Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Marcello first movement oboe concerto in D minor

I have given them Your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.

Deep in his cell, Watchmen Nee fell to his knees

to beseech Your grace; and beyond the enormous emotional trauma You dispelled great darkness and moved in power throughout the land of China;

while far below ground Richard Wurmbrand resisted intense bleakness

and filled the blackness with the sound of Your praise.

Refusing to be caged, such prisoners for the Lord remained fully engaged,

enabling You to bring about a harvest of the brave.

As they sighed and soared in spirit,

they saw beyond their prison walls and prepared the way for all that You are doing today.

Because Your word tells us to remember those who are ill treated as though we were suffering ourselves, we cry out to you for adjustment grace for all who find themselves deprived of all they hold most dear.

May the blood of the martyrs remain the seed of the mushrooming churches

in the countries for which You call us to intercede.

And now we lift our hearts to pray for Your heavenly increase,

throughout the Middle East and all the countries You lead us to in prayer.

Make special use of the Internet and satellite dish and every other means of revealing your Word to guide people’s attention to the only dimension that really matters.

The Spirit and the Bride say "Come". cop con

When we come together, everyone should be free to bring a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation – all for the strengthening of the church.

So many leaders, of churches, as of nations,

have but one way of responding.

Father, grant to many the courage to give your Spirit room to move

Rather than playing it safe,

and chafing sensitive souls by over tight controls,

the vision to draw people in,

thus releasing fresh new roles and giftings.

Lord, You delight in the deeply ordered but also in the far more experimental,

in which rich times of worship interweave with the gently instrumental.

Break open the treasure troves of creativity

that hidebound churches have all but mislaid –

and may we as leaders have the courage

to search and follow where You lead.

We pray now for leaders as they come to mind,

first in the Church and then in the world

to develop a more participatory vision;

and for those whose confidence has been knocked by deep division –

get the devil off their back

and restore them on track.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Selfless Prayer

Marcello - Adagio, Oboe concerto in D minor

There are certain species of African ants that eat the insides out of wooden furniture.

The chairs and tables look alright, but the termites have done their worst,

causing them to burst apart when anything is placed on them.

Many lives appear strong, and even stately on the outside,

yet are eaten alive on the inside by pride.

Since the attributes You most prize arise more from our character than our gifting: forgive us those many things we do that grate like a rusty gate.

Shift our focus from being too narrowly inward, lest our unseen faults and thoughtlessness mar our days and prove a snare to many others,

without our even being aware.

Catch us these boring ants, and make our character more authentically sound – especially for those of us who easily get cross.

Subdued by stress or chronic complaint, or inflated by too high an opinion of ourselves we end up sounding increasingly doleful and run the risk of robbing our soul of brave and cheerful words.

Lord, let me be a lifeline to those who are caught in swirling floods.

Jog my spirit to bring these ones to mind, and then to serve as a lifeguard

to buoy them up in prayer.

Lord, direct my eyes to particular people, books or thing You wish to emphasize.

Let Your arresting power lead me to discover what it is You have in store.

You only give us nudges when something matters enough to You;

but You rarely fail to prompt us when something significant is looming.

Since the spiritual world is entirely real, and the battles hugely intense,

keep us mentally alert and fighting fit, to arise as soldiers in your army,

as well as worshippers before Your throne.

Prayer for the Land

To the beautiful strains of Dvorak's music, join in this heart cry to the Lord that is drawn from the words of Jeremiah to pray for the land - which can be whichever land you feel led to focus on.

My grief is beyond healing.

My heart is broken.

Listen to the weeping of My people.

It can be heard all across the land.

Has the Lord abandoned Jerusalem?

Is her King no longer there?

“Oh why have they angered me with their carved idols and worthless gods,” asks the Lord.

I weep for the hurt of people.

I am stunned and silent, mute with grief.

Is there no medicine in Gilead.

Is there no physician there?

Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people.

Oh that my eyes were a fountain of tears.

I would weep day and night for my people who have been slaughtered.

Therefore the Lord says,

“See I will melt them in a crucible and test them like metal.

What else can I do with them?

Who is wise enough to understand all this?

Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it to others?

Why has the land been ruined so that no one even dares to travel through it?”

The Lord replies, “This has happened because my people have abandoned the instructions I gave them.

They have refused to obey me.

They have stubbornly followed their own desires.

So now listen to what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says.

I will feed them with bitterness and give them poison to drink.

Let not the wise man gloat in his wisdom, or the mighty man in his might or the rich man in his riches.

Let them boast in this alone –

that they truly know me,

and understand that I am the Lord who is just and righteous,

whose love is unfailing and that I delight in theses things.

I the Lord have spoken.”

Lord, You search all hearts and examine secret motives.

You give people their due rewards according to what their actions deserve. We know that our heart is utterly self-deceitful and desperately wicked. Forgive us Lord.

We worship at your eternal high and glorious throne.

Oh Lord, the Hope of Israel – all who turn away from you will be disgraced and shamed for they have forsaken the Lord, the Fountain of Living Water. You alone can heal me.

You alone can save.

My praises are for you alone.

Then the Lord touched my mouth and said,

“See I have put my words in your mouth.”

Peace, be still .

Words and music by Carol Sampson.

Darkness falls across the sky as the day begiins to fade.

Jesus wants us to cross over to the other side -

so we all get into the boat thinking it's gonna be alright.

We see our master resting in the stillness of the night.

But something stirs the peaceful scene so very unexpectedly.

The lashing wind a mighty gale.

We're so afraid, our hearts they fail.

So we cry out 'oh Master don't You care that we're gonna drown. Can't You do something to save us - 'cos this ship is going down?'

'Peace be still,' Jesus cries and the storm quickly subsides.

'Oh you of little faith, why do you fear?

You ought to know by now I'm always here when you need me.

Peace, be still. When the storms of life surround - peace be still.'

Still today, just like them, fear grips the heart of men.

Because in our boats so tossed and torn, we find it hard to bear the storm

so we cry out in desperation 'God where can You be?'

If we take the time to listen He'll whisper quietly,

'Peace be still.' Hear Him cry.

And your storm will quickly subside.

'Oh you of little faith, why do you fear?

You ought to know by now that I'll be here when you need Me.

Peace be still.

When the storms of life surround, peace be still.'

Gethsemane

Music by Linda Louisa

From time to time some of us go through Gethsemane experiences, not to substitute for Christ’s original sacrifice, but somehow to extend its scope in every generation. Such experiences not only make us eager to get to Heaven: they prepare us to meet Him there.

Lord Jesus,

although some might foolishly claim

that You only suffered pain and shame for a few short hours,

the truth is rather that from the moment Gabriel declared

that a sword would pierce Your mother’s heart,

Gethsemane’s haze overshadowed even the most carefree days.

So certain they were right,

the indignant Scribes and Pharisees

poured out their spite on those

who begged You to save their sight.

Quite failing to appreciate that You had come to set their captives free,

they sought to shun Your light.

Even so will those who live and move

in heavenly freedom be despised by some,

and loved by others,

for salt is both irritant and preservative.

Inspire in us such fulsome hope

that even when we are groping in the pain

of being the butt of those who mock

You keep our feet on the Rock.

For with You is not only fullness of joy

but also the ageless earnestness You displayed in the Garden of Gethsemane,

when the pressures all but overwhelmed Your defences,

and Your prayers drew blood to achieve the pardon for our offence.

Lord, since each one of us must choose

how we will respond

when the invitation comes to take our place in Your suffering bride,

grant that our hearts become stronger and not harder

through the things that we suffer –

even as heat softens wax and strengthens clay.

Since the darkness is to You as light,

give me grace to press on through the night,

for if I take the route of opting out,

I can never return.

But You are my Redeemer and my Intercessor,

who can renew hope and mercy a thousand times,

and so I choose life over death,

using even these great pressures to purify my desire –

for those who pay the price to endure

will reign with You in Paradise.

TIMES OF PRESSURE

When too many pressures come my way,

may my eyes not turn astray

to envy others for what they have that I do not,

for that would open the door for swift and silent adders

to inflame my heart with maddening desires.

Before I foolishly absorb such toxic venom,

I want to thank You for all You have given me –

and the continual freshness

of Your beautifully sculpted multi layered leadings.

Lord, since You are working out Your plans and purposes

with far more precision than might at first appear,

I will resist the temptation to cry out as Peter did,

“But Lord, what of him?”

for self pity is ever the gateway to inner disarray –

and of what use are comparisons

that make me feel smugly superior –

or hopelessly inferior?

So in Your name we pour this poison down the drain,

and bless the ones we are tempted to disdain.

Where my chosen path has reached an impasse,

with no room left to fulfil certain hopes,

let me not pout or doubt,

let alone whinge and whine,

for Your plans will never be entirely short-circuited

when we are absorbed in pursuing You.

If ever John on lonely Patmos felt inclined to envy Peter

for being long since restored to Heaven’s sweeter shores,

God knew that he was there to take possession of the Revelation

and to see the Redeemer with new eyes –

and we are where we are in order to receive

the fresh ignition of His specific commission;

for truly, the Judge of all the Earth does only what is right.

Carol Sampson wrote and sings this powerful and beautiful song, reassuring us that whatever outward trials and difficulties we are going through, God's everlasting arms are around and underneath us.

I don't know all the answers but I know that God is faithful.

I don't know all the answers but I know that He is true.

This trial that you're going through is tough and very scary.

But you will feel the arms of Love that hold on tight to you.

Yes you will.

yes you will.

I don't know all the answers but I know that we don't need to.

We've just got to trust that every word God says is true.

And battles leave us bruised - hope hangs like a thread....this dark night of your soul will see the sun rise once again.

Yes it will.

Yes it will.

Because underneath the Everlasting Arms are holding you.

They're carrying you.

Underneath the Everlasting Arms are keeping you from falling,

time and time again.

Underneath the Everlasting Arms - they're holding you and carrying your pain.

I don't know all the answers but I know that you're so loved.

A precious jewel, a treasure and the apple of God's eye.

I don't know all the answers but I know He holds you closely.

And whispers softly to your heart 'trust and do not fear,

do not fear,

do not fear.'

Because underneath the Everlasting Arms are holding you,

they're carrying you.

Underneath the Everlasting Arms are keeping you from falling

- time and time again.

Underneath the Everlasting Arms - they're holding you and carrying your pain.

yes, underneath the everlasting arms,

they're holding you and carrying your pain.

The Upside Down Kingdom

Music by Linda Louisa

So many of the best things God does turn worldly standards upside down:

The last shall be first, the weak strong, and the meek will inherit the earth. When everything feels strange, and makes no kind of sense, remember how the Lord has turned so many dilemmas around in the past. He delights in sending marvellous deliverances – even when He chooses to hide behind the event and remain anonymous.

Lord, there is much I do not understand right now,

but You who gave fins to fish

and wings to birds,

always have things in mind for me to do;

and even a mystery is only a mystery until revelation

makes it part of Your living history.

Since it is not so much rules that I must follow

as the willingness to seek and be surprised;

grant me the time and energy I need

to attend to such duties as You call me to –

and put certain other things aside.

My richest awareness of You catches me unawares,

but often disappears within the hour,

whereas some trials last for months if not for years.

What we so greatly fear,

and man declares impossible,

You delight to bring about,

with a twinkle in Your eye.

When great ordeals come our way,

grant us grace to round up praying friends,

for though You sometimes afflict with hand picked trials,

You always have some special end in sight;

and when Your threshing tool has performed its trail blazing track,

You return it to its rack.

Now that You have dried our eyes

and moved threatening clouds aside

it leaves room for Your Spirit to remove all limits –

for our light and momentary afflictions

are achieving an eternal weight of glory

that far outweighs all trials.

Jesus has completed all His Father sent Him to do;

He is risen indeed, in a love that knows no limits –

and so we must seek to both love and forgive.

Your desire for us to be one is as strong as it is lifelong;

and those who persist in pursuing unity will reign with You forever

in the glory You enjoyed from before the creation of the world.

Jesus, You laid down Your life for us,

and the time is near when You will send Your angels

to gather Your elect from the uttermost parts of the earth;

therefore we pledge not to shirk,

but to watch and work

until the times have reached their fulfilment,

and You bring all things together under one Head,

even Christ our King.

Music by Linda Louisa

It is tragic when believers view the world through a frame of their own making, rather than in the light of God’s self-revelation in His Word and through the ages. When John the Baptist sought reassurance that Jesus really was the Promised One, Jesus pointed him not to doctrines and dogma set in stone but to the living witness of His awesome power.

Forgive us, Lord, for all the ways in which we shrink You to fit our own small ideas. May our world view expand to embrace the reality of who You really are, and to proclaim the fulness of Your kingdom.

Lord, we are moving towards the place

where we worship before Your throne,

free from all the particles

that sully the flow of Your rainfall.

Drench and quench each one of us

in the unending stream of Your waterfall.

Let the water of life flow out to all we are concerned for,

Yes, let all who hear these words and music

moisten dry parched lips and quench their thirst in You

as they find and follow Your Spirit’s leading.

Sluice away the cloying dust and dirt

as You rain your living water on us, Lord;

clear refreshing liquid that

cascades and thunders through our lives.

Give us the courage to leap with You

outside our comfort zone,

beyond the edge of human reason

where faith and love hold sway.*

Let us be living stones,

emerging from the ocean depths,

once crushed and broken by the crashing waves and tides,

but now smoothed and sculpted,

honed in Heaven’s light

to become sparkling jewels within Your Kingdom.*

(*adapted from a poem by Nancy Brook)

Thank You that You have brought life and immortality to light through the gospel; (2 Tim. 1:10)

and just as You raised Jesus from the dead,

may You also raise my friends and neighbours with Him

and present them alive in Your presence.

May the veil that is over them be taken away. (2 Cor. 4:14)

Harness all the learning You would imbue our minds with,

express all the virtue You would weave in our soul.

Radiate Your presence to a people devoid of You;

for although their needs are often inconvenient,

You want us to be more lenient:

for people matter most of all to You.

Lord, one drop of Your inspiration

dispels the inner strife that is so rife.

We pray for that living water

to envision and empower all who proclaim Your name;

and, whatever may befall,

let us be carriers of Your Kingdom call

Lord, let good sense prevail

in the decisions that we face;

bucketfuls of common sense

when all around are feeling tense.

We ask for God-given sense

to prevail in matters still in great suspense.

In human terms they may appear too close to call:

but we plead with You to establish outcomes that bring glory to Your name.

May those afraid to enter the water,

turn at last to You

and reach their heart’s true centre:

the One who sees and hears their inner plea.

Since ingrained ingratitude makes us unclean,

may we never take our clean running water for granted,

at this time where death and disease lie hidden in the mud

when the great floods rush by.

Thank You Lord for its constant provision

when it is such a scant commodity in so many parts of the world.

Lord, the water You gave to be a blessing

has all too often become a means for repressing,

in both spiritual and political realms.

Overrule the pressures that are building;

guide and challenge those who control the water flow.

Raise up springs where none existed before;

Re-open wells where You are not worshipped any more

and be especially with those who walk enormous distances

hoping not to be turned away as hindrances;

Yes, overrule the pressures that are building;

guide and challenge those who control the water flow.

Benediction

Music by Linda Louisa

Lord, If there is any theme You would have us develop, any dream envelop;

if there is any person You would have us visit, or cup of suffering You would have us drain; any truth You wish to make explicit, any terrain claim by Your Spirit, then stretch out Your hand to achieve these holy purposes.

Lord, I place this trusted friend in the care of healing love.

I pray that You will lead him every minute of his day,

and as I carry him in my heart,

alert me when he stands in special need of grace,

so that he may make the most of every chance

that You direct His way.

Bless, cherish and embolden him

to be all that You can make him be.

And Lord, I place my precious friend

in the care of Love eternal.

Place her like a seal over my heart,

for love is as strong as death,

burning like a blazing fire

that many waters cannot quench.

Thank You for all the love she brings,

and all the things we do together;

all the service she performs for You.

Help me carry her in my heart,

and lift her daily before the throne of grace.

Bless, cherish and replenish her

to be all that she can be for You.

Let the peace of Your music

and the truth of your word

address the emptiness in people’s lives

Enfold in love the weighed down crowds

who know so little of Your saving touch.

Reach out to the overlooked ones

and replace dejection with entirely fresh new direction

as we commit them to Your threefold care.

Release the fullness of Your power and presence

in the spheres and regions we hold most dear:

each one of these villages, towns and cities,

and the professions that need the touch of Your refreshing.

Bless, too, this place:

and let each room become the place

of Your embrace:

a firebase that inspires many

to draw near to Your courts.

Let Your special blessing

rest on each person who has heard these words and music.

Let them bear much fruit

as they receive afresh the Spirit of prayer

and come up higher to see what must soon take place

Now may God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.

May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.