Broken Hearts Ministry

Against spiritual warfare – this week on the streets was particularly difficult. Please pray we’d start making spiritual headway and that God would kick out the spirit of distraction.

For Ronny battling all sorts of addiction.  At one point a while ago he’d said he wanted to get into the Dream Center, but he continues to be trapped in his habits. Please pray for the miracle of salvation and full restoration.

For Jayden, who says he wants to go to rehab. That he would actually want that change enough to make it happen and get clean.

For our prayer team member Tongayi who has an important audition coming up. He’s been out of work for a while and we’d like to see him employed!

For Bob and Heather.  Bob’s uncle Jimmy just passed away a few days ago. They were really close to him and are having a lot of difficulty with this passing.  Please pray for comfort and reassurance that God is both good and in control.

Basileia, a Hollywood church plant, one of our supporting churches and the place where we hold our Thursday night prayer meetings, is moving this week. Pray for a smooth transition and for blessing on this new body.

For a strong, consistent Thursday night street team (and more girls!).

Praise:

God continues to keep us safe on the streets. This really ought not to be taken lightly, what with the hour we’re out and the long drive most people take! Let’s thank him for it.

Holly found an apartment! Thank you Jesus!

Mark: A club promoter we’ve seen before. He goes to church, seems to know the Lord, and enjoys spending time with the Broken Hearts team, and even used to do street ministry with his dad. Pray that his walk with Jesus would be strengthened and that he’d drop some habits he’s formed (like occasionally eating “special” cookies…)

Tracy: She was out promoting clubs with Mark. She grew up in the Catholic tradition, but doesn’t have much use for God these days (though she did welcome prayer and allowed the street team to pray with her on Friday night). Pray that she has a tangible encounter with God and would put her trust in Him. Pray for healing.

James: was pretty high the whole night so it was hard to talk to him, but expressed interest in going to Rock Harbor with a team member.

Team: Pray for the overall health and wellness of the whole team. Pray specifically for the Friday night prayer team – that they would be rejuvenated and would have love in their hearts for our friends on the boulevard, even if they don’t get to see them on a regular basis.  Pray for Holly as she looks for an apartment in Hollywood and moves within these next few weeks.

Praise!

-Our team got to pray for one of the security guards and lay hands on him.  It is good to see people on the streets opening up to prayer.

-The Refuge service was really good this past Thursday.  It lasted 40 minutes and had lots of active participation from the “congregation.”

Prayer for the streets:

-Please continue to pray for Jonathan as he continues to come to The Refuge.  He knows the word.  Pray he’d really give his whole life to Jesus and let Him be not only Savior, but also Lord.

-Pray for Mark #1 who came to The Refuge.  He is vocal about being anti-homosexuality, but this week Jeremiah got a chance to talk to him about how all sins are equally destructive.  Mark participated in the discussion and even read one of the Biblical passages for the group.

-Pray for Mark #2.  He is on probation.  Last year when we met him we were able to pray for him and help him get in contact with his family on the East coast.  He wanted to go back to them, but his probation won’t allow it, so he continues to live on the streets of Hollywood and do drugs.  Please, please pray that during this probation season that the Lord would get ahold of him, help him get off drugs, and bring him into the Kingdom.  Pray for our continued interactions with him.

-Pray for Ted who came to The Refuge.  He’s a Vietnam vet living on the street and addicted to prescription Methodone.  He knows the Word well, but keeps turning to chemicals instead of to Jesus.  Antquan and Jeremiah got to pray with him.  Please pray that this week would be the week of freedom for Ted and that he would be able to find his strength for living in Jesus.

-Pray for our dear sweet Jacob who got sent to jail for violating parole (cause he was in rehab).  He is discouraged.  Pray the Lord would grab his heart and give him freedom.  He is in desperate need of spiritual and emotional healing.  Please, please pray for him this week.  He also needs a job and a place to live.

-For Robin who’s in jail.  Pray that this would be a wake-up call and that he’d really come to know the Lord through his trials.

Pray for the Team:

-For Holly, who needs a place to live by March 20th.  God can do miracles, people!  Let’s pray for one for her.

-For prayer team members Jodi and Chris who are traveling to Canada during the next month or so.  Pray for safety and for rich times with the Lord while on the road.

-For the mental, emotional, physical, relational, financial, and spiritual health of all team members, as different ones of us are struggling with different things right now.  The enemy is strong, but the Lord is stronger.  “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”  Pray that in all trials we would cling to Jesus and find freedom in him.

Prayer:

1) Justin -  He’s been off of meth for a month, but very much relies on weed to help him deal with his day (he’s high all the time). Antquan’s message totally spoke to what he is going through. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would open up his heart and penetrate his walls and that he’d be saved.

2) Brett – for continued growth in his walk

3) Jason – his wife is doing better, and he really wants to come to bible study next week, and asked that we make him come. I think he knows God but just needs growth and encouragement.

4) For more workers for the harvest! (the right ones, that is)

5) For Bob and Heather – Bob’s uncle is dying of cancer and found out that he probably has 6 months to 1 year to live. Heather and Bob are both pretty upset about it, and they’re staying with him in Norwalk right now. Pray for all of them, please.

6) For the team to be continually encouraged and strengthened.

7) For Ryan, who’s in jail.  Pray that this would be a wake up call for him.  Pray that he’d decide how much he hates living like this, and turn to Jesus for his strength to walk out of this lifestyle.

The past few weeks have been fairly mellow and not particularly unusual. Jeremiah has not really been preaching during The Refuge, but rather reads through a chapter of Genesis and then we’ve opened it up for discussion and questions, which has actually been very cool.

While teaching and exegeting the word of God is necessary, it’s also cool to see how taking a break really does bring out all kinds of questions.  Rather than Jere just answer everything, though, the people who come to the bible study also participate in answering questions and giving their opinions. From ‘did dinosaurs exist?’ to ‘why did God put a tree of good and evil in the garden?’, we’ve had some great discussion.

But it always strikes me that some of these people on the street know the Bible and have thought about these things just as much as us. Yet their lives don’t match up to their knowledge. Granted, often ours don’t either…but I think our desire to change and live by the Spirit is the difference. It seems like we’re really trying, even when we fail, but that often they just don’t care. The Spirit doesn’t seem to be a part of their lives…or something. I can’t judge each person and act like I know their spiritual life, but can a good tree bear bad fruit? I’m just praying that so many of these who join us each week and hear the Word of God would actually internalize it, receive the Holy Spirit and be transformed for his glory!

Praise:

-There’s been a relatively consistent group of people attending The Refuge on a weekly basis!

-Praise the Lord for the faithful team He has provided.

Prayer for our Boulevard Friends:

-Aaron: He’s been coming to The Refuge really regularly. Please pray that he wouldn’t just have head knowledge of the Word, but heart knowledge as well. Pray that he’d really fall in love with the Lord.

-For Jonathan as well, who knows Jesus but still hasn’t given up the lifestyle he’s grown accustomed to on the streets. Pray for Holy Spirit conviction and for him to be able to follow through in following Jesus.

-Jose the security guard and his wife as they deal with his wife having been sick. Pray for full recovery on her part and for salvation for both.

-For Greg, one of the security guards who lost his job. Pray for provision from the Lord and that his heart toward God would be softened during this time so that he’d come to know and love him.

-For Randy, who didn’t want to come to our church service, then ended up coming anyway and participating. He’d like prayer for his new daughter. Pray for him to come to know Christ.

-For the Thursday night men’s Bible study to continue to experience growth and close fellowship.

- Pray the Holy Spirit would go before us and make a way in the hearts of the people. Unless the Lord builds the house…its builders build in vain. Let’s ask the Lord to build this house.

Pray for the Team:

- Han, in Maryland, still needs to find a place to live before the end of the month. Pray the Lord’s leading.
- For the prayer team and Thursday night team to grow in sustainable numbers.
- Continue to pray specifically for unity and spiritual growth for each of the teams: Thursday night, Friday night, Prayer Teams.

Prayer

Jacob – We’ve asked for prayer for Jacob before. He is a young guy in his early 20s who’s expressed an interest in getting off meth, but hasn’t yet looked into the rehab resources we offer. He knows all about Christianity, but pray that God would capture his heart and that he would find his strength in Jesus

Bill – Bill is a man in his late 70s or early 80s. He’s developed quite a friendship with one of our members of the street team, but he’s still closed off to God. Please pray that as the friendship continues to grow that his heart would open up to receiving God’s love and ultimately accepting Christ.

The Refuge – Please pray that people would be compelled to stay for The Refuge church service we hold at midnight on Thursday and Friday nights. People will often stop by to grab a piece of pizza or say hi, but they don’t often stay. Please pray the Lord would draw and compel them to be a part of the group.

Praise!
The men’s bible study that meets on Thursday nights went very well last week. Everyone was very involved in the discussion and seemed to be excited about being in the Word.

Aaron – Aaron is one of the top dogs out there on the streets. He joined us for the service and was very involved during Q&A. He seems to know the Word pretty well, so pray that it wouldn’t just be head knowledge, but that the heart knowledge would begin to impact the way he lives.

Praise:

-God did a lot this week! The Refuge service on Thursday night was
well-attended and the new format Jeremiah is trying out sparked a lot of
good questions from the congregation. Praise the Lord for the interest he
is creating in the hearts of our Boulevard friends.

-Praise God that Mark, a club promoter, consistently comes and seeks out
the BH team every time he’s in the area. Pray for his walk with the Lord.

-Wayne came to The Refuge even after his friends left. He didn’t say much,
but God is obviously working in his heart. Pray for salvation

-The BH prayer team continues to grow in number. This is a huge praise as
we started out with just one person!

Prayer:

-Pray for Freddie who’s mother just died. He’s considering checking into
a mental hospital.

-Pray for Jake. Pray for continued sobriety and that he would leave the
Ba’hai Faith and come back to Jesus.

-Pray that God would make a way for us in the hearts of the people on the
Boulevard.

-Please continue to lift the team up in prayer – for financial provision
and for strengthened relationships with the Lord and with each other.