Dec 14 – This week we will be praying into the theme of ‘the Family unit’ – the prayers have been written by Steve Higgins.
Father God, we thank You for the family unit. We recognise that as Christians we can be part of an earthly family unit, and a heavenly family unit. We pray for all those families that are suffering financial difficulties during these times which often can create tensions between partners. This can then cascade to create an atmosphere of uncertainty and unrest.
Father, we pray that Your everlasting peace, found only in Christ, would surround these families; that they would know Your love and peace through these difficult times. We also remember the single parents who very often have to bear the load of bringing up children on their own with no, or very little, support. Father, we pray for grace, wisdom and guidance.
Lord God, very often family life can be difficult with many issues within it that can destroy lives to a point of devastation. We live in times when all too often families become separated through divorce, separation, disagreements. We thank You that You are a God of reconciliation, and that we as Christians have been reconciled to Yourself through Jesus Christ our Saviour and Redeemer. We pray for household salvation in our society so that the name of Jesus would be honoured in our homes. May Your presence be evident in our homes, that Jesus would be glorified within the family unit. Amen
Dec 15 – Family is the foundational unit of society. Also, as Christians, the family very often is the place where we first minister. They are the people who are always with us and those we will spend most of our lives with. For this reason it’s important that families stick together no matter what happens.
Father, we believe that a family who prays together stays together. As we come before You today – we ask for Your protection over our families in Telford Elim. We may not be with family all the time but we trust that You, Lord, are always with us and we ask that You keep us safe when we are apart. Allow no evil to influence our family, and cover them with the precious blood of Jesus. Take charge over them so that they do not strike their foot against a stone.
We may not be with our families all the time today, but we trust that you, Lord, are always with us. Help us not to worry about family and give us Your grace to display Your love and never to display hate, anger or bitterness. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Dec 16 – Father God, we commit to You those in our families who have fallen sick. We believe that You are our healer and the great physician. May You comfort those family members who are in pain or discomfort. Touch them with Your healing hands and send forth Your word that they might be healed in the name of Jesus. Father, may Your healing power flow through every part of their bodies.
During this Pandemic there are many families who are hurting emotionally. Their affliction is not physical, but we know they are also in pain. Lord, give them Your comfort and peace that passes all understanding. Lord, heal their hearts, hearts which may be full of anger, hatred, strife, bitterness and unforgiveness. Clear minds of any doubt, anxiety or depression as we seek to encourage and renew our minds by reading Your word. Renew them with Your peaceful Spirit.
Lord, Your word has the power to renew our whole mind-set. May all who suffer in mind and spirit find strength to look to Jesus who is able to make us whole in body, soul and spirit. Amen
Dec 17 – Ephesians 4:1, ‘Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.’
Dear Lord, we are so in need of Your power and strength. We ask that You would fill us with a spirit of love and unity. We ask for Your help to set aside our differences and look to the greater cause: the cause of Christ. Help us to live out a life of love. We know that this is only possible through the power of the Spirit – so we ask that You move across our land in miraculous ways; with fresh filling and awareness, turning Your people back to You and drawing others to come to know You only through Christ.
We need unity in the Spirit and Your love to stir our hearts and give direction in the days to come. We need Your wisdom to guide us and we need Your spirit to lead us, to enable us to live out godly lives that would bring honour to Christ. We thank You that You are always with us and give us great purpose and hope. So Lord, help us to keep our eyes on Jesus so we can follow Your promptings and respond to Your call.
Help us to see when another person around us needs to be encouraged. May we be faithful to one another and carry our burdens together in love, remembering that we are in this Christian walk together. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Dec 18 – Prayers for church family. Father, because of the ministry of Telford Elim, in person and online, we pray for Your good, in Christ, to prevail over evil and all the destruction that Satan would seek to sow in people’s lives. Genesis 50:20, and the example of Joseph who, although he was treated terribly by his brothers and suffered much evil because of their actions, could say, in reflection, later in life, ‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.’ You sovereignly turned evil actions into a means for the release of Your saving purposes, and for good.
Father, what the enemy means for evil against our church body we believe You can turn for good. Remind our hearts of this when we are being attacked and crushed from all sides. Also remind us of Your faithfulness, to use everything for Your good and glory. Help us not to fear but to trust in Your provision, in Christ, for our church family.
May we not only be readers of Your word but believers and doers. We declare that as we read, study and obey Your word – our faith will increase as we seek to worship and serve You in all that we do. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Dec 19 – Ephesians 4:1-3, ‘Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.’
Lord, help our church body to walk in a manner worthy of the calling You have given us in Christ. Help us to have humble and gentle hearts in our interactions with others. Grant us patience with one another, bearing with one another in love. We pray for unity in the body of Christ as we each take our place in serving each other with the gifts You have given us.
Father we thank You that as we seek Your face – You are able to lead us forward in our walk with You. Even when the tasks seem impossible, and the flesh is weak, You are able to bring us through with the power of the Holy Spirit. So we look to Him as we take up our cross and follow Christ – be glorified in and through Telford Elim, and every church represented by those praying with us, as we encourage and build up one another. In Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen
Dec 20 – Father God, today is our Church Christmas Family Service – and so we pray for all families in our church. Bless them abundantly. Where there are broken relationships – we pray for reconciliation and Your peace to reign.
Lord, we know that there is nothing You want more than family relationships and feuding relatives to be reconciled with each other. We pray that Your Holy Spirit would surround these families with Your love, and that as Your love flows it will bring full restoration. We also ask that Your healing power, through Christ, would rebuild any brokenness that is felt. Only when they are in Christ can true reconciliation take place. So we pray for all in our families to become Christians.
The following is taken from our Christmas flyer delivered to hundreds of homes in our neighbourhoods: Father, may You watch over and keep everyone, and all those we love
May Christ reveal His love and grace to all in our families.
May His peace fill their hearts and minds as they begin to believe and reach out to Jesus
May His presence be near comforting and strengthening them
May His power be at work in their lives
May Christ’s truth set them free.
Father, we pray for our nation, our local communities and every home and person in it here in Hadley and Leegomery. We ask for Your grace, in Christ, to fill our nation, local communities, each home, and each person. Lord Jesus, this Christmas, save, heal, strengthen and make whole many, many people. Bless our neighbours and our communities. Bring the hope of Christmas to each one. Amen
