September 18-28, 2020
3 Sections (invitation, prayer guide, instructions and links)
Letter to Johnson County Pastors and prayer leaders
August 31, 2020
Friends,
Rather than simply roll our, “let’s meet every third Thursday of the month” plan, we are pivoting for this month. Participate where you can or just forward to your prayer team.
As I write riots are breaking out again, schools are starting-oh wait—only in hybrid mode, churches are in both/and or in-person and digital gatherings, there is a deadly virus on the loose, a global recession, and an election is coming in November.
As one comedian said, next time my mother says, I’m going to slap you into next year, I’ll say, PLEASE!
There is a biblical response called: The 10 Days of Awe.
I imagine you are familiar with the biblical rhythms we find in the Jewish calendar year, one of which begins the evening of September 18th and ends the evening of September 28th.
See if you can relate: Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of the Trumpets, kicks off the Jewish New Year (anyone in need of a new start?) with ten days of repentance—seems needed, doesn’t it? Ironically, these days are also called “The 10 Days of Awe.” This makes sense because when we repent, God shows up. The 10 days culminate on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, then ends with celebration in light of the deliverance God provides—yes, Lord!
I attached a PDF with scriptures, more options, and the Zoom links.
I invite you and your church to join in a Johnson County-wide dedication to a 2020 expression of The 10 Days of Awe.
Craft your own expression at your church or simply forward to your prayer team.
- September 18-28 Churches take a day each to sponsor 24-hour prayer (cover as many hours as you can, don’t stress over what you don’t cover).
- Sign up at Kansascityprays.org You can double up if the hour is taken.
- Individuals meet up to pray at 6 am, Noon, and 6 pm (6 am and noon times begin on the 19th) for one hour at the Gazebo on the grounds of the Johnson County Courthouse in Olathe. People or churches pray individually or in small groups. Some will prayer walk.
- No mics or speakers. We are not after the attention of anyone but God. Repentance is an intimate and often personal journey making room for the awe of God. Prayer leaders will be present to support. We may kick off the prayer time with a call to prayer and close with a common prayer. Feel free to bring a guitar and/or sing to lay a foundation of praise and worship, remembering we are gathering to pray–not to offer a worship service (we would need a different kind of permission).
- Zoom rooms are open each day at the same time for one hour. Individuals who choose not to pray at the courthouse will be led online by the same prayer leaders who lead in Olathe on the third Thursdays of each month. A church could choose to do their own Zoom rooms during their day.
Yom Kippur is a time for consecration. We conclude our 10 Days of Awe on Monday, September 28, 6 pm at the Johnson County Gazebo. In this exercise we will include singing and prayer both for the group and individuals.
God’s ideas never get old. Let’s lean-in again to Him,
Gary Kendall
Catalyst, Love KC
2. Scriptural Background
Rosh Hashanah – “Head of the Year,”
“First of the Year” It is the first of the High Holy Days. (Tishri 1)
Rosh Hashanah is also called Feast of Trumpets. It commemorates the creation of the world and begins the Ten Days of Awe…..ten days of repentance.
The Jews believe at this time of year we all pass before God, our Creator. The 10 days of Awe gives them time to repent of sins throughout the past year.
The call of the Shofar in the synagogue, on Rosh Hashanah, is meant to wake all up to seek His face and forgiveness.. Numbers 29:1 says, “On the first day of the seventh month you shall have a Holy Convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a day for you to “blow the trumpets.”
The Shofar blast is sounded at giving of Torah in the synagogue. The Jews acknowledge He is King of all the earth on this Rosh Hashanah Day. He is the great King over all of the earth!
Rosh Hashanah is a sanctified reminder of God’s creative authority in our lives. God is the Creator and Sustainer of all creation. He is coming to rule and reign from Jerusalem. We must be ready for the soon return of the Lord. We should daily allow His lovely gift of repentance to have its complete way in us.
We must humble ourselves and walk with God. The shofar awakens our hearts to seek His face and to prepare for His coming.
1 Corinthians 15:52 says, “We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the Last Shofar, for the shofar shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” We are so thankful our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life!
One Rosh Hashanah Jewish greeting says, “May your name be inscribed in the book of life”. Another one, Shana Tova, means “have a good and sweet year.”
On Rosh Hashanah the First Shofar sounds a wake-up call to repentance. The Last Shofar will sound only once with the return of our Messiah. Each year is a rehearsal for the Last Shofar when Messiah comes.
(1 Corinthians 15:51,52, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17)
Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement
Starting on the completion of Rosh Hashanah, for 10 days up to and including Yom Kippur, the Jews are to humble themselves before God and “afflict their soul” and atone for the sins of the past year, This is called The Ten Days of Awe.
On the 10th day, Yom Kippur, the final judgments are to be entered into His Book of Life where all of their names are inscribed, At the end of Yom Kippur the book is sealed. So, for 10 days they can come before God and repent for all sins during the year against Him and against others. No work is to be done on the 10th day…the day of Yom Kippur.
During these “Ten Days of Awe” Jews go to others and ask forgiveness righting the wrongs done to others during the past year. Yom Kippur begins before sunset on the 10th day and ends the following day at nightfall. It is a complete 25 hour fast.
The Jews believe God writes their names in His book of Life as they repent for all sins during the past year. In Leviticus 16:29-34 God established the Day of Atonement. He says they should “afflict their soul to cleanse them of all sin” and abstain from any work or pleasure.
During Yom Kippur they should repent, pray, and do good deeds. They must reconcile with anyone they have wronged. They want to change and do good works for Him.
By the close of Yom Kippur, when the Jews see three stars in the twilight, they understand God will have sealed their fate in His Book of Life. While this is a solemn day filled with self-evaluation, it is also joyous as they are confident, after these ten days of prayer, praise, and repentance
God will forgive their sins because they have sincerely sought Him by repenting and asking for forgiveness. With one final shofar blast the gates of heaven are sealed and they truly begin another year thankful for the year ahead.
We, the Church, must approach the Lord in fear and awe and repent daily before Him. The Temple veil was torn in two when Jesus died on the cross. It showed He opened the way into the Holy of Holies for us to confess our sins, praise and thank Him with all of our hearts, and know Jesus is our Lord and Savior and will cleanse us daily from all unrighteousness. We simply need to cling to Him.
Deuteronomy 10:20 – “You shall fear the Lord your God; Him shall you serve, and to Him shall you cling, and swear by His Name.”
Psalm 16:11 – “You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.” His lovely gift of repentance, once again, shows His awesome love for us, wanting all men to be saved.
3. Prayer Guide for 24/7 Prayer,Sept. 18, 6:00 p.m. to Sept. 28, 6:00 p.m.
God bless you for all of the prayers lifted up for His glory today!
Praise…come into His presence with praise and thanksgiving. Praising and thanking Him brings His presence. Praise and thanksgiving is a weapon to the pulling down of strongholds. Speak His Words of praise and enjoy this time.
PSALM 16:11 “You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasure forevermore.”
JUDGES 5:3 “Hear, O you kings; give ear, O you princes; I will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel.”
1 CHRONICLES 29:13 “Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious Name.”
PSALM 7:17 “I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness: and will sing praise to the Name of the Lord Most High.”
PSALM 33:1 “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous: for praise is fitting for the upright” (Praise looks good on you!)
PSALM 107:32, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men.”
ISAIAH 25:1 “O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will praise Your Name; for You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.”
PROVERBS 3:5,6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”
PSALM 122:1 “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the House of the Lord.”
PSALM 47:1 “O clap your hands, all you people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.”
Repentance is a most lovely gift from the Lord to us. Ask Him how He would like you to repent for you and for others in the Church. Take time to listen to Him.
1 Peter 4:1 says, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the House of the Lord.”
As you speak repentance over yourself and over the Church, remember to thank Him knowing He is working all for good…for His glory alone!
2 Chronicles 7:14 “If My people, who are called by My Name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
Proverbs 28:13 “He that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoever confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy.”
Matthew 3:8 “Bring forth therefore fruits befitting for repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Matthew 9:13 “But go and learn what it means, ‘I will have mercy, and not sacrifice;’ for I am not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance.”
James 4:8 “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
Joel 2:13 “Tear your hearts and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God; for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and relents from sending calamity.”
Concerning Repentance
There are many more verses concerning “repentance”. We know our forgiveness is through our relationship with Jesus so we do not despair and we do not need to do penitence. We acknowledge we regularly fall short of God’s holiness and we strive to live in a first love experience.
Many times our repentance is for the sins of others and we are identifying with Jesus that we, collectively, have sinned. May joy rise up in you as you repent for yourself, for the Church, and for our city!
Salvation for all of this city! Let Him lead you to scriptures to speak over you, over your family, and all citizens of our city. Pray salvation verses over this city and cry out for hearts and eyes to be open to His lovely Gospel!
Ephesians.2:8-9 “For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Romans 10:9 “If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.”
John 14:6 “Jesus said unto him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father but by Me.’”
Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other Name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Acts 16:31-32 “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house. And they spoke unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.”
Psalm 3:8 “Salvation belongs unto the Lord.”
John 3:16-18….Oh, Lord, it says in Your alive Word that You so loved the world that You gave Your only Son that whoever believes in Him would be saved! We cry out for the salvation of this entire city. Open our eyes & hearts to Your truths and draw all to You.
Thank Him for bringing unity to the Church in our city. Unity will be such a great miracle but nothing is too hard for our Lord. Pray for the pastors and congregations in this city to have one heart.
Speak His Word in John 17 over our city for unity.
John 17, Ephesians 4…. Pray the entire chapters!
1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, be all of one mind, having compassion one with another, love as brethren, be tender hearted, be courteous.”
1 Corinthians 1:10b “…that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”
Philippians 2:2 “Fulfill your joy, that you be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
Colossians 3:14 “And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”
1 Corinthians 13 Pray the entire chapter!
Psalm 133:1 “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.”
Pray as He speaks to you & remember to end with praise. He wants a believing Church.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It shall be health to your body, and strength to your bones.
He has loved you with an everlasting love. Only believe! He simply wants us to trust Him for every breath we take in this life.
”I give myself unto prayer.” Psalm 109:4b
“The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” (Numbers 7:24-26)
“How beautiful the hands that served
The wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.
How beautiful the feet that walked
The long dusty roads and the hill to the cross.
How beautiful is the Body of Christ.
How beautiful the heart that bled
That took all my sin and bore it instead.
How beautiful the tender eyes
That chose to forgive and never despise.
How beautiful is the Body of Christ.
How beautiful the radiant Bride
Who waits for her groom with His light in her eyes.
How beautiful when humble hearts give
The fruit of pure lives so that others may live.
How beautiful is the Body of Christ.
How beautiful the feet that bring
The sound of good news and the love of the King.
How beautiful the hands that serve
The wine and the bread and the sons of the earth.
How beautiful is the Body of Christ!”
Thanks to Linda Meyers for providing the Scriptural Background and Prayer Guide
3. Links
Link to the PDF: http://www.lovekc.net/
Zoom for 6:00 am
You are invited to a Zoom meeting.
When: Sep 19-Sep 28, 2020 06:00 am Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://gloo.zoom.us/j/93384464744
Meeting ID: 933 8446 4744
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. You only need to register once.
Zoom for Noon
When: Sep 19-Sep 28, 2020 12:00 pm Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://gloo.zoom.us/j/95784806913
Meeting ID: 957 8480 6913
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. You only need to register one time.
Zoom for 6 pm
When: Sep 18-Sep 28, 2020 6:00 pm Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://gloo.zoom.us/j/93277316677
Meeting ID: 932 7731 6677
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. You only need to register one time.
Olathe prayer leaders: Gary Kendall, Linda Meyers, Mike Jenzen, Deanna Hodson, Brooke Powell, Larry Fry, Lori Roy, Natalie Marmon, and Nicole Dinsmore.
You can reach Gary Kendall at [email protected]
Cell: 913-269-1026