St John’s Prayer Guide : July 2008

download a pdf copy of this prayer guide

Pray in the church or wherever you can at 9am

Week 1 : Romans 6: 12 to end

30th   Do not let sin reign in your mortal body

Pray that God’s Holy Spirit will turn you away from all that is sinful.
Pray for those from St Johns going to Romania in the summer and for those they will be working with.

1st     but rather, offer your selves to God

Re-commit your life to God and to his service wherever he has placed you in your work, in your neighbourhood.
Pray for Cameo, meeting today.

2nd    you are not under law but under grace

Give thanks and praise for God’s grace in your life.
Recognise that you are under God’s rule, a generous and loving rule of grace.
Pray for all who live in our parish.
Pray for Little Angels.

3rd     you have been set free from sin

By turning to God and accepting the lordship of his son, Jesus, you have been set free.
Pray that you will become more like Jesus each day.
Pray for those who are slaves to addiction of any sort.

4th     the gift of God is eternal life

Spend some time just being in God’s presence.
No words, no prayers, let him speak to you.
You may like to share what he has said.
Pray for Café Church on Sunday, looking at science and Christianity.

Week 2 : Matthew 11: 25 - 30

7th       revealed [these things] to little children

Little children just are, they live in the present.
In this season of rest take the opportunity to be with God, in the present, not praying about the future.
Pray for schools and teachers as term draws to a close.

8th       Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.

Pray for those who you know who are burdened, worn out, troubled, struggling with life, that God will break into their lives.
Pray for TEAR Fund.

9th       Take my yoke upon you

A yoke spreads the load between the animals, which are working side by side.
Jesus offers to share our struggles and burdens; ask him to come alongside you and share your burdens.  

10th     you will find rest for your souls

We find it so difficult to set time aside to be with Jesus – take time now.

11th     My yoke is easy and my burden is light

Jesus does not ask us to take on more than he knows we can cope with.
The problem is that we take on too much – and squeeze him out.
What is he calling on you to set aside?
Pray for the Summer Ball, raising money for the Romania Mission Trip.

Week 3 : Romans 8: 1 – 11 and Matt 13: 1-9, 18-23

14th     no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

We pray for those who feel condemned, and those who are condemned, that they may find life and release in Christ.
We also pray for Matt Freer and CMS.
Pray for the PCC meeting this evening

15th     set … free from the law of sin and death

We pray for people stuck in cycles of destructive behaviour, especially those we know, that they may become liberated through Christ.
Pray for the Counselling Team and others in the church who listen and support.

16th     the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace

We pray for the good mental health of people in our society by the Holy Spirit, and we pray that God would minister to people with mental ill-health, and all those who care for them at home or in care.

17th     Some fell on rocky places

We pray for people whose faith has hit a hard patch, that God would soften the ground enough for growth, and provide help through other faithful people.
Pray also for gardeners and farmers in our area.

18th        Other seed fell among thorns

We pray for people worried about life and about money, that they may find the steadfast God giving them proper perspective to deal with their anxieties.

Week 4 : Matthew 13: 24 – 30, 36 – 43

21st     The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed

We pray for all who sow the good news of the gospel overseas, including the Browns in South America.
We pray for Fresh Encounter in September and the good news to be sown locally at work, school, home and leisure.

22nd    An enemy did this

We pray that we will recognise who are enemies and who are not, and that we become ‘shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves’ [Matt.10.16].
Pray for those going away on holiday over the summer, for rest, and for re-creation.

23rd     Let both grow together

We pray for our friends, neighbours and work colleagues, that we may flourish together and that God’s purposes would be achieved.

24th     his angels … will weed out … everything that causes sin

We give thanks that everything that causes sin will be weeded out, and pray that now we will face these causes of sin day by day with Christ Jesus.

25th     He who has ears, let him hear

We pray for ears to hear God’s voice, for ourselves, in the church and in the world.
Pray for those going out to Romania for God’s protection.
Pray also for those ministering at Hollesley Bay.

Week 5 : Romans 8: 26 - end

28th     The Spirit helps us in our weakness.

God’s Holy Spirit knows  our weaknesses – invite him to help you overcome them.
Pray for Just42 and the summer clubs they are running in the area.

29th     We know that in all things God works for the good…

We are called to have faith and realise that it is often in the difficult times that we grow spiritually.
Pray for any who are struggling that they will know God’s presence alongside them.

30th     Those he predestined…he called…he justified…he glorified

God has known us since before we were born (Psalm 139) and calls us to a glorious destiny, if we listen to his voice and follow his ways.!

31st     If God is for us who can be against us?

No-one. Give thanks for Jesus’ work of salvation on the cross.
Pray for those who are on holiday in the area.

1st August       Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

All the things which try to come between us and Jesus are beaten foes.
Pray for the services on Sunday at St Johns and Bredfield, for those who preach, lead or minister in any way.
Pray for the service by the river.

 

 

All Bible Quotations are taken from the NIV