#Conflict | Mark Mirza - Common Thread Ministries

Their Plans Prompt Our Prayers

by Mark S Mirza | Feb 26, 2022 | Peace, People, Promises

Tragic Prayers for Tragic Times

This posted Friday, Feb 25th, and is followed today with a similar theme around prayer.

Specifically, how do we pray during tragic times?

But in the post below, YOU WILL SEE BEHIND THE SCENES what the Ukrainian church is doing while their nation is being invaded by Russian forces.

Their Plans Prompt Our Prayers

Are you like me? My heart hurts to see what is going on in Ukraine. And I want to help.

So, I ask, “How can I help?”

You can stand on a street corner & wave a Ukrainian flag
You can give money
You can join a pro-Ukrainian parade
You can paint your face azure & yellow
You can write pretty poems
You can mock politicians

All of these we’ve seen on FB, Tw & IG, right?

But, there is another idea. . .
Why don’t we hear what the church in Ukraine is doing and prayerfully come alongside them?

Last night I saw this article from the SBC (https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/4-reasons-why-christians-should-care-about-whats-happening-in-ukraine/):

Those that have chosen to stay are committed to meeting the needs of their neighbors as they are able, and have said, “When this is over, the citizens of Kyiv will remember how Christians have responded in their time of need.”

How did that prompt you to pray?

Let me give you another peek at what the Ukrainian Church is doing.

A friend of mine (now living in Pennsylvania) started a church in Ukraine with another gentlemen, who is still there. He hasn’t been on social media for 23 hours, but as my friend is quick to note, he may just be saving his battery.

These were his last words:

How does that prompt you to pray?

Shortly before the text above, came this brief exchange:

Is any of this giving YOU hope?

I trust you are getting hope and motivation to pray for the church in Ukraine.

Again I ask you, how?

May I simply suggest, that you come to the Lord HUMBLY (Psalm 138:6, Proverbs 3:34, 1 Peter 5:5b).

I think we’ve lost the art of coming in to the Lord’s presence with humility. We don’t need bombastic praying (https://markmirza.com/glass-packs-on-our-praying/) or prayer filled with lots of words (Ecclesiastes 5:2, Matthew 6:7).

If you’re going to take the time to pray, then don’t run the risk of your prayers not being heard.

Ukrainian Church Plans Prompt My Praying

I watch what the Ukrainian Church is doing and I want to do my part. So, I plan to pray as follows.

Maybe this will help you also:

Pray for the resources of Ukrainian Christians who are helping their fellow countrymen.
Pray for opportunities to supply needs and the boldness to act when a need is seen.
Pray that each opportunity to engage their fellow countrymen, allows for a testimony of hope.
Pray for more connections with soldiers and with civilians.
Where there are tears and panic, pray these Ukrainian Christians will have a peace which transcends everyone’s understanding.
Pray they’d have such peace that they are embarrassed.
Pray for all Ukrainian Christians to be reminded that our residence is in heaven, not here on earth.
Pray for the freedom to shed tears.

Honored to serve,

MARK S MIRZA
Founder/Author
C: (404) 606-2322
W: MarkMirza.com

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Tragic Prayers for Tragic Times

by Mark S Mirza | Feb 25, 2022 | Peace, People, Power, Principles, Problems

The Tragedy of War

And the Tragic Implications

Are you like me? The word, “Tragic,” in the context of “War” evokes heartbreaking pictures in my mind.

May I suggest some tragedies we might be missing? I pray that your heart will take these insights and apply them to your prayer life.

FEAR

As the death toll rises, would you pray that Ukraians would not fear man — but would realize the brevity of life and cause them to fear not knowing the Lord?

You may think the world is becoming unglued. First the Ukraine, and now possible sabre rattling in Taiwan. Would you remember though, God is in control. Are you fearing what you see? If you fear, perhaps your God is smaller than you think. Maybe you have put your trust in man rather than Him.

Do you know when Jesus will return? He said He would return when things are as bad on the earth as it was in Noah’s time (Matthew 24:37). If you are praying for Christ’s return, trust that God is manuevering nations to where He wants them for His purposes.

Trust Him to give you the strength to ENDURE IN THE TROUBLE (2 Timothy 2:3).

Pray for Christians in the Ukraine, that they would have no fear, because they trust God. And pray that those who are experiencing fear would prayerfully ask themselves, “Why?”

Sometimes fear may be telling us a lot more about ourselves than we realize.

Often, our fears are a wake-up call. Jesus said clearly, some who believe they are saved will hear the words, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23). Pray for those men and women who need to get saved, even though they already think they are saved.

FERVENT

Finally, as you watch what is going on, how are you being moved, motivated, inspired, and prompted? Let me tell you about a sweet woman who walked into her prayer meeting Wednesday night, just completely burdened for the children in Afghanistan and the children in the Ukraine.

I am so proud of her! She walked into church with a James 5, fervency. Do you know why she had that fervency? Because God knew her burden would cause her to pray for those children in a way that others could not.

This sweet sister reminds me of two tragedies around “fervent prayers” (James 5:16).

The first is, how many people are no longer fervant? And, why are they no longer fervant? Perhaps it’s because God cannot trust them to pray for those issues anymore.
The second tragedy is the evil one’s ability to “push your buttons.” I believe there are so many men and women who are yelling at people on the TV, they have completely missed a “fervancy-establishing,” moment of God, in their lives.

One more “finally.” If sataN is the liar of liars (John 8:44), doesn’t it make sense he would lie to us about his lies?

Are you letting the evil one’s lies distract you from praying the way God wants you to pray?

Let me help you be, “self-reflective” over this tragedy. And it’s simple.

BEFORE you tell Him your will, ask Him for His will. Start asking the Lord how He wants you to pray about these tragedies.