Esther 7:3-4 – “Then Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition.  And spare my people—this is my request.  For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation.  If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.’ ”

This passage records Esther’s third request of the King.  Here, Esther finally explains to the King what she really needs.  She asks the king to save her life.  We see in her request a prayer for salvation.

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Esther 5:3-4 – Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.”

“If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.”

When the King offers Esther whatever she wants, up to an equal share with him in the kingdom, Esther does something unusual – she simply asks to have a private meal with the King, an intimate conversation with him and his second-in-command (Haman). This shows us the disposition of the faithful church in prayer. Even when there is a great crisis or need that prompts her to seek God’s deliverance, her first request is to be close to Him (Jesus is our King of Kings), to be with the Lord. The number one prayer request of the Bride of Christ is this: to have intimate fellowship with the living Jesus, to be in His presence, to hear His voice. This comes before all our needs, all the problems we have to lay before Him, all out items for intercession.

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Esther 5:1-3 – “On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you…”

Esther faced a great crisis. She needed to plead for help from her husband, the Emperor of the Persian Emperor, to prevent a planned genocide against her people.

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During the month of August 2009, our churches around the world are focusing their prayers on their neighbors. [click on the title or heading above to make the "print this page" icon appear for easy printing]

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” – Psalm 34:7

We are praying for the salvation of our neighbors, and also for God to bless them and to help us have good relationships with them.

We also pray for those who live around the church building or meeting place itself.  They have easy access to the church services, giving a good opportunity for the Lord to bring them to salvation and for them to mature in their faith as they attend a church near their home.  It is also important to avoid, if possible, any problems with the neighbors who live around the place where we have services.

• During the first week, we devote our early morning prayers (6 am) to this subject.
• During the second week, the churches fast together each day until 9 am.
• During the third week, the churches have noon prayer meetings devoted to this topic.
• During the fourth week, the church members should make an extra effort to invite their neighbors to church, in faith that the previous three weeks of prayer and fasting by the whole church for this subject will release a blessing for this outreach.

Recommended Prayer List for This Month:

• For salvation of neighbors (in the early mornings and during family services at home);
• For a good testimony from the members’ families to their neighbors;
• For good relationships with the neighbors, so that they can be reached for the Lord;
• For the Lord to reveal the needs of the neighbors;
• For the Lord to bestow grace and to honor the brethren’s efforts in inviting their neighbors.

Guidelines for having a good relationship with those who live around the place where the church meets for services:

• Respect the privacy of those who live next to the church, whether they are members or not.
• In all the services, but especially in the early morning prayer meetings, avoid having loud conversations at the entrance of the church, singing loud enough to be a nuisance to others, slamming car doors, etc.
• Avoid making noise from services late at night that could wake neighbors who are sleeping.
• Do not park your cars blocking the entrance to other people’s driveways and garages.
• Make sure the children do not sit on walls or go into people’s yards to play without permission.

Remember: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

- Romans 12:18

During the month of July 2009, Maranatha Churches around the world are focusing their prayers on the co-workers of the church members (the people with whom we interact at our jobs or workplace).

We are praying for the salvation of our co-workers, and also for God to bless the members of the churches at their jobs, and to provide jobs for members who are currently unemployed.

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James 5:14-16 – “…Is any one of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective…”

SEVEN POINTS ABOUT “HOLY ANOINTING OIL” IN THE BIBLE: continue

Job 1:5 – “When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning, he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’ This was Job’s regular custom…”

Job is a book about a good, prosperous servant of God who suddenly faced many losses, trials, and sickness. The first chapter describes the characteristics or attributes that made Job a righteous man, the things he did that pleased the Lord. Job was a wealthy man, and the introductory chapter points out that his grown sons could afford to take turns hosting frequent banquets or feasts, to which they would invite each other (Job 1:4).

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