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Bethel Church Asks for Prayers as Wildfires Rage in California

  • Amanda Casanova

    Amanda Casanova is a writer living in Dallas, Texas. She has covered news for ChristianHeadlines.com since 2014. She has also contributed to The Houston Chronicle, U.S. News and World Report and…

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  • Updated Aug 01, 2018

As wildfires spread through Northern Carolina, Bethel Church in Redding, California is asking for prayers for their home.

According to CBN News, many of the church leaders have had to evacuate.

“Right now, we're inviting the global community to join us in praying for Redding, for Northern California, and for California overall. Here are some specific prayer targets: Peace to our state and to those near fire, wisdom and safety for firefighters and officials, rain and the ceasing of wind, the smoke to clear for full visibility, no lightning strikes, and for total and complete containment,” Bethel Church posted on social media.

“God, we invite You to come and bring healing and divine intervention to this situation, and to the fires burning throughout California. You are faithful, and You are sovereign over the weather. Bring restoring rains, and protect this land.”

Bethel Music and Bethel Media CEO Joel Taylor also posted on Instagram that his family had to evacuate, but he said the family is relying on God through this time.

"Our Bethel leadership team is scattered all over the state, but doing an incredible job to catalyze relief efforts and make sure our employees and their families are taken care of during this time of crisis. We've been through many trials and tribulations together and one thing I'm certain of: VICTORY. If God be for us, who can be against us!"

 

 

The Taylor Fam evacuated our home in Redding on Thursday night to prepare for living in tight quarters for a long period of time without answers. All too familiar - We took what necessities we couldn’t live without and fled at midnight, driving through the night and finally found a hotel where we crashed for a few hours that morning. Now we’re staying in my Mom’s little cottage and letting it all sit in - I’ve been working remotely to ensure that our teams back home are okay and that Bethel Music and Bethel Media are stable during this time. Our Bethel leadership team is scattered all over the state, but doing an incredible job to catalyze relief efforts and make sure our employees and their families are taken care of during this time of crisis - We’ve been through many trials and tribulations together and one thing I’m certain of: VICTORY. If God be for us, who can be against us! - The kids..well, they just think this is a fun vacation :) Through it all, the knowns and the unknowns, we are blessed beyond measure 🙏🙌

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Other Christian leaders are also asking for prayers for the Northern California area.

Havilah Cunnington told followers on social media that the Redding community needs prayers and donations. Her own family drove to the town this weekend to set up a food truck for evacuees.

Christian author Lisa Bevere told Cunnington her family is praying as well.

"Got off the phone with my friend @lisabevere who called me all the way from Sweden to give spiritual strategy during this time. She said, 'Havilah, pray. We did this with our family & we saw God do a miracle right in front of our eyes! We can either write about our spiritual history, we can make it!' So, that's what we're doing over here. Join with us!!!"

 

 

Father we thank you for Redding and all who live there. We first pray for protection over everyone who is fighting this fire, and ask You to give them new strategies to contain it and put it out. We ask that You to multiply the water in their trucks and airplanes, so it covers much more than it should. We also ask that structures which would normally be fuel for fires to miraculously resist igniting. We also remember the times You’ve altered the weather - when the wind that was causing storms ceased at Your word. Because of that, like Jesus, we command the wind to calm down over the Redding skies so the firefighters and airplanes can do their job, and invite the wind to go find and bring rain clouds to surround this fire with water. We pray for the citizens of Redding (as well as the global community who are praying) to hear “the sound of the abundance of rain” and that all would be overcome with a sense of peace, to pray and think from that place, rather than from fear (1 Kings 18:41). That rain would fall on the righteous and the unrighteous (Mat 5:45). God open your abundant storehouses of heaven and send rain in this season (Deut 28:12). We ask you to make storm clouds and give us showers of rain (Zech 10:1). Father, thank you that the world will see your goodness from this (Rom 8:28). We invite Your healing, hope, and abundant joy and peace to fill every heart. Amen. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Tonight, we will go live at 5pm PDT on Facebook to give updates, pray, and fill the world in on how they can help be a part of the relief and restoration of Redding. (Please Note: We will be cancelling our 7pm Friday Night Service, as well as Healing Rooms on Saturday Morning, in an effort to continue focusing on adding our strength to our community.)

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Publication Date: August 1, 2018

Photo Courtesy: Bethel Church, Redding/Facebook/Jesse Maitland