Dec 19 – The Daily Prayers this week are on ‘Enjoying Christmas.’

Father, as we are in this joyous last week of the Advent season, we give You thanks and praise for the Second Coming of Jesus – which Advent points to. Help us to keep clear heads and watchful hearts as we look for the soon appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We ask that our Church will point others to the reality of what the Advent season means – a season of reflection, preparation and prayer.

Prior to the return of Your Son there will be signs of His coming, including the rise of the son of perdition, who will be destroyed by Christ’s coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8), and the great tribulation (over a indeterminate period) which will be ended by His Advent.

May we be ever Scripturally watchful and Spirit-filled as we interpret the Signs of the Times to aid us in our Spiritual Warfare, and our mission and ministry as a Church in person and online – as we continue to pray, desire and work together for Your Kingdom to come. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Dec 20 – Father, we reflect today on these Scriptures: 1Thessalonians 4:16, ‘For the Lord Himself [Jesus] will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first;’ Revelation 1:7, ‘Behold, He [Jesus] is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.’  

As we meditate on these words and allow them to saturate our souls – may they develop a deep appreciation of the nature of Your Parousia, appearance, Lord Jesus. May they also awaken faith and a rededication to Your service knowing that the Day of Your appearing draws near. Amen.

Dec 21 – Father, as we prepare our hearts and minds today – we ask for Your help to effectively do so. It is more than a simple cursory reflection of where we are at in our lives, we pray that it will be a deeper, Spirit-led reflection that aids our discipleship journey.

The Second Coming will be a personal, visible, bodily, and terrible Advent of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Your Word indicates that it will bring about the rapture or catching up of the Church in an instantaneous sequence (1Thessalonians 4:17, ‘Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord’).  

It also both points to the certainty of the event happening, and the eternal consequences flowing from it – ‘always with You.’ We pray for family, loved ones, fellow students, work colleagues, friends and neighbours to be awakened of their need for Jesus the Saviour, and for many to be converted and brought into a living relationship with You through the Son and Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Dec 22 – Father, as we prayerfully consider the reality of what Jesus’ Second Coming means for us and also for the world around us, we recognise that for Your saints – it will be glorious, but for sinners not safe in Your Son – it will be terrible and define their eternity banished to Hell.

Christ’s Advent will be the culmination of the era of grace (the days from Adam’s fall to the second return of Christ), and herald the commencement of the purification of the earth from all the ravages of the Fall.

2 Peter 3:10, ‘But the Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.’

Thank You that this burning up will be a redemptive act for the earth, and not an emblem of Your hatred for it – Romans 8:19-22, ‘For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who His children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.’

You love Your Creation, and saw it as good before the Fall. In Christ, You have set in motion the process that will ultimately lead to the redemption of Creation itself from the Fall and your Curse. We proclaim the Lordship of Christ over all Creation, and seek to work to establish His Kingly reign through our church and its ministries, in person and online. Amen.

Dec 23 – Father, today we pray for clear heads in the midst of the anticipation and excitement for Christmas Day of the world around us. We remember that Jesus’ Second Coming will forever close the door of salvation and lead to the immediate judgement of the Great White Throne, the judgement wherein those not saved will be finally condemned to Hell for their own sins.

Revelation 20:11-15, ‘Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.’

As we move from the Age of Grace to the One of Judgement, before the eternal Age of Glory – it reminds us of the awful solemnity of the Great White Throne Judgement. It will be a place of incredible weight and truth, the eternal destiny of every human being made clear to all assembled.

We ask that Telford Elim, in person and online, will be a church that impacts the eternal destiny of many as we preach the Gospel, minister in the Spirit’s power, and seek to worship, serve, fellowship, give and minister to Christ’s glory and the good of many, many people. Save many, Lord Jesus. Amen 

Dec 24 – Father, on this wonderful Christmas Eve, we pray today for those who also are on a journey towards Your beloved Son – just as those Magi were to worship Him all those years ago. May Your Spirit so work among Your Church that multitudes of men, women, young adults, young people and children will be led to the feet of Jesus in repentance and faith.

As we think about our future judgement/assessment, we are thankful that in Christ there is no condemnation. Only believers will face the non-condemnatory Judgement seat of Christ where their righteous works will be rewarded.

Romans 14:10-12; 2Corinthians 5:10, ‘For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.’

The un-Redeemed will face the Wrath of the Lamb, but Redemption means that the saints will not suffer even for those things they neglected to do, nor which their personal sin had prevented them doing which they could have done for Jesus’ glory while alive.

We pray that as we rejoice in the Incarnation, that we will never lose sight of its ultimate purpose and aim – the opening of the doorway to heaven of all who will repent of their sin, and believe into the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life.

As many children and many others are filled with excitement and anticipation for the presents of Christmas Day – thank You for Your provision, the love of family, and the joy of Christmas. We also pray for those who are facing a dark, bleak Christmas, may new hope arise this Christmas, and the New Year bring the joy of salvation to them. In Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen
Dec 25 – Father, we give You thanks and praise as we celebrate this Christmas Day – traditionally the first of the twelve days of Christmas which celebrate the wonder of the Incarnation – till January 5. Bless our church service this morning at 10am – may it be a deep, meaningful encounter with Your love and grace in Christ.

May the joy and wonder of this Day of days not be lost in the festivities, nor in the secular way that the world seeks to mould this day focussed on Family and TV to the exclusion of Your Son. Instead, we pray that today will be a day when we bring Christ to the very centre of our thoughts and joy – be exalted Lord Jesus. Amen