PRAY!

 

 

By now you have heard about the great tragedy that occurred late yesterday in Charleston SC.  If not here is a summary of what we know. Late Wednesday night a young man entered the Charleston AME Church and took a seat in a prayer meeting.  Some time later he took out a gun and opened fire killing 9 people including the Pastor of the church.   

 

While there is no direct correlation between The Response call to prayer that took place at the North Charleston Coliseum on Saturday and the senseless shooting last night, it would be foolish to disregard any spiritual connection all together.  There are many rumors and accusations about the motive of this shooting all of which are yet fully unclear and unknown. What we do know is that what took place was an act of pure evil against the family of God and God Himself.  While we wanted to be writing a summary of all that took place at The Response (which I will do next week) I felt it was more important to issue a renewed and focused call to prayer for Charleston and our brothers and sisters in Christ.  

 

Right now there are more questions then answers.  We are the praying church and do not need answers to pray.  We need to pray and touch heaven.  We will be sending out focused prayer targets as we receive clear information from those on the ground in Charleston.  Our continued goal and desire is to serve, come along side and to lift up the arms of the body of Christ in Charleston and the state of South Carolina .  We are asking you to agree in prayer with what the Lord is speaking and directing the Church in Charleston and the state as they communicate prayer points to us and we share them with you.  

 

Currently we have 5 targets for our intercession:

1. First and foremost pray for the families of those who lost their life in this attack.  Pray for the freedom and ability to mourn and to grieve.
2. Pray for the Church to awaken and be the point of the spear in Charleston.  Not the outside church, but the church on the ground in Charleston and across the state.  They are the best equipped to respond and to take a stand and lead in this time of mourning and crisis.  Pray for the Church of Charleston and the pastors to come together crossing all racial and denominational lines and to stand together as the Family of God.  While many can easily say this is about hate and race we also know that it is an attack on the Church and on God Himself.  Therefore the church must respond as one in peace with a clear voice and message.  
3. Right now there are those around the nation that are heading to Charleston and their agenda is anything but Christ, peace and a unified church.  We have seen from recent experiences that there are factions who will attempt to come and stir the pot and create chaos and riots, causing division and disunity.  The True Church is the answer to this chaos.  Pray for a spiritual and physical wall of the family of God to come around the city that will silence the voice of the accuser who is coming to kill, steal and destroy.  
4. Pray for families and youth to come together.  Pray for the wisdom of the elder generation to speak peace and order to the young generation and for the youth to take their zeal and passion and turn it into a cry to God for mercy and Godly righteous justice.  
5. Finally pray for the media, print, electronic, television and social media to be a voice of peace and truth.  They have the ability to stir or to calm and restore.