BETHEL PRAY THE WEEK 21ST JUNE 2020 SUNDAY - 21ST JUNE
• Isaiah 3 & 4: “Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” We are very aware of that many within our church family at the moment feel physically, emotionally and spiritually tired. We can be overwhelmed with all the things we have going on in our lives, but let’s take a moment together to stop and remember our God. Our God who has upheld us since our birth, and promises to sustain and even rescue us. Let’s praise the Lord for all he has done in your own life but also think back of the years at Bethel and remember the moment he has rescued us, the moments He sustained, where He has abundantly blessed, where He has chosen to work through us and where He has worked in us. We serve an almighty God, a beautiful saviour and a wonderful saviour! Praise Him for who He is and all He has done.
• It is only right that on Father’s Day we remember a pray for the father’s in our Church. In today’s age we need men of God to rise up in this nation, we need men of God to be serving in the church. Pray specifically that:
o We may have more men finding and taking a stand for Christ.
o That the father’s and men in our church family, may understand and accept the responsibility for the development of their own mental, emotional, and spiritual capacity and may demonstrate this by their maturing attitude, and actions in their personal life, home life, work life, social life, and fore mostly their walk with Christ.
• Place for Bill Dyer who is a really poorly man and has been admitted to Wakefield hospital. Also remember his family in your prayers, particularly Christine, Bill’s wife. MONDAY - 22ND JUNE
• Please continue to pray for the ongoing ministry on the website.
o Each week we are putting up a video for both Drop in and Junior Church. Pray that the kids and parents will choose to watch the videos and God's word will go out with power.
o Pray for the sermons which are faithfully preached each week. We’ve noticed a drop in the amount of listens this has got over the last 6 weeks. Pray that we as the Lord’s people may be blessed for these messages and that those preaching may be encouraged by the Lord and that we may all be challenged.
o Pray for the devotions and sunday psalms on the website which continue to get read. Pray that the Holy Spirit may work in the heart of those who read them regularly.
• Praise God that Hollie has been having very real and great conversations with her mum, Tina! Please pray for all those in the Church who have family members and friends who do not yet know God personally, remembering particularly Hollie and Tina. Pray that Hollie may know when and what to say and that she may be blessed to be part of her mother coming to Christ, but most importantly that Tina eyes may be opened to see the risen Christ for who He truly is. TUESDAY - 23RD JUNE
• Remember again the work of Caring for Life. See the newsletter for an update and pray:
o That many more will know the Lord’s presence by their side.
o For those reading the Bible on their own at home or with help from their key worker over the phone.
o For the Group Bible studies that have started online every week. New people are wanting to join in! o Please continue to pray for those who are struggling with the extended lockdown. They are battling a number of issues at this time:
▪ Some have sadly had friends or family pass away; please pray for them in their grief.
▪ Please pray we will be able to support them and above all, bring the comfort that only God can bring.
▪ Please pray we will be able to help individuals access the practical help they need – one couple’s flat was flooded and it took a lot longer than normal to be fixed.
▪ Pray for peace and protection in stressful and abusive relationships.
▪ Please pray that the little films and activities we send will help lonely individuals feel connected and remembered.
• Pray for those who have supported the work on the farm in a leaders capacity. Give thanks for the much needed support and energy they have brought to the night. Praise the Lord that they are serving the Lord in this manner and pray that the Lord may continue to a work in their lifes:
o John and Dan Macloud
o Cem & Sami Benstead o Charlotte (Jemima’s sister)
o Also remember, Rory, who comes and prays in the dinning room while the event is on WEDNESDAY - 24TH JUNE
• Reconsider the word of Ron brought us on Sunday, considering Christ before...
o Christ before all I love
o Christ before or I am
o Christ before all I have.
▪ Pray through these as they specifically affect you individually, but also pray through the implications that this has on us as a Church.
• Let’s once again remember that who have health struggles presently, this is a full list, so feel free to add to it where situations are known to it:
o Bill Dyer
o Marcus & May
o Elizabeth Collard
o Paul Nel - Still undiagnosed respiratory condition, plus recently discovered a stage 2 High Blood Pressure, with further testing required on the liver. Much of this is believed to be weight related, so please pray for the discipline and self control to manage my eating habits and workload correctly. o Christine
• Pray for Chris who will be bringing us our sermon this weekend. THURSDAY - 25TH JUNE
• Let’s once again remember the persecuted church:
o Please pray for the family of 14-year-old Sombaru from India, who was taken from his home and killed for his faith earlier this month.
o In some rural parts of Colombia, indigenous ethnic leaders are blaming Christians for the coronavirus. Please pray for God's protection for believers who are thrown out of their communities.
o 81 people were killed by Boko Haram militants in an attack on a Nigerian village last week. Please pray for the grieving families, and that the attackers would be brought to justice.
o Eight Indian Christians have been acquitted of charges of forced conversion and abduction of 60 children. The six men and two women had been arrested in May 2017 while accompanying the children, who were mostly under the age of 14, by train to a Bible camp near Nagpur. The children were the children of Christian parents, but the charge of forced conversion to Christianity arose because their parents had not completed the necessary paperwork when they themselves had converted to Christianity and therefore their children were still officially Hindus. Praise God that justice was done in the end.
o We praise you, heavenly Father, for the courage and steadfastness of Christians in North Korea, standing firm in the faith despite the severe punishment it can bring on them and their loved ones if the authorities discover that they follow Your Son. Give them grace day by day, hour by hour, especially those who are right now in harsh labour camps, starved and tortured. We pray also for those who persecute them, that You will soften their hearts, cause them to question what motivates the endurance of those they are so cruelly ill-treating, and let them hear Your voice calling them. We ask in the Name of Jesus.
• Remember Prayer Meeting tonight on Zoom, 8pm. Feel free to join when you are able, you don’t have to join at 8pm on the dot, when you finished clapping, putting the kids down or finished your support simply click the link for the meeting is: https://zoom.us/j/351469040.
• Lets remember remember Raymond and Mildred in our prayers today. • Praise the Lord for the recent contact Lydia had with her daughter Phoebe. Pray that the Lord may be with Lydia in the situation, that she may be motivated to keep going and keep trusting in God. FRIDAY - 26TH JUNE
• Let’s also think outside of our present situation:
o Pray for our MP’s, particularly after the week that has been as we also pray through the decisions they have made:
▪ MPs have approved the no-fault divorce Bill for England and Wales.
▪ Westminster voting to force liberal abortion laws on Northern Ireland has been described as “one of the darkest days” in the Province’s history. Despite the Stormont Assembly previously rejecting the regulations, the House of Commons gave its final backing for the laws to be forced on Northern Ireland with a vote of 253 to 136. It effectively permits abortions to take place up to 24 weeks for any reason, and up to birth if the baby is deemed to have a severely life-limiting condition, or a ‘severe’ disability. ▪ The Government could be set to scrap plans to make it easier to change legal sex, it has been reported. The Sunday Times revealed that proposals to allow people to change their birth certificate without a medical diagnosis have been shelved. The newspaper also reported that the Government is preparing to announce a ban on ‘conversion therapy’.
o Continue to pray for Judge Julian B Knowles QC who is yet to make a ruling on the Cornerstone case.
• Remember the concert of prayer tomorrow, 10 - 11:30am. If you need login details please contact Ron.
• Pray for those who have ministered to us over recent weeks from our own family, Sam, Paul, Ron & Chris. Pray that the Lord may draw alongside them and encourage them in their own walk with the Lord, that they may not only be faithful to the Lord in the pulpit but in every aspect of their life. Importantly that they may find a peace in the Lord and His work. SATURDAY - 27TH JUNE
• Remember the wider church, particularly this week the Keswick Convention as this year they are running it virtually. Discover more at https://vkc.keswickministries.org/. Pray that this may be a blessed time for all those who are able to attend online. That the as the tackle the topic of Hope, that Jesus Christ may be central to all that is done and God is honoured and glorified. Also praise the Lord that we still have the blessing of such events in our country!
• Focus a bit on our own Church. For many in the church they may feel they are in the twilight of their years. Pray that:
o the verses in 2 Timothy may be a great encouragement and be true of them to…”I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
o That they may not be complacent in their walk with the Lord but that HE may be new every morning. "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23.
o That they may remember where we started the week…”Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
o That those younger in the church may take the opportunity to learn and gain wisdom of those within the church who have walked faithfully with the Lord for many years. As the weeks draws to a close I hope we can all sing and pray: Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine O what a foretaste of glory divine Heir of salvation, purchase of God Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood Perfect submission, all is at rest I in my Savior am happy and blessed Watching and waiting, looking above Filled with His goodness, lost in His love This is my story, this is my song Praising my Savior all the day long This is my story, this is my song Praising my Savior all the day long Oh what a Savior, wonderful Jesus Death could not hold You, You are victorious Praise to the risen King Death could not hold You, You are victorious Praise to the risen King Oh what a Savior, wonderful Jesus Oh what a Savior Wonderful Savior