Prayer is a vital part of bringing God’s will on earth to fruition, or as Jesus taught us: “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). That would indicate that our prayers are a part of God’s workings in the world. That God would involve us in this way in His presence and purposes in the world is nothing short of amazing. Would God’s will be done if we didn’t pray for it? I’m not sure I want to find out. It may be that in praying for His will to be done, God gets us in line with it ourselves. If you’re going to constantly be praying for God’s purposes to be done on earth, then you will of necessity become a part of those purposes yourself. You’re not going to pray for something you don’t care about, or don’t plan to participate in.

And then there is intercessory prayer, where one stands before God and intercedes or prays on behalf of another. It’s a priestly function. A priest is a mediator between God and man, and since Jesus has made us all priests through His Spirit in us, we can function as priests for one another.

As one commentator has put it, “Jesus was an intercessor while He was here on earth. He prayed for those who were sick and possessed by demons. He prayed for His disciples. He even prayed for you and me when He interceded for all those who would believe on Him (John 17). Jesus continued His ministry of intercession after His death and resurrection when He returned to Heaven. He now serves as our intercessor in Heaven.”

What an example! If Jesus prayed for those around Him, and He is praying for us all right now, do we need any more incentive than that to join Him?

Here at the Catch we have a dedicated group of prayer warriors who do just that. They make it their practice to stand before the Lord and provide a prayer covering for the entire Catch Ministry and all of its endeavors and community citizens. They are also desirous of knowing your specific requests and seek to be updated weekly as they find hope in sharing how the presence of the Lord is working in your life from one week to the next. You are suffering needlessly if you are bearing your burdens alone. The prayer warriors welcome you to write with your requests now at [email protected] or click on the prayer request button to your right.

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It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of one of our faithful prayer warriors and loyal MemberPartners, June Fishman. June was such a dynamic personality; we will miss her boisterous and uplifting spirit.

Marti writes: “My heart hurts. John and I had the privilege of marrying June and Paul and walked with her while grieving his death. June was dedicated to the Catch Ministry, always first to lend a hand. The Catch was her church. She served as a Prayer Warrior for the Catch’s prayer ministry. Along with the other Prayer Warriors, she took her role very seriously, often personally offering warmth and love to those who requested prayer. June is already greatly missed.

“June’s granddaughter, Winter, is in great pain. Since her birth, June has been Winter’s mother. Winter is now 19 years old, attending school in New York, and living with very dear friends of the family. Winter traveled to Tampa to be with June before she died. June’s brother, David Mahler, also lives in New York. June was David’s only sibling. They were very close throughout the years. During this painful season, the New York family and David will surround Winter with love and comfort. Pray with me for the Lord’s covering for Winter, David, and the family as they experience this time of great loss together.”

Cynthia Cody Vera, our Prayer Ministry Pastor writes: “Death, is many times an unexpected event in our lives. Even if we know a loved one may be headed in that direction, it can be a shock and very difficult to process. As a Christian if we know the person will be with the LORD, we still have a range of emotions to travel through. June Fishman was a Prayer Warrior who was always one who had words of wisdom and comfort to many. We now can be praying for her family who will face this separation here on Earth. Our hearts are broken, but we are grateful that she is with Jesus. We will see her again.”

We are happy to pass along any words of comfort to Winter or David. Simply reply to this email or leave your comment below.