St. Paul writes to his younger colleague, Timothy, and urges Timothy to have the church pray for and in this manner; “…first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” I Timothy 2:1-5 NIV
As I look at this market in Hong Kong and peoples shopping shoulder to shoulder and seemly from nation after nation; I am reminded how God’s great love reaches out for people everywhere. I remind myself pray, pray, pray that “all may come to the knowledge of the truth.”
What a beautiful gift God has given us to pray for people everywhere. I feel so connected to all God’s children when I pray. How do I say, ‘Thank You, God’, for allowing me to be in such a wonderful family!
Double Click on photo; think, meditate, pray and see yourself side by side with God’s children in Hong Kong. Tell us what you feel, think and experience on your trip to Hong Kong by prayer!
thedailylily.com 
This photo conjures up the image of not only the teeming streets of Hong Kong but of the cities of India, Russia, mainland China and yes, even L.A. and N.Y. I see Jesus looking upon the peoples of all the nations, struggling, scurrying, rivaling one another in a race against eternity, a race they cannot win. For eternity will outdistance them every time. And Jesus opens His arms as He did on the cross and He cries out..”LET THEM ALL COME TO ME!” He’s crying out to us, His people. His church, saying, ” You church! You bring them in. You intercede. You pray!”
Sara wrote a song that echoes this cry of the Lord. Here it is, in part~~
Let Them All Come To Me/ Let them come. Let them come.
As I open the door to My Throne. Let them come. Let them come
Oh, Let them not be found without oil
Oh, let them not be found with guile.
Let them come to Me. Let them come. Let them come.
You shall hear your Father say, as you bow at His feet
Oh, My child there is none, there’s no defeat in Me
Let them come, Let them come.___sm(c)
Looking down on end of the street and then the other, with buildings on either side like this, is like being in an endless valley filled with people. After looking at so many faces, it seems they all run together as one. Yet each one is God’s unique creation and no fingerprint is the same. Every person is important to You, Father. You want each one in heaven with You one day and You sent Your only Son, Jesus to die for each face here that portrays its soul.
Some may know You already as Savior. Please protect and strengthen them to be able to reach out and share Your gospel with others as You sweep through these streets, touching and drawing each heart to You.
In this valley of people my prayer, I think and pray: “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.” Joel 3:14
” Tell us what you feel, think and experience on your trip to Hong Kong by prayer!” Answer: love reaching downward, upward, far and wide. Love so air tight not an idle thought or word could find a crack to disturb or deter the love fountain filled with power from above reaching the streets of this great magnificent city. Buoyancy has become our rainbow!
Yes, the colors of the rainbow…”red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.” Will we pray? How will we pray? What will we say? Bless them? Okay, Yes,….bless them but with what? Bless them with salvation , deliverance, with healing, with love and compassion. Lord, that they may know You. By Your Spirit make Yourself known to them. Let the Spirit of the living God brood over their nations. May the proper laborers be sent into their paths. We pray and lift them up that they would know and adore and worship the One True God. Each and every color of God’s rainbow is ever in His sights, His focus, His heart. Lord let it not be the prophecy of Habakkuk 2: 13. “Has not the LORD Almighty determined that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing.” But let it be as the prophet said in Habakkuk 2: 14, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
SO BE IT!
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Though there is a sea of faces, each person in this photo is an individual part of the whole picture and the Father knows each intimately and loves each individually. How wonderful for His care: “You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” Psalm 139:2,3
Footnotes for 1Timothy 2: 1-4 “Although God is all-powerful and all-knowing, he has chosen to let us help him change the world through our prayers. How this works is a mystery to us because of our limited understanding, but it is a reality. Paul based his instruction about prayer for everyone on his conviction that God’s invitation for salvation extends equally to all people. The word everyone captures the nature of the gospel. The world that God loves includes every person (John 3:16). He loves us as individuals whom he knows intimately (Psalm 139: 13-18). Paul urges us to pray for ‘all people.’ Our earnest prayers will have powerful results (James 5: 16).”
In a local women’s Bible study, I am studying,”The Call To Discipleship”, by Erilynne Barnum. She used this very scripture, in 1 Timothy 2, recently. She said, “we are to be standing in the gap. This is the mission of the church.” Oh Lord, as I look at the above picture, I wonder how many of them know You? I wonder if they know You died for them, so that they could have life everlasting. God, please, awaken the church, so it will stand in the gap or intercede, for those who may be lost. Lord, I ask that Your Holy Spirit prick the souls of those who may not know You. Lord, forgive us, for not praying enough, as this is Your instruction. In Jesus name, Amen.
“Although God is all-powerful and all-knowing, he has chosen to let us help him change the world through our prayers” is a sobering footnote. To be chosen seems a privilege that we surely do not want to take lightly, but to use wisely and diligently.
Good point, Debi!
How wonderful someday to meet these wonderful people in the square. God has so uniquely made them and their interesting culture, only He God could design such unique people. We thank you God that we can pray for these beautiful people. May we someday see each one in heaven and may we get the opportunity to hear their story. May you Lord Jesus work in their lives and bring them to YOU so their story will come into being and can be shared here on earth and at God’s banqueting table for those who overcome evil of this world through Jesus Christ.
Psalms 66: 16 MSG
16-20 All believers, come here and listen,
let me tell you what God did for me.
I called out to him with my mouth,
my tongue shaped the sounds of music.
If I had been cozy with evil,
the Lord would never have listened.
But he most surely did listen,
he came on the double when he heard my prayer.
Blessed be God: he didn’t turn a deaf ear,
he stayed with me, loyal in his love.
Who’s Behind that Mask? by Rena O
Jesus is the only one who truly knows.
He knew from the beginning all the hidden things behind the masks
He knew the substances could blow out the life light of the masked
He knew the one that concealed would be just as effected
as the one who acted upon sin.
Oh Crimsom Lord Jesus as you stand and peer down
Upon city, town, and country
Your tears drip crimson blood of tears
Upon peoples everywhere
Everywhere!
Jesus cries, Oh son/daughter rise,
RIse above your circumstances
Come from behind the mask
and Be who I created you to be!
Oh twisted soul RISE!
RISE!
I stood and faced death to set you FREE
FREEDOM CALLS you
FREEDOM CALLS you
Will you take my hand and
Stand with ME through the thick and thin of
this life!!!!
Oh do, oh do and I’ll meet you daily
and on the other side of Heaven too
FREEDOM CALLS – come and STAND
in the DOOR of the KING OF FREEDOM
I LOVE YOU!!!!!!! YOU oh People of the WORLD!
I — LOVE —-YOU!