SVM2 Global Prayer Team (GPT) Network

Uniting a Generation in Intercession to Reach the Nations

Highlights of this edition (Oct 9, 2006):

ARTICLE:  No Substitute for Prayer  by Oswald J. Smith

CONNECTION:  Look to Your Foundations – A Testimony of the Haystack

RESOURCE:  Ramadan Prayer

NETWORK:  Register and Update Your Group

ARTICLE:  No Substitute for Prayer by Oswald J. Smith

Intercessory prayer is the Christian's most effective weapon. Nothing can withstand it's power. It will do things when all else has failed. And the marvel is that we turn to other agencies in order to accomplish what only prayer can bring to pass. God has placed this mighty weapon in our hands, and He expects us to use it. How disappointed He must be when we lay it aside and substitute natural means for supernatural work.

In this twentieth century we are, more and more, turning from the God-appointed means of intercessory prayer and adopting, instead, merely natural agencies for the carrying on of His work. Everywhere we look it is the same, both in evangelism and ordinary church work. Intercessory prayer has been shelved. For some reason it is out of date. Our methods, we say, are better, our plans more successful, and so we adopt natural means to bring to pass the supernatural.

My brethren, it can never be done.  Click to read the rest of this article…

CONNECTION:  Look to Your Foundations – A Testimony of the Haystack

>>From Nicole – George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

>>”The Lord said to ‘look beneath the foundations’ and what was uncovered was incredible”

>>Nicole writes:  This is how God brought the Haystack to our campus…  " Early in the fall semester last year (’05), a small group of GW students and alumni gathered for prayer about how to reach the lost at GW. The Lord said to "look beneath the foundations" and what was uncovered was incredible. After researching in the University archives, they learned that The George Washington University was originally founded as a product of the Second Great Awakening. In fact, Luther Rice was one of the five original missionaries Luther Rice and founded GW University! Therefore, the mission and vision of this institution was to be a school to train, equip, and send out missionaries!

Joel Thomas, a grad student at GW, has been connected with Ryan Shaw when Joel attended college in Chicage. He and his wife, Laura helped to organize Souled Out in Chicago, which was a weekly worship gathering for college students. When Joel and Laura moved to DC, they were asked to be SVM2 representatives in the area, but felt like God was calling them to focus their ministry in other ways. In fact, they were both part of the prayer group when the Lord spoke to "look beneath the foundations". The rest was history and the Lord's perfect timing. Joel and Ryan emailed about GW and I began correspondance as well, as I was IVCF's current president and was helping to organize the Haystack event on campus.

As a result of discovering GW's connection to the original Haystack prayer, we began recognizing the need for Christian fellowships on campus to unite and pray with one heart and vision that God would again move on our campus as before, echoing the prayers of the five that gathered around the haystack 200 years earlier. Weekly prayer meetings began that were open to all fellowships, culminating in a worship/prayer night that, for the first time in history perhaps, gathered GW's Christian organizations that had previously been divided over issues of race, denomination, theology, and mission. It was so powerful to have SVM2's Ryan Shaw challenge our students to consider their future and their calling as message-bearers of the gospel of Christ to this world.

Students from hundreds of countries worldwide are represented on GW's campus, which is already renowned for its excellent international affairs programs, cultural diversity, and ability to produce leaders. As we gathered, many began to see that within the student body of GWU existed future leaders, influencers, teachers, business owners, etc. of nations throughout the world -- the global mission field became that much closer as our classes and dorms became opportunities for prayer and evangelism. Not only was the Haystack event an unprecented gathering of Christians on campus, but it gave students a renewed burden for the lost as they realized the current strengths of our school are a result of the heritage of God's hand upon our university, inspiring them anew to cry out to Him to revive the prayers and purpose of GWU.”

Praise GOD!  Consider looking at some of the foundations at your school.  You may be surprised (and hopefully inspired) to find that God’s used students in other generations from your campus to reach the world for Christ.

"

RESOURCE:  Ramadan Prayer Resources

Ramadan, one of the five pillars of the Muslim faith, begins September 24 through October 23 2006.

Here’s a couple websites that can help you pray for Muslims during this time:

www.30-days.net and www.30daysfire.net

Here’s a little about 30-Days

30-Days International produces the well-known "30-Days of Prayer for the Muslim World" Christian prayer guide coinciding with Ramadan each year.

The origin of this call to prayer and fasting for the Muslim world came about as a group of Christian leaders were praying about the Islamic world during a meeting in the Middle East in April 1992. God put a burden on the hearts of these men and women to call as many Christians as possible to pray for the Muslim world.

This prayer event is planned to coincide with the Islamic month of Ramadan so that we, the Body of Christ, would get God's heart for the Muslim world. We pray for greater breakthroughs for the Gospel among Muslims, an increased commitment to prayer by Christians, and for more missionaries to be released to work among Muslims.

Ramadan begins September 24 through October 23 2006.

NETWORK:  Register and Update Your Prayer Group Info

Do you have multiple prayer groups on your campus?  If so, please let us know!  We’d love to connect all of your groups and post them up on the website.  Email us at info@svm2.net to update any new info about your prayer group or to let us know of other prayer groups on your campus.