Preparation: As I enter prayer now, I pause to be still; to breath slowly; to re-centre my scattered senses upon the presence of God. [Pause] Rejoice: I choose to rejoice in the God who heals our brokenness joining with the ancient praise of all God’s people in the words of Psalm 147. Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! 2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. 3 He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. 4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. 5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. 6 The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. 7 Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. 8 He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. 9 He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. 10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; 11 the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Spend some time praising God. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wBy5KcDcAg Ask: Pray the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
Now spend some time bringing your five friends and others to God: •Pray for yourself and those others the Lord sends to help show your 5 their route home to God, that they would know the loving father running to greet them. •Pray for those people and situations that are on our WhatsApp prayer board. •Pray that God will use us – whatever that means (e.g. the courage to open our mouths, the strength to be obedient) •Pray for our community and nation as we’re all affected by the impact of Covid-19. •Pray for our government. Yield: Lord, we pray that you will show us how you want us to be part of the answer to the prayers that we have prayed. Father, help me to live this day to the full, Being true to You in every way. Jesus, help me to give myself away to others, Being kind to everyone I meet. Spirit, help me to love the lost, Proclaiming Christ in all I do and say. Amen.
This Sunday as we continue our series looking at Paul's Prayers, we're going to be thinking about Paul's Prayers for those he was writing to - that they would know God better. Our starting point is a passage in Ephesians. Throughout this series, we haven't had the time to look at the background of each letter in any detail. But understanding the background helps us in our attempt to understand and apply God's word for us today. We need to understand what Paul was saying to them, before we can understand what God is saying to us. So, if you want some background on Ephesians, here is the Bible Project video.
For those of you who are not able to join us at midday for prayer as a part of Thy Kingdom Come, here are today's prayers, readings and video.
Preparation: As I enter prayer now, I pause to be still; to breath slowly; to re-centre my scattered senses upon the presence of God. [Pause] Rejoice: I choose to rejoice today for you are the God who knows me better than I know myself in the ancient praise of all God’s people in the words of Psalm 139. You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand – when I awake, I am still with you. Spend a few minutes praising our God Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjTPFcCXMoo Ask: Pray the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
Spend some time asking God, and particularly, •Pray for the eyes of your 5 to be opened to all that Jesus offers them and that they would turn their faces to him and enjoy the warmth of his love. •Pray for those people and situations that are on our WhatsApp prayer board. •Pray that God will use us – whatever that means (e.g. the courage to open our mouths, the strength to be obedient) •Pray for our community and nation as we’re all affected by the impact of Covid-19. •Pray for our government. Yield: Lord, we pray that you will show us how you want us to be part of the answer to the prayers that we have prayed. Father, help me to live this day to the full, Being true to You in every way. Jesus, help me to give myself away to others, Being kind to everyone I meet. Spirit, help me to love the lost, Proclaiming Christ in all I do and say. Amen.
Preparation: As I enter prayer now, I pause to be still; to breath slowly; to re-centre my scattered senses upon the presence of God. [Pause] Rejoice: I choose to rejoice today as I hear God’s voice over and in creation in the ancient praise of all God’s people in the words of Psalm 29. Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name; worship the Lord in the splendour of his[a] holiness. 3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion[b] like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. 8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks[c] and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, ‘Glory!’ 10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King for ever. 11 The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace. Spend a few minutes praising God. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqqXkz7mUnU Ask: Pray the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen. Spend some time praying for the following: •Pray for your 5 that they would know that they never have to face anything alone, but that in their need they would call on God for help. •Pray for those people and situations that are on our WhatsApp prayer board. •Pray that God will use us – whatever that means (e.g. the courage to open our mouths, the strength to be obedient) •Pray for our community and nation as we’re all affected by the impact of Covid-19. •Pray for our government. Yield: Lord, we pray that you will show us how you want us to be part of the answer to the prayers that we have prayed. Father, help me to live this day to the full, Being true to You in every way. Jesus, help me to give myself away to others, Being kind to everyone I meet. Spirit, help me to love the lost, Proclaiming Christ in all I do and say. Amen.
