Prayer diary: Thursday 16th November 2017
Today’s Bible reading:
1 John 2:15-16
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
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Prayer first
I was looking out of the kitchen window, from here I can see lots of houses and I thought of all the people that are out there. We don’t know many of them at all. They all are human beings with skills and needs and relationships.
I realised that the only way we can connect with them all is to pray for them.
In a recent sermon our minister remarked that he had seen HM the Queen but never met her. I realised that with our King, Jesus, it is the other way around. No one in present times has seen Jesus, yet as Christians we have met with the risen Lord.
And that is what faith and prayer are about, reliance upon an unseen God of power to answer our prayers and act.
How often do we say, “all there is left to do is pray” as if all our fleshly efforts have failed. Let’s pray first, in faith, then step forward knowing that we are covered by our Lord as we have spoken to Him first.
Heavenly Father, we thank You and praise Your Name as we acknowledge Your Grace and Salvation.
Father we confess that so often we neglect prayer, just carrying on in our own ways and we are sorry for that.
First we acknowledge You and Your plan for our lives. We are servants of Christ and we have fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Him. We raise each one of these up to You in prayer, asking that You bless each one. We pray for them and ourselves as we all seek to follow You and do Your will on the Earth.
Second we think of the thousands of people living close by in our local community. We know some already know You as Lord, others believe in other religions and gods and many have no belief at all. We raise up those people who do not recognise Christ as their Saviour and pray for them. Give them a thirst for the truth of the gospel, that they will seek and find Jesus Christ.
Father, teach us to pray; we humbly seek Your answers to our prayers as we have Your Word in our hearts and look for people to come into the fold of the Good Shepherd. Use us where we are to spread the Gospel and sow the seeds. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.