Summer 2015 Pray Continually

Summer 2015

Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Over the summer we will focus both on some of the many activities and programs the church uses to reach and serve our local community and further afield – our corporate mission. And also on our everyday front lines of life at home, work and leisure.  

A key, over-arching prayer could be:

‘What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.  I know your deeds.  See I have set before you an open door that no one can shut.’  (Revelation 3:7-8)

Church wide FAST & FEAST DAY on September 3rd.  Fast during the day and join together from 7.30 at Beacon International Centre to feast and praise together.

Prayer Suggestions:

1: As churches gather together pray that in everything Jesus might be heralded as good and great, as he truly is.  And we might be equipped and motivated to serve others for Jesus’ honour.  ‘For what we preach is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as servants for Jesus’ sake.’  (1 Corinthians 4:5)

2: Pray for how we operate our mid-week cafe and conferencing, serving the Technology Park.  We seek to be an ‘above expected experience’ giving people a taste of what Jesus is like over their lunch time.  ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good…’ (Psalm 34:8)

3: Pray for your 'frontline' of life - your workplace, friendship groups, family and home.  Pray ‘that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God.’  (Philippians 1:9-11)

4: Pray for our Tuesday Group parent-toddler group serving the community and building relationships to explain Jesus through.   Pray for the children young people in our church and engaged through all our midweek activities and programs.  ‘And Jesus took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.’ (Mark 10:16)

5: Pray for the big new development of Marston Grange, slightly further along the Beaconside Road and our responsibility to serve and reach that community for Jesus.  ‘It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known…’  (Romans 15:20)

6: Pray for our Sunday morning gathering at 10.30 – for the worship, teaching and friendships to show what Jesus is like clearly, courageously and compassionately.  ‘And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another…’ (Hebrews 10:24-25)

7: Pray for our deacons & elders who lead the church.  ‘Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.  Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honourably in every way.’  (Hebrews 13:17-18)

8: As churches gather together pray that we might ‘renounce secret and shameful ways…not use deception, nor distort the word of God’ but we might ‘set forth the truth plainly.’  (1Corinthians 4:1-2)

9: Pray for the Beacon Friendship Group, working with older and retired people. ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Romans 10:13)

10: Pray for our local Staffordshire University campus, not least the challenges of the site being relocated to Stoke.  Pray for staff and students.

11: Pray for the Chaplaincy we are able to formally offer to the University, Police HQ and MOD Stafford.

12: Pray for growing courage and readiness to risk for Jesus as reflected in our value of being ‘courageous in mission’.  ‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’  (Mathew 28:19)  What would be a courageous step for you?

13: Pray for a growing effectiveness to reach the men of Stafford so that ‘men everywhere would pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.’  (1Timothy 2:8)  Pray that the women of Stafford would be effectively reached, living as ‘women who profess to worship God.’  (1Timothy 2:10)

14: Think of three people who you know who don't yet know Jesus - pray that ‘God, who said ‘Let light shine out of darkness would make his light shine in their hearts to give them the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.’  (2 Corinthians 4:6)

15: As churches gather together pray ‘God, who said ‘let light shine into darkness’…shine in our hearts to gives us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Christ.’ (1Corinthians 4:6)

16: List ten things you are thankful for - thank God for them.  ‘But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’  (1 Corinthians 15:57 – it’s about the resurrection, so don’t forget to thank God for Jesus!)

17: Pray for the significant military expansion we are right at the heart of.  Pray ‘that God may open a door for our message, so we may proclaim the mystery of Christ…’ (Colossians 3:3)

18: Pray for a growing readiness to love everyone and help all people find God as their Father, Jesus as their Lord, and the church as their family.  Our value of ‘loving people’.  ‘I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.’ (Ephesians 1:17)  Think of groups so often excluded or forgotten in our society and pray for them.  Pray for the great work of House of Bread.

19: List ten things you are thankful for - thank God for them.  ‘Cry out, ‘Save us, God our Saviour…that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.’  (1 Chronicles 16:35)

20: Pray for the Beacon Strategy Group of leaders who are responsible for helping us be good stewards of our Beacon building.  Pray they may ‘do it diligently.’  (Romans 12:8)

21: Pray for our Chinese Church congregation meeting each Thursday evening at the Beacon. Pray using this description of a church gathering: ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you are called to peace.  And be thankful.  Let the message of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom…’  (Colossians 3:15-16)

22: As churches gather together pray ‘May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else…’  (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

23: Pray for national and local leaders.  Remembering ‘In the Lord’s hands the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels towards all who please him.’ (Proverbs 21:1)

24: Pray for our pre-school that runs throughout the week at Sandon Road.  For children (44 attend), staff (8 plus some volunteers & trainees), and parents.  Pray as it expands its provision to a full 30 hour a week capacity.

25: Pray for Smile orphanage in Nepal and the Anusuran Centre in India, both of whom we support.  ‘Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…’ (James 1:27)

26: Pray for Mid-Week Connect, meeting most Wednesday lunchtimes and serving the Technology Park.  ‘I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.’ (Ephesians 3:16-19)

27: Pray for our growing staff team, and especially for those at the Beacon Int Centre and pre-school we are able to provide a first experience of paid employment or facilitate them in beginning to gain confidence in new careers.

28: Pray for Brigades & the Brigade Band meeting Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at Sandon Road.  For leaders, young people and parents.

29: As churches gather together pray, ‘continually asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing good fruit in every good work…’ (Colossians 1:10)

30: Pray for our finances as we seek to be good and wise stewards with the resources God has made us responsible for.