Northeast Oklahoma District Church of the Nazarene

Dear NEO Nazarene Family,

On January 4 we begin our 21 Days of Prayer with Fasting for AWAKENING! The New Year is a great time to open your heart to new possibilities and dreams. It's a time to look at the promises of God and come to Him with our hopes and goals for the future.

Entering into an extended period of prayer and fasting at the New Year is practiced by hundreds of thousands of Christians throughout the world as we look ahead and position ourselves to receive from God.

The AWAKENING 2013 Journal may prove helpful for these 21 days. Every local church pastor should have copies available. It is also available to download.

On Sunday, January 13, 6pm we will have Concerts of Prayer on each NEO Zone at the following locations:

                                               Zone                                   Location

                                        Northeast Zone                     Claremore

                                        Northwest Zone                    Hominy

                                        Southeast Zone                     Muskogee

                                        Southwest Zone                    Cushing

                                        Tulsa Zone                             Regency Park

A growing number of Christians around the world, and in NEO, are beginning the year with the 21-Day Daniel Fast.  Fasting, when coupled with prayer, serves as a powerful vehicle to draw us closer to God. This is a God-designed discipline to enable the Creator’s people to enter into a focused time of seeking the Father and His wisdom, intervention and direction. For more information on the Daniel Fast, check out http://daniel-fast.com/ or www.awake21.org.

One of the encouraging things for me is the number of voices I hear calling for focused prayer for AWAKENING in our land.

· On December 20, I received an email from Dr. Loren Gresham, President of Southern Nazarene University. Dr Gresham forwarded a letter from one of SNU’s staff members that touched his heart. Dr. Gresham stated, “We are in a time of national soul searching, as we ought to be. Paul has called our campus to prayer in these days, and I wanted to invite you to join us in seeking God's blessing and direction on our institution. There is a higher road to be travelled than the one we are on institutionally, and I want to diligently seek the path Christ would lead us.”

Dear SNU faculty, staff, alumni and students:

In light of the tragic events at Sandy Hook school, God has gripped my heart              concerning the current spiritual status of our great nation.  My life has taught me that tremendous positive change can spawn from tragedy and adversity.  I believe that such is this time.

I am hard pressed to view our nation today as unified under the Almighty God.  We seem at best fragmented.  I know that there are faithful believers who pray daily for our country.  I am asking for a renewed commitment to the call for believers to pray for our nation.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” --2 Chronicles 7:14

Who can help the stubborn problems of our great land?  Who do we have faith in to help us in our time of need? I believe the answer is Almighty God.  I am calling believers to pray with a renewed commitment and fervor for humility, forgiveness and healing for our land.

Please pray for a spiritual awakening for our great nation!  And as you pray, please lift up the mission of Southern Nazarene University.  Pray that we will continue to be faithful to transforming lives through higher education in Christ-centered community.  Pray that God will strengthen us, place His hands upon us and that we can do our part to sustain ‘One Nation Under God’.

In my family as a youngster there was a saying, “Prayer changes things!”  We serve a gracious and merciful God.  I believe He delights in the prayers of His people.

This is not a time for believers to be silent.  This is a time to shine the light and lead the way!

Praying for positive change,

Paul McGrady, Associate Athletics Director, Southern Nazarene University

· On December 22, I received an email from Joe Rouintree of our Cushing Church. Joe said, “This week during my devotional time my heart was stirred to see if there would be those saints who would enjoy praying together in challenging God to move in 2013. My heart has already been stirred by the enthusiastic response received in just 3 days. I believe there are many saints who are hungering for a fresh move of God in our age. It seemed like a small step of faith for me to do this, but God is the one who multiplies our small gifts to His intended use.” The following prayer was attached:

Lord I praise you, thank you and glorify you for allowing me to covenant with you, as did Joe's father, and say by faith there is going to be awakening on the earth and by God's grace we are going to be a part of this new reformation!

As you told us to do in the parable of the widow before the unjust judge we knock on your door afresh and declare there is going to be abundant faith on the earth when you return in triumph to claim your bride, for your blood is sufficient and your Spirit is willing and able. So we pray for the reign of the Holy Spirit in humble hearts to come on the earth and the triumph of Jesus Christ.

May your enemies become your footstool for reformation and revival. You know every face and you know every place by name.

Father speak new life on the earth. May the declarations around your throne become the realities that we possess: of this earth experiencing portals of your manifest glory. We agree with your plans for planet earth. May the purposes you declared at creation be fulfilled.

Overcome evil with Thy goodness. Empower honesty, faith, mercy, humility, grace, compassion, Christ-likeness, and love in people who seek to know the truth. May we live by the principles of your Word in such a fashion that the powers of evil are banished from the earth and its atmosphere. May the chains which have bound creation be broken. May judgment be administered to Satan and his forces. May the demons keeping people out of church be bound and cast into the bottomless pit. You are King over all creation and as such deserve to see the fruits of your labors flourish.

Bring Spirit-ordained awakening in 340 areas each in Africa, Asia, South America, and the United States. Awaken 290 areas in Europe, 36 in Mexico, 29 in Canada, 29 in Australia, 20 in Central America, 16 in the Carribean Islands, and 10 in New Zealand.

May your people in these areas have pure faith, abundant love and unlimited resources as they obey you to the full extent of your plans for them.

Praise and thank you again, Holy Spirit, for working so actively in the hearts of the world today. I praise you and thank you for a ground swell of the Spirit working in the hearts of the world today.

Thank you for using me to help awaken a sleeping church.

Thank you for faith to pray big prayers for we serve the Lord of all creation with whom nothing is impossible! Your love knows no limits, your grace has no measure and your power has no boundary known unto man.

Thank you, oh Lord, that out of your infinite riches in Jesus, you love to give and give and give again.

Amen and amen!

· And as I shared earlier in the week, our Global Church leadership is calling Nazarenes worldwide to pray January – June for God to renew the Church of the Nazarene in the Holy Spirit. Many leaders are gathering at the Global ministry Center in Lenexa, KS to kick off this time of prayer. Read more about If My People Pray: http://nmi.nazarene.org/10203/story.html.

I am hearing from many of our churches and from individuals who are earnestly joining in these 21 Days of Prayer with Fasting. Let’s cry out together for AWAKENING!

Anticipating AWAKENING,

  Dave

Dr. H. David McKellips

District Superintendent, Northeast Oklahoma