The intercession of Jesus Christ for each of us (Hebrews 7:25) is a truth that not only reflects Jesus’ heart for us, but is also a faith-building truth that stirs us to pray. In his book “Gentle and Lowly,” Dane Ortlund writes, “His interceding for us reflects his heart—the same heart that carried him through life and down into death on behalf of his people is the heart that now manifests itself in constant pleading with and reminding and prevailing upon his Father to always welcome us.” Because of Jesus’ atoning work accomplished in the gospel, He now pleads on our behalf, and the Father welcomes us, and our prayer requests with open arms. Amazing, faith-building, prayer-producing truth!!

As we pray for our family of churches during the last quarter of 2020, let us not hold back our requests. Rather, let us pray with confidence in the gospel, and faith that our Father will hear and answer our prayers. As you pray, I hope you will know in a deeper way Christ’s heart for you.

Sovereign Grace Churches Fourth Quarter 2020 Prayer Requests

• Pray that God would draw unbelievers to Sovereign Grace churches as we hold our Christmas related events and services in December.

• Pray that God would give the members of Sovereign Grace churches opportunities to share the gospel with unbelieving family members, friends, neighbors, and coworkers over the holiday season.

• Pray that God would protect and strengthen our unity in every Sovereign Grace church in a way that display’s the power of the gospel to our broken and divided communities.

• Pray for Michael Granger and Trinity Fellowship in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia asking God to bless their public services that they started a few weeks ago, and that God would draw unbelievers to this church plant to hear the gospel.

• Pray for Joselo Mercado as he travels to Costa Rica December 1-3 where he will be meeting with about 25 pastors in that nation to equip and care for them.

• Pray for Jeffery Jo in Manila, Philippines; Cornelio Nebo in Cebu City, Philippines; and Dyonah Thomas in Liberia asking God to give them grace as they work through the Sovereign Grace Churches ordination process.

• Pray that God would use the new Sovereign Grace Music Christmas album, “Heaven Has Come” to declare the good news that Jesus has come to save sinners to those who don’t know Him as Lord and Savior.

• Pray that God would continue to provide financially for Sovereign Grace Churches so that we can fund the gospel opportunities He is giving us throughout the world.

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Mark Prater is the Executive Director for Sovereign Grace and serves as an elder at Covenant Fellowship Church. He and his wife, Jill, have three married daughters and a growing number of grandchildren.

I spoke with a Sovereign Grace pastor recently who told me that even though his church is unable to gather together, the pandemic is actually being used to bring his church closer together. I see a similar thing throughout Sovereign Grace. God is using the COVID-19 pandemic to highlight the fact that we are truly a global “family of churches.” Isn’t it so good of God to use a global trial to bring us closer together as a “family” in Sovereign Grace?

One of the ways that our Sovereign Grace family cares for one another during this unusual time is to pray for one another. Below you will find the “Sovereign Grace Churches Second Quarter Prayer Requests.” The requests do focus on prayer needs that are the result of the pandemic. Consider praying for our family of churches in a future livestream service, Sunday or Small Group Zoom meeting, or include these requests in a devotional you create. May our prayers for one another strengthen our partnership and our faith to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ together for His glory alone.

• Pray that God would give the members and pastors of Sovereign Grace churches opportunities to serve our community and demonstrate the love of Christ during the COVID-19 pandemic looking for opportunities to share the gospel with unbelievers.

• Pray for the members of Sovereign Grace churches who are unemployed, have been furloughed from their jobs, or who own businesses that have been negatively impacted financially by the COVIOD-19 pandemic asking God to provide for them.

• Pray for the pastors of Sovereign Grace churches asking God to give them wisdom in knowing when and how to reopen their church in the coming months.

• Pray that God would provide for Jorge Del Castillo, David Del Castillo and their church plant team who started services in Santa Cruz, Bolivia just before the COVID-19 pandemic started and haven’t been able to meet since early March.

• Pray that God would use this unprecedented pandemic for an unprecedented advancement of the gospel throughout the world.

• Pray that God would continue to provide financially for Sovereign Grace Churches so that we can fund the gospel opportunities He is giving us.

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Mark Prater is the Executive Director for Sovereign Grace and serves as an elder at Covenant Fellowship Church. He and his wife, Jill, have three married daughters and a growing number of grandchildren.