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Dear People of the Northstate Vision:
I am sending out this update ahead of the February newsletter because there is so much to pray and celebrate right now that I did not want to wait before I contacted you.
The most urgent item for prayer is the concert of prayer called out by Pray California for the year 2005. Pray Cal has assigned each of the 58 counties of California at least one week for prayer over the state. We are asked to pray diligently during our week that God would sow a culture of life to displace the culture of death that is our spiritual legacy at this time. Symptoms of that legacy include the fact that 25% of the abortions performed nationwide occur in California. Virtually all of the embryonic stem cell research in the nation will occur here in the wake of passage of Prop. 71 last November. We have high divorce, substance abuse, and domestic violence. We produce more than 80% of the pornography for the world and we are the center of family alternatives that leave children increasingly vulnerable to abuse and abandonment. At the same time, no one is asked to pray against these things, but rather to seek God’s face in all humility – 2 Chron. 7:14 – and ask Him to restore us to our original vision as a golden land where all can serve Him and care for one another. Pray for families and that scales would fall from all eyes. Pray Matthew 11:2-6 over our state.
Shasta County has responsibility for February 1-7; Trinity County for February 8-14; Siskiyou County for February 15-21; and Humboldt County for February 22-28. Tehama County intercessors will float. There are community coordinators assigned in each county – Beni Johnson and Jim Wilson in Shasta, for example – and they will be in touch with members of their networks. However, if you live in the designated counties please be in prayer during your assigned week regardless of whether or not you have been contacted apart from this e-mail. Residents of other counties will be hearing about the week assigned to them – or go to www.praycal.org. Because the project is stretched over the whole year I do not know how timely or thorough the updates will be – but we all know that when God’s people pray He comes and swiftly. Please partner in this project.
The next item is the conclusion of Phase 1 of the Paah-ho-ammi Project. We will all meet to worship God and learn what He has done in response to the hundred days of prayer in the areas of crime, unemployment, traffic fatalities, cancer admissions, and youth death. The service will be held in Room 204 of the LaBaume-Rudat Building of Simpson University at 7:00 PM on Sunday, January 30. It will last no more than two hours and it will be a time of celebration – even including the Lord’s Supper for all. Please continue to pray for your assigned topic and for protection of our youth – and come out to share joy over what God has done.
Next I ask your prayers for a PrayNorthstate project that is currently underway. We are producing a pilot episode for a planned television series called Genesis Generation. The program will showcase what God is doing in the younger generation in terms of young people He is raising up for leadership – not for the future but for right now. We have received funding for the pilot program and it is now in production. Please pray for favor and excellence in and for this program. Please pray for funding for the ongoing series of episodes that are now only vision. And please pray that the purpose of this program – to sow reconciliation across generational lines – will be fulfilled to the glory of God.
Finally I ask your prayers for PrayNorthstate. We enter our fifth year of ministry in the Northstate on February 1. No longer wet behind the ears – no longer the new kid on the block – we are overwhelmed with the new challenges and new opportunities the Lord is providing in 2005. Please pray for discernment as we identify where to focus our efforts in this expanding ministry. Please pray also for dedicated volunteers to catch this vision of the Body claiming the Northstate for the Kingdom. Please pray for the finances to fund our increasing efforts – and if you are not a current contributor I would even ask that you pray over making a pledge or contribution at this time.
God bless all of you and to God Himself be all of the glory.
In Christ,
Jim and Diana
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