These daily prayers are focussed on Kingdom Building – especially Wholeness in Christ. They are written by Pastor Leslie, developed from earlier daily prayers written in 2020.

Aug 15 – Father, we acknowledge that each of us are at different stages in the process of Christian maturity. The ultimate goal is that we will all be complete in Christ – our character, talents, time, treasure and spiritual gifts – sanctified and wholeheartedly devoted to our Saviour and Lord.

We acknowledge that we have not always been committed to this goal; forgive, cleanse and sanctify us…

We pray about the most important component in Christian wholeness – a full, open and healthy relationship with our Lord Jesus. I humble myself and seek Your grace and Spirit’s help as I pray for myself, and my brothers and sisters in Christ in Church.

We submit to Your Spirit as He develops our ability to more fully engage with Christ our Saviour. We pray that this engagement will deepen our spirituality, strengthen a Christ-like character in each of us, create more biblically astute and informed minds, fill our emotions with His love, increase our ability to make good choices, to be Christ-honouring in all our relationships, and to be effective Kingdom builders.

Guide each of us through this process – we choose to be patient, taking the time to engage with Your Word and Spirit in worship and devotion, to follow Jesus as a disciple should in the coming days, weeks and months. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Aug 16 – Father, as I consider the wonder of being made whole by Your Spirit – I recognise that it is a process, painful at times, during which He may perform character, talent or spiritual gifting surgery in me. At one end is the pain of the refining process – at the other is the joy and spiritual strength of Christian maturity.

As we have begun this week by considering the need to be Kingdom minded in these areas, I give You thanks and praise for the work of grace and character development already accomplished. We are not the same self-orientated people we once were.

However, if we do not keep in step with Your Spirit and word, and continue to live a worshipful life – then I acknowledge that it is easy to lose the ground already gained. So we reaffirm and declare our ongoing commitment to follow the Way of the Cross. In Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen

Aug 17 – Father, as we consider our Church, we focus on the corporate aspects of wholeness. First of all, we celebrate and give thanks that Your Spirit not only makes me an individual temple, but also inhabits Your Church corporately making Your people together into a holy temple.

You call Telford Elim to be a temple of the Spirit offering spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to You through our Lord Jesus (cf. 1 Peter 2:4-5). The OT Temple was made holy by consecration and by Your presence inhabiting it. Consecrate our church, and fill us with Your awesome presence.

We pray for our Church Leadership Team (CLT) – may they continue to develop in their ability to lead together; Pastors, Elders and Deacons functioning together as good servants of the Master. As a CLT, each bringing their different strengths and insights together to create synergy and much more capacity, collectively together leading the church; a team of humble Christians achieving exponentially more than is possible by individuals doing their own thing.

May the CLT be well-formed and properly functioning as they lead, pastor, serve and work together following the Spirit-led course for our Church. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Aug 18 – Father, reflecting back to yesterday and the focus on the church as a temple of the Spirit – we pray for wholeness in every ministry of the Church. Being part of a greater whole, with each part of the whole working according to the Spirit’s purpose is a good, biblical way of ministry.

We acknowledge that it is relatively easy for a church to get to the stage, inadvertently, were different ministries are sectioned off as a result of these being led by strong characters. Often these personalities will protect their own ministry not seeing themselves, nor the ministry they lead, as accountable to the church. We pray for a strong ethos of accountability both to each other (cf. Ephesians 5:21), and to the CLT (cf. Hebrews 13:17).

Lord, Your word is clear, submission and accountability to Christ, and each other are prerequisites to a vibrant, spiritual, Kingdom life. ‘Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?’ (Hebrews 12:9).

Forgive and cleanse us for the times when we have wilfully disregarded Your Kingdom way and gone our own way rebelling and failing to act as accountable stewards. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Aug 19 – Father, returning to the theme of accountability – it is a key building block to wholeness in Christ; we pray for a true understanding of the nature and value of biblical submission and accountability.

Thank You that it is not based in the abuse of power – one lording it over another, nor control – seeking to impose one’s will on another, nor manipulation – seeking to use cunning to get others to think and act as we wish, nor coercion – putting pressure on another to make them conform to think and do those things which are for our profit.

If there are any such misconceptions present in our Church, guide the CLT to be able to properly apply the biblical methods of correction – sensitively, Scripturally, and with the aid and direction of Your Spirit.

The extent of our accountability to each other is dependent on our level of accountability to You. May such a focus be at the forefront of all that we are and do as a church. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Aug 20 – Father, thinking again of the corporate wholeness of Telford Elim, in person and online, we pray today about another building block – hungering for the establishment of Your Kingdom and its righteousness (cf. Matt 6:33). Without such a hunger, it is easy to lose the passion for worshipping, growing and serving together.

Many struggle to flourish because of a limited appreciation of their own personal responsibility to draw upon the grace necessary to flourish, mature in character, and use their talents and spiritual gifting under the lordship of Your Spirit.

Therefore, we come and ask for the grace needed today for Telford Elim, and all who worship, or are associated with it in person or online, to be whole and flourish in Christ.

Forgive and cleanse us when we have sought to follow our own understanding without following the well-signed biblical pathway to successful discipleship, church growth, and Kingdom building. We pray for the further development, in each of us, of a living, open, submissive and accountable, Spirit and Word-filled, prayerful, Christian inner life and corporate fellowship. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Aug 21 – Father, as we begin this new week with the focus of ‘life in all its fullness in Christ,’ may the wonder of such a well-lived life grab our hearts and minds, and fire our imaginations. May it become a shared faith experience of Telford Elim.

Your Word promises that in Christ there would be life abundant, a rich and satisfying life. We ask for such a life to be the norm for each person in Telford Elim, in person and online. May our Church be filled with such people, and may the atmosphere and ethos of the Church as a whole reflect such a passionate, Christ-focussed life.

May Telford Elim be Spirit-led, accountable, and committed to the cause of making disciple-making disciples – a Kingdom building church in Telford + Wrekin, and Shropshire. In Jesus’ name. Amen