says, "It is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are."
The whole salvation experience begins with making a change (called repentance). Through obedience to Acts 2:38 God changes us with the born again experience and transforms (changes) our destiny.
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Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." -- 2 Corinthians 5:17
Prayer Changes Things!
Prayer Changes Us!
Lord, Let Prayer Change Me!
Africa Region and Beyond04 April AFRICA REGION Pray for Africa's Children
14 April GLOBALLY Pray for the French-speaking countries in Africa and around the World
CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR
>>> All Africa Faculty Education
02-04 August 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya
>>> All Africa Leadership Meeting
05-08 August 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya
PRAYERBURKINA FASO - This is a difficult season for our church members with hot season in full swing. Temperatures are 120 plus for the next few months. Food is very scarce in the villages especially. Please pray for God's provision.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA - Pray for the two elder daughters of Regional Missionary Mua, for God's protection and keeping power. Bernice and Favour are presently in Cameroon.
LIBERIA - Our special request is that, "The United Nations reports an outbreak of the Ebola virus disease-which has killed nearly sixty (60) people in Guinea and has spread to the capital city of Conakry. The UN Children Agency, UNICEF, said the hemorrhagic fever had spread quickly from Southern Guinea to the capital, hundreds of kilometers away. It said that at least fifty-nine of the eighty people who had contracted ebola had died. The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres is setting up insolation units in the affected areas and flying in extra medicine. There are concerns that the disease could have spread to neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone." We ask that the ANOP kindly remember Liberia in your prayers.
MALI - Pray for the second trip into Mali by our missionaries which will take place at the end of the month. Also, please pray for the only pastor in Mali, Pastor Jude.
MAURITIUS - Pray for the two new Home Bible Studies at Grand Lafouche and Soupire Villages in Rodrigues. Also, pray for Bro Stewart, a newly baptized convert, who had an accident last week, broke his leg. He was admitted to the hospital and the doctor said he will need surgery. We are praying for a miracle.
NAMIBIA - Please keep on praying for our church registration. We have had to re-submit our application with another lawyer. Also, pray for the national leadership.
SOUTH SUDAN - Pray for Political stability in the country. Also, pray for continued growth of the UPC of South Sudan.
ZIMBABWE - Pray for our General Conference being held in Kwekwe April 18-20 with Rev. Zaccheaus Long ministering in the evening services. Pray for anointed preaching and teaching, unity, healings, restoration, Holy Ghost outpouring and baptisms to happen. Pray that the Word of God will fall on "good ground" and be rooted and grounded in the hearts of the hearers.
PRAISE BOTSWANA - Missionary Long is teaching two new men from other churches a course in GATS. They are seeing more truth revealed to them. One is wanting to be baptized next class! Please pray for truth to be established in their hearts and obedience to the Word.
BURKINA FASO - Pastors and wives, together as a team, are having opportunity to go and teach in area churches that wanting to know more about our beautiful message of One God. We praise the Lord for this great opportunity to share the Gospel message.
CAMEROON - Great things are happening in the country. 1) One church had twenty-five first time visitors in recent Sunday service. Please pray for their next Inner Quarter Outreach that God would give them a harvest. 2) Twenty-four people received the baptism of the Holy Ghost at an indoor crusade. Four were baptized in Jesus' name on the following Sunday and several more are to be baptized this coming Sunday. 3) Two received the Holy Spirit at the French Sectional Convention. A visiting minister challenged the ministry and really blessed them with his teaching and preaching. 4) In another place, four women were delivered from evil spirits, two testified of healing, one received the Holy Spirit, and three were baptized in Jesus' name. 5) Five new students also applied for evening class at the Bible school.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA - Two received the Holy Spirit and 4 were healed from different types of sicknesses through prayers in Jesus name.
SIERRA LEONE - We have just concluded our first ANOP prayer meeting at Calaba town. This was the first national program to be held in the Eastern part of the country. It was a great success, and was well attended. The people were so happy that they wished the service did not have to end. The power of God was very present. The message preached : A Testimony is Everything - emphasized that before a great miracle, first must be the Testimony-a testimony that pleases God. Great things are in store for this area of Sierra Leone. We can overcome by our testimony.
SOUTH AFRICA - There was a SNAOP Prayer Conference held in Cape Town just this weekend. What an incredible meeting this was! Attendance started at about 100 and grew to over 400 on Sunday morning. One soul was baptised in Jesus Name and several received the Holy Ghost!!! A lot of saints re-connected with God and personal breakthroughs were made. It ended on an incredible "high" in the Holy Ghost. A perfect platform for their District Conference in 2 weeks time.
SOUTH SUDAN - We are thanking God for five new Churches which were established in 2013.
ZIMBABWE - During the recent visit of Missionary Mike and Lisa Long, they traveled to Binga for GATS teaching and evangelistic services. There are 26 taking GATS in these two villages. Over the three weeks visiting several churches, there were thirty people who received the Holy Ghost, two of these were also delivered of evil spirits. There was a baptism in the river in Binga where 10 were baptized. To Jesus be all the praise and glory!
APRIL 2014
03 April EQUATORIAL GUIENA
Youth fellowship
05 April UGANDA
Pastors' Meeting in Kampala
05 April CAMEROON
Board Meeting
06 AprilEQUATORIAL GUIENA
Board meeting
06 April UGANDA
Llyma Seminar in Mt. Elgon
07-13 AprilGHANA
Fasting & Prayers towards convention
07-16 AprilBOTSWANA
Prayer and Fasting
08 AprilUGANDA
Pastors Meeting in Rwenzori
08 AprilLIBERIA
Revival and church growth workshop in Section II/Bopolu
10 AprilEQUATORIAL GUIENA
Ladies fellowship
10-12 AprilMAURITIUS
National Ladies Retreat in Mauritius
10-13 AprilCAMEROON
Southwest Region Convention
10-13 AprilKENYA
South Rift Region Convention
10-13 AprilKENYA
Mt. Elgon Region Youth Convention
11 AprilLIBERIA
National Board Meeting
11-12 April UGANDA
Pastors' Meeting in North Kyoga
11-13 April TANZANIA
Shinyanga Region Gospel meeting
12 AprilLIBERIA
National Leadership Meeting
13 April BENIN
Official Hand-over Service (Nationalization of work in Benin)
13 April MAURITIUS
Mixed meeting at Grande Montagne UPC Church -Rodrigues
13 AprilUGANDA
Leadership/Training in Mt. Elgon
15 AprilLIBERIA
Apostolic Men Visitation in Section IV, Doewin
15 AprilLIBERIA
Section IV Pastors' meeting held at Doewin UPC
15-19 AprilLIBERIA
Section II Conference held in Gbeleeta UPC
17-18 AprilEQUATORIAL GUIENA
Marrieds Retreat
17-20 April TANZANIA
Dar es Salaam Easter crusade
17-20 April TANZANIA
Iringa Easter Crusade
17-20 AprilKENYA
North Rift Youth Convention
17-20 AprilTOGO
Regional Conferences in the Maritime and Plateaux Regions of Togo
17-20 April BOTSWANA
Ladies Conference in Moshupa with Sis. Jennifer Long, evening speaker
Theme: I Choose To Believe....
17-20 AprilGHANA
Easter/ National Convention in Sunyani
17-20 AprilKENYA
National Ladies Convention
18 April UGANDA
Prayer/Fasting Rwenzori
18-20 AprilSOUTH AFRICA
Several District Conferences all around South Africa
18-21 AprilNAMIBIA
General Conference
18-21 AprilZIMBABWE
Annual General Conference, Kwekwe
19 AprilLIBERIA
The Liberia Network of Prayer will hold a workshop in Section IV UPCL
20 April UGANDA
EASTER SUNDAY - National Sacrifice Offering
20-27 AprilEQUATORIAL GUIENA
Intercessory Prayer and Fasting Week
21 AprilLIBERIA
Fellowship service of Section IV churches at the Solid Rock UPC
21-25 April BENIN
Bible School classes in Zou Region -
22 April- 21 MayTANZANIA
Freeman Bible Institute, Mwanza school GATS term
22-23 April MADAGASCAR
Region G Preachers Conference
23-27 April MADAGASCAR
Region G Conference
24-27 AprilKENYA
Mt. Elgon Region Leadership Seminar
25 AprilLIBERIA
Section III Leaders meeting held at the Apostolic Gateway UPC
25 April UGANDA
End of School Term One, KCC
25-26 April UGANDA
Ladies Seminar
26 AprilLIBERIA
National Ladies will be holding their first quarterly meeting in Section I/UPCL
26 AprilLIBERIA
National Sunday School Activity meeting for Sunday school officers in Section I
26 AprilTOGO
Preparatory meeting with local pastors for "Pentecost for Kids" crusades
26-27 April UGANDA
Seminar in Bulecha / Busia Lake Victoria
27 April UGANDA
Mt. Elgon, Kosinghe
28 April-01 MayLIBERIA
Section V conference held in Ganta/Rivers of Life UPC
28 April-02 MayNIGERIA
National Minister's Convention and General Conference, Mark and Gwen Parker guest speakers
29-30 April MADAGASCAR
Region D Sunday School teachers seminar in Antanivao,
29-30 April MADAGASCAR
Region D Preachers Conference
30 April-04 May MADAGASCAR
Region D Conference
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