1 minute to make a difference

I ran into a LTC (LT Colonel) today at my unit and we really hit it off. She's a nurse and looking for a home at our unit. After speaking with her a few minutes it became gloriously obvious that she was a follower of the "Way" as many Christians were called in the early days of the church. She had a right side patch (meaning combat deployed) so instantly she carried with her credibility. She shared with me how some of her family members were missionaries to France of all places. Upon finishing our day at Battle Assembly, taking care of soldiers, going to meetings, checking the block I saw her again in the hallway near the bookshelf that SGT Robinson (my chaplain assistant) has put together. She began to tell me of a ministry that is devoted entirely to prayer for the city of Baghdad. This ministry began right around the surge back in 2007. The word prayer is used 139 times in the Bible. The word "pray" is used another 195 times. I suspect a word that is used more than 300 times in God's word is probably pretty important. Verses like psalm 5:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Mark 1:35, and many others stress not only the importance of prayer, but also the effectiveness of that prayer.

I logged on to http://prayercentral.net/baghdad/ and signed up to take part for 1 minute a day to pray for Baghdad. Many of us in the military have a vested interest in the peace of Baghdad. I have friends there right now.

Many of you may have asked, "What can I do to help?"

Well its fairly simple....pray. If you sign up the team from Baghdad Prayer Patrol will send you a 1 minute prayer for a section of Baghdad. Here is today's prayer:

Scripture: “And it will come about after this, That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.” -Joel 2:28

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are worthy of all glory and honor and praise. There is no other God besides You, and one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that You alone are God.

Bullets and rockets are not enough to subdue the wicked, so we look to You. I bring Your attention, Lord, to the main troublemakers in Baghdad, and You know who they are.

I want to target one of them in prayer right now, and ask that tonight and every night this week You would disturb his sleep with dreams and visions he cannot forget. Speak to his heart and convict him of the wrong he has been doing. Break down the hardness that violence has forged in his heart, and give him a fresh new outlook.

Give him no rest Lord, until he turns from his wickedness, and accepts a better way. Birth a new hope in his heart and give him the grace to let go of the past and lay down his violent ways. Tame the troublemaker Lord, and make him a man of peace. In Jesus name, amen.

One striking thing about this and don't let this slip by, how many times have you or I for that matter made it a priority of each day to pray for our enemies, to pray that they would indeed come to know a better "Way".

Take a moment and lift those who would persecute us up in prayer today and take a moment to check the Baghdad Prayer Patrol and pray for the peace of that city.