“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35
We believe that the prayer of the faithful can lead to amazing out pourings of God's blessings. Jesus said:
“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20
These pages are dedicated to our prayers for the work of ROPE and to uphold our partners, ROPEholders, around the world. They are often faced with overwhelming needs and limited resources. Above all they need the Holy Spirit to give them discerning wisdom.
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:18
Wisdom and discernment for our ROPEholders is the theme of our 2008 web prayer. Once a month we will upload an audio track as a prayer starter, comprising the reading and an initial prayer. You may stream online or download in MP3 format for later listening. Just click "Listen" on the right. After you have listened, respond with your own prayers as the Holy Spirit moves by posting on the prayer wall (posts are moderated before being published). Why not also subscribe to our prayer letter?
The ROPEcasts are produced by Tony Houghton of ROPE. Why not pray with him over skype?
Our last prayer starter for 2008 is anchored into the account of what the NIV calls, “The boy Jesus at the temple.” As with all the Gospels the record of this event is so succinct, carrying to us a picture of words that paints with such clarity, journeying, celebration, distraction, teaching, anxiety and relief. At the end of the 11 verses Luke records, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men. (Luke 2:52). May we pray for wisdom for all those involved in ROPE’s oragnisation, that in some small mirror of Jesus, they might grow in stature and favour with God.
1/12/08 @ 08:53Tony Houghton
“Lord God, we thank you that you chose to send your Son, Jesus to live amongst us, to take on all the characteristics from a tiny child, through youth, teenage years to manhood. Thank you Father that you chose to bless him with wisdom. I love this account in Luke LORD where we learn that Jesus was with the teachers of the law for three days in the Temple, at the age of twelve. That you Jesus, were listening and asking questions as Luke records.
Thank you that you listen today. That you are alive and with us listening to us as we pour out our hearts. Today we give you all the problems and challenges of ROPE working in a fallen world where pain and suffering overwhelm lives and cause fear and trembling. Lord it is good to know that there is nowhere in the world that you are not listening to the cries of the heart broken, to the wails of the hungry children, to the moans of the dying. Thank you that you hear the pain of the world.
We want to thank you to that this story of you at 12 years old also says that you were asking questions of the teachers. As ROPE goes about its work Lord you ask us questions? You ask us questions through your word in the Bible, “what are you doing to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the sick and the imprisoned?” Thank you that just as you challenged those teachers in the Temple, you challenge us about putting our faith into action. “What are you doing?” seems to resonate in our ears.
The good news is that you, at the age of twelve, like any twelve year old were not only asking questions. Jesus, it says that you amazed the teachers with your understanding and answers. Thank you that you have an understanding of why things happen, how the aid channelled through ROPE will multiply the changes and save lives. You understand too, when there are disappointments about ROPE’s gifts, when the donations, their transit and their impact seem to fall out differently from our expectation, even to cause us doubts. Jesus, there is nothing beyond your understanding.
Most of all we thank you LORD that you amaze us with your answers (Luke 2:47). We commit the whole of ROPE’s work to you – from work in the UK, raising funds, going out to explain the calling and the needs, the office staff, the volunteers, the dispatch of funds, the decision making at the ‘coal face’ of need, the recipients of aid moving forward in hope: we commit all of this to your amazing answers. That we might be astonished as your earthly parents were when they found you seated in the Temple.
Thank you that today you are truly in your Father’s house, and that we, like Mary and Joseph, can find you if we search in the right place. Please Jesus move today in response to our prayers that the work of ROPE might mirror your human progression: growing “in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.””
1/12/08 @ 08:54Cheril Marusic
“The needs of millions in this dark world grow daily as materialism looses its stability and predicted events continue to happen. ROPE is a small army of God's troops and like Gideon The Lord is leading them and giving victory. We pray the empowering of the Holy Spirit to work miracles in so many areas of need. Amen”
