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  July 2009: Vulnerability
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And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

I John 5: 14 ESV


Welcome to our July 2009 1st Friday Call to Prayer. Our aim is to provide you with teaching that we trust will enhance your prayer experience and will be an encouragement to you. We will also provide you with praise items and prayer requests coming from within ANiC and the Anglican Communion worldwide.

We encourage you to set aside the first Friday, July 3rd, as a day of prayer and fasting for the Church in these critical days, ideally gathering with other believers in your parish or region for corporate prayer at some point in the day.

Prayer Quotes
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore. 

Psalm 133 ESV


Vulnerability

The first Provincial Assembly of the Anglican Church in North America is now history, incredibly exciting history for those of us who have been eagerly praying and anticipating a continent-wide expression of orthodox Anglicanism. I was deeply moved by the content of the addresses that were given and the clear sense of the Lord’s presence, and indeed, pleasure at what was taking place. For us Canadian Anglicans, so many incredible things have happen since the first Essentials conference fifteen years ago in Montréal that have led to these events in Texas. Our hearts are bursting with gratitude to our faithful Lord!

Archbishop Bob Duncan’s opening address was both powerful and poignant, and there was a message of vulnerability and warning in his words that I want to address. There could be among us as intercessors a sense that the battle is finally over and now that so much has been accomplished and new structures and governance set it place that we can relax. Such an attitude could be quite disastrous. Here is a specific warning from that address:

“Our Adversary, the devil, Satan, the deceiver, that old serpent, is also very interested in what is happening here. Count on that! As St. Peter reminds us, this Adversary is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. We are to resist him, firm in our Faith. [I Pet.5.8-9] I believe that the re-gathering of a faithful Anglican Church in North America is among the enemy’s greatest concerns. So we should not be surprised if he tries to break in here. He will attempt to lure us back to old ways and old hurts and old fights.”

The miracle of the new constitution, and the Common Cause Partnership that preceded it, is the fruit of repentance, humility, endurance, and much sacrifice. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our midst, restoring fellowship and a willingness to build together that is unprecedented in modern day. And it is both vulnerable and fragile. As Archbishop Bob has clearly reminded us, the enemy of our souls is furious at what has been accomplished in the Spirit, and he will seek to harden the tender hearts that participated inthis miracle, and bring disunity and fracture. The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), in its infancy, is vulnerable to attack because of the very manner in which it came in to being.

But God specializes in vulnerability. We need only look at Jesus to see this demonstrated: - the Saviour of humanity born as an infant to a teenaged virgin girl in the backwater of the Roman empire, pursued by an enraged tetrarch bent on his destruction; or as a seemingly lost pre-teen, wandering the streets of Jerusalem alone; or as an adult, standing, stripped and viciously beaten, before the Roman governor, apparently at his mercy and sole discretion.

Yes, God loves vulnerability because it causes the vulnerable one to be totally dependent on Him for protection and security. Remember Gideon (Judges 7) and the 300 soldiers he had left to conquer the Midianites after God had dismissed the other tens of thousands! Or think about the vulnerability of the missionary Paul rescued from a well-conceived ambush in Jerusalem that would have meant certain death had his nephew not caught wind of it (Acts 23).

So what does all this means for us as intercessors? How should we be praying at this point in our unfolding destiny? Well, obviously we are not to pray for man-made structures and devices that provide self-protection and make us less vulnerable – God just won’t buy into it. But we must be vigilant as “watchmen on the city wall” to pray against the assaults of the enemy targeting the extraordinary, yet fragile unity that has been established, and targeting the godly leadership that has been set in place. We must not relax because our enemy is not relaxing.

As we pray for ACNA, we may find the words of David in Psalm 55 helpful to use on behalf of those whom God has called to leadership, whether at the provincial, diocesan or parochial level. David begins by actively chafing under his fear of vulnerability, as we all do. None of us likes the feeling of exposure! But he then moves on to the strategic decision to put his trust squarely in the Lord’s hands. Let’s surround our vulnerable leaders, parishes and ministries with prayer, trusting absolutely in a faithful God who will never abandon us.

Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble on me and in anger they bear a grudge against me.

My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.”


Psalm 55: 1-8 ESV

But I call to God, and the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, because they do not change and do not fear God.

Psalm 55 16-19 ESV

Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55: 22 ESV

Garth V. Hunt


Praise God …
That He has provided the armour and weaponry we need to engage in spiritual battle.

That He longs for us to commune with Him in prayer.

That He allows us to participate through prayer in the unfolding of His purposes.

That “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective”. (James 5:16, NIV)

That He hears and responds to our cries and prayers, when we pray in submission to His will – and answers in His way and in His time.

That we have an advocate with the Father, Christ Jesus.

For the recently formed Anglican Church in North America – of which ANiC is a diocese.

For faithful Anglican bishops, clergy and laity who are taking a stand for truth – even when their stand for Christ and His Word makes them targets for attack.

For the courage of global orthodox Primates.

For the reformation God is working out in global Anglicanism. In the midst of chaos, He is building His Kingdom and refining His bride, the Church.

For God’s blessing on ANiC and for all He has planned for the future.

For the congregations of faithful Anglicans He is adding to our number.

For the growing unity of orthodox Anglicans in the Communion.


Please pray…
That God would teach us to be faithful in prayer.

That we will learn to desire God – and communing with Him – above everything.

That we would fall deeper in love with Jesus, growing more like our Saviour each day.

That we see as Jesus saw, love as He loved, serve as He served, and die to ourselves as He died to Himself.

For Bishops Donald Harvey, Malcolm Harding and Ronald Ferris, and their families. Pray for spiritual and physical protection and for a daily closer walk with God.

For those suffering under the attack of the enemy, especially spouses of clergy and leaders. Pray for victory in Christ and physical healing, if that is God’s will.

For new ANiC congregations as they attend to the many details of organizing and launching as an ANiC parish – and for other congregations considering joining ANiC.

For congregations that have lost their places of worship as well as for those forced to appeal to the courts and facing the possible loss of their buildings. May they demonstrate love to those who persecute them.

For the court proceedings, for the judges considering the cases, for parish wardens, trustees and clergy who have put so much on the line, and for generous donations to ANiC’s legal defense fund to cover the costs of supporting threatened parishes.
For Mr Justice Stephen Kelleher who is now reviewing and weight the evidence form the three-week court case in Vancouver involving four ANiC parishes.
For the case involving St Aidan’s in Windsor, ON.
For St George’s (Lowville), Good Shepherd (St Catharines) and St Hilda’s (Oakville) in their dispute with the Diocese of Niagara.
For a change of heart on the part of the dioceses pursuing ANiC parishes. May they relent and work with parishes to reach amicable settlements.

For those who feel called to remain in the Anglican Church of Canada to pray and work for reformation and for a renewed commitment to Jesus Christ and His inspired Word.

For the recovery of a lively orthodoxy in the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC).

For Biblically-faithful Anglicans in Canada who feel isolated in liberal churches and dioceses as well as for those who feel they can no longer remain in the Anglican Church of Canada. May they find Christian fellowship and spiritual nourishment.

For the leaders of Anglican Essentials Federation, Anglican Essentials Network and Anglican Essentials Canada as they provide support for orthodox Anglicans in the ACoC.

For Archbishop Gregory Venables (and his wife, Sylvia) who graciously provided a temporary “home” for ANiC members when we needed Primatial oversight.

For our new province, the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA):
For Archbishop Bob Duncan (and wife, Nara)
For the other 27 dioceses and the bishops giving leadership – especially those in Canada in the Anglican Coalition in Canada and the Reformed Episcopal Church.

For the orthodox Primates – including the GAFCon Primates – and bishops who are courageously standing for the Truth. Pray for spiritual and physical protection and for discernment, grace and strength as they lead in a torn Communion.

For the Covenant process. May the Lord clearly lead and may His will be done.

For the Archbishop of Canterbury. May he pursue God wholeheartedly and seek the guidance and discernment he needs to fulfill his responsibilities to the glory of God.

For suffering Christians around the world in conditions of persecution, war and poverty.

For those in authority over us in government; for judges in our court system; for officers of the law; and for those who serve our country in the military. Pray for wise decisions that honour the Lord and promote the welfare of Canadian citizens.

That God would revive us, our church and, ultimately, our nation.


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