Day 16 – Nana Oppon, Telford Limitless Youth Leader

ABIDE: Psalm 91:1, KJV,

‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.’

Lord, we’re honoured that we have been found worthy to be beneficiaries of Your grace and mercy. Thank You for loving, calling and choosing us. You call on us to abide in You; so today, I pray that our feet will be deeply rooted in You. From Telford Elim Tots, Extravaganza, Limitless, Thrive, and Riversway Youth, and every other ministry in our churches.

May no storm of life blow us away from You; and likewise, may Your word bear fruit in us. We pray God that every barrier, distraction and hindrance to us walking in You be removed by the fire of Your Holy Spirit, and by the authority in the name of Jesus.

May we become more sensitive to the prompting and leadership of the Holy Spirit, and draw us closer to You so that we will abide in You all the days of our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 17 – Seb Crous, Telford Limitless Youth Leader

1 Timothy 4:12, NIV,

‘Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.’

Lord, equip our young people to be advocates for Christ in our churches, and in our communities. To be an example to us all in their daily lives. Enable them to show us how to follow You in all that they do. Lead them in their daily walk to inspire everyone around them to a closer walk with You.

Surround them with like-minded youth, and equipping adults, allowing them to grow a nurtured walk closer to You.

Build them up in Your ways to be a shining light to those around them in every situation that You place them. Fill them up with Your Holy Spirit to allow them to continue in a strong walk with You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 18 – Seb Crous, Telford Limitless Youth Leader

Lord, like Paul in 2 Timothy 4:13, let us notice the importance of our physical (cloak), mental (books) and spiritual (parchments) resilience in everything we do. Equip us with the correct tools to improve these elements within our lives. Guide us to a new understanding of the walk that You have prepared for us. Allow us to follow You to the fullness of our abilities.

Renew us every day in our body, soul and mind to be a new and living sacrifice for You in everything we do, and everywhere we go. Use us to build Your Church in a world hungry for Your truths. Allow us to be examples of the importance of Your way in Christ in this lost world. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 19 – Tami Oriade, Telford Limitless Youth Leader

Lord of hosts, we thank You for what You are doing in this season within these houses among Your sons and daughters. We honour You because You are the hand guiding youth ministry in both churches, it is not by our power or might but by the Holy Spirit, as it says in your word.

We pray for those who are in the leadership, sent by You to carry out a vision given onto them by You. May they remain diligent with Your work, and may Your hand rest upon them for good as they continue to carry out works in Your name. Their strength renewed, even in their weariness, they shall be uplifted.

I pray that the young people are covered in this time. In times such as these, may the peace and Joy of the Lord reign upon their lives. You are their comfort and their shield. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 20 – Tami Oriade, Limitless Youth Leader

In this season, we need Your help, O God. We call upon You as Ebenezer, guide the Limitless Ministry in Telford and the Riversway Youth, and Your children within it. Increase their faith, increase their desire to follow the will of the Father, even when it looks like it is lonely.

May they know you as Emmanuel, God is with them at all times. May the Grace of God that caused Daniel and his friends to separate themselves for the glory and honour of God, find Your sons and daughters.

Allow them to become the light of Christ to their communities, and among their peers. In their age, may they understand the impact they carry through the authority of God. Raise up a generation that know and follow Your word, being led to do great things for the kingdom of God.

Watch over them, equip them, and may divine health and protection be their portion. The name of God is glorified through them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 21 – Pastor Sandie

Romans 5:1, NLT,

‘Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.’

At the time Paul was writing to the believers in Rome, cultural chaos abounded. Idol worship, sexual perversion, every kind of evil, both hidden and in full view. Nero was the Emperor and was evil personified against Christian believers. Yet, the Roman Christians had found the Peace that passes all understanding, and were able to withstand and ensure the spread of the Gospel even amid that depraved culture.

Society has not changed, there are the same challenges today, but the Gospel never loses its power. Are we prepared to run with the baton today just as our brothers and sisters did then?

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You our strength comes from knowing You as our peace provider. We know who we belong to and the wonderful future that awaits us with You.

Please help us to stay strong and truthful to Your word when society wants to water it down or abandon it all together. May we always stay rooted and grounded in You, even when the world is shaking all around us. Amen.

Day 22 – Pastor Sandie

John 9:4, NKJV,

‘I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.’

Jesus knew He only had a short window of opportunity to carry out the mission His Father assigned Him here on earth. The crucifixion was looming which would end His earthly ministry.

All of us too have a certain span of time on earth to reach the lost within our broken society. I have been challenged at times by the amount of time I have spent on things that are not Kingdom related. We need to be using the gifts we have been given to further God’s work. Jesus handed us the responsibility to win souls, always working in partnership with the precious Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for our brothers and sisters in both churches. May there be a bond of loving unity and purpose in all that we do to further Your Kingdom both here and in our mission’s support abroad.

Time is short before Your return. May we sense that urgency deep within our spirit, and motivate ourselves to action. Bless the leaders in both churches. May they be guided in how to equip the saints for this time and season. Amen.

Day 23 – Pastor Sandie

Matthew 5:14, NLT,

‘You are the light of the world, like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.’

All of us, no matter what age, can bring light into someone’s dark situation. Small acts of kindness, a card, a meal, faithful praying, all speak volumes to those going through tough times. Staying the course, no matter how long, provides strength and courage to the one suffering.

I remember as a Chaplain working in a mental health unit, sitting for a while each shift, with a dear young man who was severely, clinically depressed. All I could do was just keep him company in his dark time, silently praying, until one day, a whole nine months later, a precious glimmer of light broke through his darkness.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, may we be a pure reflection of Your light to those we will meet. May we not be just fair weather friends, but those who will commit to offering love, compassion, support and encouragement in difficult situations in a way that will always reflect Your glory and not ours. Amen.

Day 24 – Pastor Sandie

Romans 12:2, NKJV,

‘And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.’

The early believers faced numerous challenges and persecution from both the Roman and Jewish authorities, yet the church continued to grow rapidly. We can learn so much from this and be encouraged to persevere today, even in our society, which embraces countless ungodly practices and false teachings.

It is so important to be rooted and thoroughly grounded in God’s word so we are not deceived and enticed to ever compromise our faith. God’s word is extraordinarily powerful, more than we realize, and used correctly can demolish strongholds wherever Satan is active.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, may reading and memorizing Your word be our top priority so we can be equipped to stand strongly in these last days before Your return.

Scripture says the entrance of Your word brings light. How wonderful to be able to share the truths from Your word with those languishing in darkness and see the transformation that will bring. Amen.

Day 25 – Pastor Sandie

Romans 5:3-5, NIV,

‘…suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.’

We face many trials in our life, Jesus, Himself said we would. How are we to react? Because there is nothing glamorous about enduring a trial.

Often as we look back on our life we will see that there has been a maturing of our faith through what we’ve suffered. As faith matures it radiates hope. Our pain is never wasted and the sure and certain hope of Jesus’ return will help us to endure hard seasons.

Jesus endured alone, but we have the person of the Holy Spirit comforting, correcting and guiding us, bringing us all the way through to the great day when, death and suffering will be removed forever.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, help us to realise our trials are not wasted because we belong to You. Build such deep hope in us to enable us to endure until Your breakthrough comes. You, Lord, are not remote nor aloof, but rather an ever present help in our time of need, the One who ever lives to intercede on our behalf. Thank You for doing that for us. Amen.

Day 26 – Pastor Sandie

2 Timothy 2:25, CEV,

‘Be humble when you correct people who oppose you. Maybe God will lead them to turn to Him and learn the truth.’

Opposition to our beliefs can be painful and Jesus more than anyone else knew this only too well. He faced opposition and rejection continually from the religious leaders, the hostile crowds leading up to His crucifixion and even from His close friends.

How Jesus responded is the way we should respond too… He chose to speak the truth boldly but always with gentleness and tenderness. He didn’t revile or curse, but also never wavered when opposed. The way we react under pressure can be a powerful witness to those watching our lives from afar.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to see with eyes of compassion those who speak against us. As we pray for those who hurt us, may You soften their hearts, Holy Spirit, so that they will be drawn to Jesus and receive Him as their Lord and Saviour. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 27 – Pastor Sandie

Daniel 12:3, paraphrase,

‘Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like stars forever and ever.’

Daily, as we observe global events rapidly aligning with biblical prophecy, and hear the echo of Jesus’ words loudly in our ears regarding the world’s “birth pains” that we are witnessing in increasing strength, perhaps some of us need to do a spiritual MOT check as to where our focus is in our personal lives? Are we really ready to meet Jesus?

More than ever we need to be using the time left to get our lives on track and share the gospel message everywhere we can. Let’s keep running our race with joy, keeping one eye on the clouds, and one eye on our mission.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, may we be like the five wise virgins, prepared at anytime for Your return for us. May we put Your kingdom first, and seek to lead many to You, Jesus the Saviour, until the day You come for us.

We can’t express how thankful we are that You have chosen us to be with You throughout eternity but we want to be active partners with the Holy Spirit in Your mission here in the meantime. Amen.

Day 28 – Sue North, Telford & Shrewsbury Elim Safeguarding Officer

Father God, we pray that You will guide us as we seek to do Your bidding, and as we look to “speak out on behalf of the voiceless and for the rights of all who are vulnerable” (Proverbs 31:8). 

Lord, every day You give us opportunities to do this, and seek to redress the injustices we see in the world. Lord, we pray that You will open our eyes and keep us aware of what is happening around us, and that we will be prompted to act as You instruct us when we see things in our world that are impacting on the voiceless and the vulnerable. 

Lord, that how we conduct ourselves will enable and empower those around us to work with us as we seek to do this and will show Your love to those who are the voiceless and vulnerable in our world. We pray for this in Jesus’ name.  Amen

Day 29 – Sue North, Telford & Shrewsbury Elim Safeguarding Officer

Father God, we pray that You will help us to be aware of how we can seek to proactively pursue justice and wellbeing for those in our church, and those in our communities. 

Equip us with the knowledge and wisdom that we need to identify the opportunities to show Your love in action as we strive to make our church and our communities safe for those who live in them. Where every individual is valued and cared for and feels this, and where our communities are safe for all. 

We pray that when we meet those who have not experienced this, they will see Your love through us as we work towards this ambition. We pray that every day You will remind us of Your instructions to do this, and will give us strength to continue to make this a reality. We pray for this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 30 – Pastor Leslie

Father, as this month closes, we remember that equipping the saints is more than a slogan, it is an everyday reality. As the prayers have been written, as they have been shared, as people have read and prayed them, as You have heard them prayed in each person’s unique setting of life, we ask that You will continue to honour these prayers so both churches are equipped, strengthened, enabled for the lives, ministries and missions You have called us all to.

Bless Pastor Hani as he equips many in many nations. Bless Pastor Phumzile as she equips the people in Your church in Lushikishini, and in the communities around it for Your Kingdom purposes there.

May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done in Telford and Shrewsbury Elim churches, through Pastor Hani’s ministry, and in Lushikishini ICBC. In Jesus’ name. Amen.