“O King Darius, live forever!  The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.”  
(Daniel 6:6b-7)

You know the story.  Daniel’s allegiance to his God was greater than his allegiance to King Darius, and he continued his regular practice of prayer unfazed.

I listened to Alastair Begg teaching from the book of Daniel last month.  Referencing these verses in Chapter 6, he issued a challenge to his listeners:  “Would it make any substantial difference in my life, individually or corporately, if prayer was banned for the next thirty days?”  Don’t get distracted – as I did at first – by the question of whether I could pray privately, secretly, and not be found out.  The real question is whether a ban on prayer would leave a hole in my life … or not.  A ban on Brussels sprouts would have no impact on my life because I don’t eat Brussel sprouts.  A ban on dark chocolate, on the other hand, would affect me acutely.  Removal of primetime TV or social media from my life would make little difference, but removing piano would be a huge loss to me.  Is prayer something I love, something that’s important and valuable to me?  Is prayer a vital part of my life or a minor part?  That is the question.

Here are some topics for prayer this week:

1.  Mita Phillipps asks for prayer for her father, James, who is battling bladder cancer.  He has been hospitalized with a bacterial infection in his blood and is very frail.  Pray that this infection will clear soon, and ask for physical and spiritual strength for James and his family.

2.  Please continue to pray for Ramon and Janet Reyes.  Ramon, who has liver cancer, is now on hospice and, thankfully, his pain is under control.  Janet is caring for him and working to support them both.  One specific prayer request is for provision of an affordable apartment in Orange or Anaheim, closer to Janet’s job than their current residence in Rowland Heights.

3.  Last December, Ruth Hanning asked us to pray for her son, Richie, who had started a Christian drug rehab program.  He had to leave the program over the holidays because of illness.  Richie now needs a job.  Ask the Lord to develop in him the ability to be an excellent employee and to provide job opportunities. 

4.  I know several people who have experienced setbacks recently in their battles with cancer or other physical ailments.  Maybe you know someone in a similar situation.  They have been clinging to the hope and promises of God, but bad news has come nevertheless.  Pray that they will not become disheartened; pray that they can say, with Job, “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?”  (Job 2:10)

5.  There may be people among us who have stayed on the fringes of the Calvary community, in whose hearts the Lord has stirred a desire to belong using the recent “Define: Church” sermon series.  Pray that they will participate in the Discover Calvary class that begins February 12.
 
In Christ,
Carol Gilbert
Calvary Community Church of Brea