July 9th, 2018

Ask for a Sign

“Ask the Lord your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights.”  Isa. 7:11

Most High God, You have given us direction, You have pointed the way for our petitions, You know what we need before we even know we need it, before we even think to ask it.  We turn our face toward you for the neighborhoods of our nation. 

In the name of Jesus, may Your Kingdom Covenant come and, thank You that You bend Your ear to our voice.  We ask that the family reunification rate will rise. We cry out Lord   for a reduction in the child poverty rate in America.  Lord, we seek protection of children.  We lift up those children in prayer, asking You to intervene in the affairs of men and women. We pray for each child to know Jesus and invite Jesus into their lives and that He would become their Lord and their Savior.  Lord, God, we ask that You would cause eyes to open and ears to hear, cause revival in hearts and minds, bring forward leaders, speakers and those to act on behalf of these children.   We are knocking, Lord, open doors to bring forth teachers, mentors, counselors, guidance to meet the needs of the children left behind when a parent is arrested.  In the name of Jesus, we ask that positions in child care, social services, and welfare offices be filled, that funds would not be lacking, that case loads would not be overwhelming.  These things seem impossible for us in today’s economy, but we know that with God nothing is impossible.  We ask Father, for healthy environments for children to be able to express their feelings and for Your grace to cover these little ones that You love and care for.  We pray for family members who care for the children of prisoners during a parent’s incarceration; that Lord Jesus, Your peace and strength would comfort them and sustain them during this time. 

Lord we ask, stir the hearts of those in state, city, and community office, legislators and judges, we ask that they seek Your wisdom when they consider sentencing laws and termination of parental right laws.

Lord, we ask for a sign in the deepest depths of despair, in the places with the highest height of crime, a sign of hope that You will intervene in family lives before the children of the land become entangled in gangs. May everything we ask for be done to glorify Your Name.  Just as when in the desert, the Israelites were bitten by venomous snakes, You instructed Moses to make a bronze snake, put it on a pole and raise it up, anyone bitten who looked, lived.  We lift up Jesus in Illinois, Lord; may the children of America look and live.