“Because the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.”
Matthew 24:12 (NIV)
As Jesus was talking with His Disciples about the end times right before His return, He commented on how deception would run wild (Matthew 24:4, 11, 24), persecution would increase (24:9-11) and the love of most we grow cold. It’s a pretty apt picture of today. The Apostle Paul wrote about the end times as being terrible, characterized by people who among other things, are “lovers of themselves, lovers of money, … without love, not lovers of good, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God …” (2 Timothy 3:1-4). In another place, Jesus speaking to the church in Ephesus, who by the way looked good on the outside (hard working, lots of good deeds, endured hardship in His name, rejecting false apostles and in the midst of it all had not grown weary), rebuked them for forsaking their first love (Revelation 2:2-5)
One thing is for sure, in these days that we live in, where truth is hard to find, and wickedness is indeed running rampant, we must not neglect fueling our passionate love for Jesus. Please be intentional in nurturing your secret place with Him. Repent if necessary, and come back to where you were with Him. It will not happen by accident. And if you’re not careful you may look good on the outside, yet be carrying a cold love on the inside. Please pray for the fire of the Holy Spirit to ignite a renewed passion for Jesus, His word and for others! Pray that for yourself, your church and across our city.
Now here are some exciting ways to pray with and for others this month….
Student Pastors Prayer
Thursday, September 3 / 9 to 10a
Living Hope – 2150 Lexington Rd., Athens 30605
On the first Thursday of the September (keeping to our rhythm) Student Pastors from around Athens will continue to meet up and pray. This month we will be doing it in person at Living Hope. (We are asked that while on the Living Hope campus to wear mask, and keep a Covid proper distance. We will also be meeting in a large room with the chairs appropriately spaced)!!! For you non-student pastors, please join us from wherever you are and pray that God would stir a great spiritual hungry in the students across our city! Ask God to pour out grace, wisdom and creativity upon all those who minister to the young people of our city, starting with the ones at your church. Cry out to God that He would protect each of these Students Pastors, their families, their teams (whether staff or volunteers). Please pray that every student in our city would be drawn to God in this unprecedented moment in history and that they would become the catalyst for revival in our city and beyond. Pray that in spite of the increased wickedness, that student pastors and their students love for each other and Jesus would grow even hotter!
Athens Prayer Walk
Saturday, September 5 / 10am to noon
The Arch – Corner of College Avenue and East Broad Street
Back to the first Saturday of the we meet at The Arch and go from there. With students back on campus (though many will be away for Labor Day weekend), we will be pounding the pavement crying out for a great move of God at UGA. Please join us if you can! And of course, we ask that everyone observe the social distance guidelines.
Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, September 9 / 9 to 10am
Phoenix Community – 660 W Broad., Athens 30601
This month the senior pastors will once again be meeting in person to pray for and with each other! If you’re able, please join us from wherever you are to pray for the pastors in our city, starting with your own! Pray that God would give them divine wisdom from above, extraordinary creativity and Holy Spirit boldness as they lead their congregations through this challenging, unprecedented season. Ask God to empower them to lead well, and for each church to be an instrument of life and help to the Athens community. Pray that God would guard and even deepen the unity among pastors in our city. In the midst of all the weight that is currently on them, ask God to abundantly bless, extravagantly refresh, greatly encourage, divinely protect and supernaturally provide for your pastor, their marriage and their family. Ask God to meet each of these lead shepherds in Athens right where they are, and give them all that it takes to stay intimately connected to God and run strongly throughout this battle. Ask God to use our pastors as a powerful godly voice in our city, during such a time as this! And pray that even in the midst of increased wickedness, that pastors love for people and Jesus would grow even hotter!
UGA Campus Ministry Directors Prayer
Thursday, September 10 & 24 / 3 to 4:30pm
Wesley (Bob’s office) – 1196 S Lumpkin St., Athens
Those who lead campus or college ministries are invited to join us every other Thursday Our focus is praying for each other and for God to move powerfully across the college campus.
Athens Intercessors Community
Monday, September 14 / 7 to 9pm
APN Prayer Center
We will be gathering, in person, as the Athens Intercessors Community in the APN Prayer Center. We will catch up with what God has been saying to us and get a sense of where we are heading as we press into the Fall. If you’re one of the intercessors, please join us!
Groups Pastors Prayer
Wednesday, September 16 / 9:30 to 10:30am
Cornerstone – 4680 Lexington Rd., Athens 30605
The Groups Pastors in Athens will continue to meet in person this month. People are longing for authentic community and groups provide it! There are virtual groups, in person groups and hybrid groups, operating in our city. This is the new norm for now. Pray that God would continue to lead the Groups Pastors in our city to create even more new and effective ways to stay connected and to connect new people. Pray that God would grant them wisdom and creativity. Pray for the groups’ leaders to lead well in these new formats and that their love would not grow cold. Pray that God would raise up more group leaders for this season, as well as for when we come out of our period of social distancing. Ask God to gently remove those who should not be leading groups any more. Ask God to protect and expand this vital ministry in our city. And ask Him for heaven to come down upon every group that meets in Jesus’ powerful Name in Athens!
Executive Pastors Prayer
Thursday, September 17 / 9 to 10am
Athens Church – 10 Huntington Dr., Athens 30606
Those who “run” churches in Athens will be coming together in person again to share and pray with and for one another. Pray for these hidden heroes who make huge decisions in an arena they have never walked in before. Please pray for the executive / administrative pastor (or those who do that role) in your church and the others who carry this load in the churches across our city. They need wisdom, creativity, boldness and faith. This is very a crucial ministry at such an important time as this! Pray that God would give them supernatural joy as they keep the systems operating and create new ones for Kingdom growth in Athens. Ask God to ignite their love for Jesus, more than ever before! Pray that God would increase His presence and favor in their lives and homes. Pray that God would give them what they need as the Church emerges into this next season.
Awaken the Dawn
Friday, September 18 through Saturday, September 19 / 7pm to 7pm
Cali N Tito’s – 1427 S. Lumpkin St., Athens 30605
Come join in worship, scripture reading and prayer for our nation at any time during this 24 hour period. We are still looking for more folks to sign up to lead TWO HOUR slots – worship, prayer and / or reading the Word. If you are interested please contact Britt (706-380-9068) or Pat (706-621-2778). For more info on the Awaken the Dawn movement check out https://awakenthedawn.com/
Pastors Racial Unity
Thursday, September 24 / 10am to noon
Christian Life Worship Center – 125 Kathwood Drive, Athens 30607
These are racially tense days, and our pastors will continue to meet up to pray and discuss how we can walk this out in ways that honor each other and pleases God. Please continue to pray for the relationships between the black and white pastors in our city as we choose to walk by a different beat than the world. Pray that our love for each other would grow deeper and not cold in these tense times.
The Return
Saturday, September 26 / 9am to 9pm
Multiple Venues
This is the national and global day of repentance. While tens of thousands of Christ followers are expected to gather at the National Mall in Washington DC, we will be joining via simulcast in Athens. For more information and/or to sign up for a slot here in Athens please go to… https://www.slottr.com/sheets/18254148. For more information on the event itself please check out https://thereturn.org/.
RETURNING SOON…
Campus Prayer
Mondays / 12:15 to 1:15pm
UGA Tate Center
Expected starting date September 14
ONGOING & INSPIRATIONAL…
Georgia Prayer Line
Wednesdays / 8am
Dial 425-436-6325 – when prompted enter access code 423231#
Please try to log in at 7:55am to announce your city and county. If you miss the live call you can still hear it by dialing 425-436-6309 (same access code).
Athens Daily Prayer Texts
Ongoing
All across Athens area
Every morning at 8am Daily Prayer Texts are delivered to cell phones across Athens and beyond. They are also posted each day at noon on the APN Facebook page. If you would like to receive these prayer focuses each day, please text @athenspray to 81010. This is a simply amazing way to start your day and to stand in unified, and focused prayer with others from across our city for our city!
FOR MORE STUFF…
Every day we post something on the APN Facebook page. Usually it is more than once. These posts include prayer opportunities, prayer points, prayer inspirations and the Daily Prayer Text. It is definitely worth checking out daily to help stay connected with what God is doing in our city, especially in such a time as this!
Bless you heaps!!!
Steve
