June 26 – The Prayer Letter this week is on Christ the Cornerstone.
Father, Your word is very clear – there is only one true basis for the Christian life, Christ the chief cornerstone.
Ephesians 2:19-21, NLT, ‘So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles & the prophets. and the [chief] cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.’
As we reflect on Pastor Hani’s visit yesterday to church, thank You for His ministry, and the work of Elim Missions. Continue to bless and anoint this work.
In these verses in Ephesians 4, there are at least three prayers relevant to this topic:
1. May Christ, as Chief Cornerstone, be the One we always keep in focus as we pray;
2. May the sure foundation of Your Word, ‘the apostles and prophets,’ be read, and the basis in all we seek to do;
3. Unless we ensure that the foundations of our Church extend out from our union with Christ, we are building on sand. May all of our foundations, as a Church, be laid on the Rock Christ Jesus. Amen.
June 27 – Father, as we further reflect on yesterday’s reading from Ephesians, it is our duty to ensure that our foundations are securely fixed to Your Son.
We ask that You would redemptively deal with and re-establish in Christ – in a manageable, step by step way for us – anything in both our own personal foundations and the Church’s that are not securely established in Your Son.
We ask for the step by step guidance of Your Spirit so that we can cope with this discipline and sanctification process, with its redemptive journey of repentance, confession and realignment, that overcomes the darkness in us by His Light.
We ask for mercy, and the grace to put right that which needs addressing – for the strength of our foundations are absolutely crucial to our further development, and the church’s. Also that much good fruit will multiply – good, lasting, Christ-honouring fruit. In Jesus’ name. Amen
June 28 – Father, one of the biggest issues to do with our foundations can arise in our relationships, including in Church. Relationships can be strained for all sorts of reasons: sin, selfishness, stubbornness, unforgiveness, unrealistic expectations, and our failure to apply the Law of Agape Love all can negatively impact our relationships.
If we hold to an inappropriate relationship, or are basing a relationship on dependency or fear, or are failing to connect with people – forgive us.
Once again Lord – help us to re-lay the basis for each relationship in a Christ-honouring place allowing Your love to be the source for our love for others.
We also ask that the very basis of the relationships in our wider local communities will be realigned. Instead of so many being destructive and selfishly based – may they become wholesome, Christ-honouring and selflessly based honouring others and respecting each person’s dignity as a human being. In Jesus’ name. Amen
June 29 – Father, as a church we want to thank You for the wonderful people that worship here. We celebrate the rich diversity in our church, and give praise for those committed to Your service in and through Telford Elim, in person and online.
We pray for the continued development of our church – may it be firmly established on the foundation of Your Word, and securely tied to Christ Jesus Your beloved Son.
We ask that it will be a sound, wonderful, growing and exciting spiritual house of worship, witness and service in this Town, Borough and County, and further afield online. May it be a house of peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen
June 30 – Isaiah 28:16-17, CSB, ‘Therefore the Lord God said:
“Look, I have laid a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; the one who believes will be unshakable.
17And I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the mason’s level.”
Hail will sweep away the false refuge, and water will flood your hiding place.’
Father, these verses speak directly into what we have been praying about this week. Thank You for this sure prophetic word fulfilled in the Incarnation and Life of Christ – as Peter confirms (1 Peter 2:6).
As the Precious Cornerstone, true salvation, by repentance and belief into Him, is secure. Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, was tested by what He faced and suffered during His Incarnation, and proved true, trustworthy and able. Hallelujah, what a Saviour.
We also see in Isaiah that Your method of gauging where a person really is at in their faith and obedience, is in the application of godly justice and righteousness. Those who are not securely fixed to Your tested and precious cornerstone, will be washed away when the storms of life come.
Lord Jesus, You are amazing in how You developed the truth of such passages in Your parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7 (24-27). We pray that many will build on You, God’s sure foundation and rock. Amen
July 1 – Father, yesterday’s quote from Isaiah 28:16-17 also speaks to us about how You will test us to ensure that our foundations, and that which is built upon them, are honouring and true to You and Your Word.
‘The measuring line of justice’ speaks of testing the manner and nature of our dealings with others; and ‘the plumb line of righteousness’ of our own spiritual integrity and truth.
I pray that both myself and our church will deal with others with sincerity and truth out of hearts filled to overflowing with agape love, and from pure, Christ-like actions done because of pure, Spirit-inspired motives.
We also pray for today’s Steps to freedom day as part of the Freedom in Christ course – that it will be blessed and spiritually fruitful. For each person who attends, as well as those who lead, we ask for Your anointing on the ministry and talks, grace to work through the issues raised, and spiritual renewal to refresh and strengthen each one. In Jesus’ name. Amen
July 2 – Father, Isaiah, in chapter 28, spoke to the three main levels or foundations of leadership in his nation – at all levels the leaders were caught up in drunkenness, debauchery, carnality and false worship:
1. The false prophets who were deceiving the people into thinking that everything was okay in their lives and in their relationship with You;
2. The corrupt priests who were lazy and not interceding on the behalf of the nation so that the people’s sins could be cleansed and the people set free from slavery to their sins;
3. The proud political leaders sitting in splendour while not truly representing the people they were leading nor acknowledging You as the great King and Lord of the nation.
We pray for Your Spirit’s conviction exposing of any such corrupt foundations in our nation. Instead we pray for Christ’s salvation to flow through our nation so spiritual renewal takes place in…
i. our media, which today is often filled with people who are false prophets of our age pushing false, antichrist philosophies and values for life – many of them will be converted and build their lives and public image on Christ the cornerstone;
ii. those who promote and teach anti-Christ humanism, religious pluralism and spirituality without the Spirit, the corrupt priests of our age – that they will repent and make Your word their foundation for life;
iii. those in our national and local government motivated and driven by principles of:
a. the glorification of self – will follow Jesus denying self;
b. greed and avarice – will humble themselves and choose the way of grace and dependence on Christ;
c. the absolute power of the Markets – that the godly principles of biblical Stewardship will be enshrined at the heart of our economy;
d. the protection of the anti-Christ status quo – will be repented off and a new Christ-honouring, biblical way of doing things and life replace it;
e. the enforcement of every right and view which excludes those seeking to build their foundations on adherence to Your Word – will be thrown out as people hold to a Judeo-Christian moral and judicial code for the nation and their own lives.
May the enemies of the Cross be exposed and dethroned, seen to be foolish building on the sand, and may many of them come to repentance, redemption and a saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
