Wednesday Prayer - November Lockdown

Over the past several months, we often met as a church community on a Wednesday to pray together. As meetups have started, and many of us are now meeting regularly to study Ephesians together, we are no longer meeting together as a church to pray. This doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop praying! So over here on the blog we’re starting a new series on Wednesdays, giving you a few ideas of what you could be praying for today and for the rest of this week.

Today we’re praying for…..

The Lockdown

I know! It’s an obvious choice, but it seems silly that something would be dominating our conversations with one another and yet not our conversations with God!

So let’s join together in prayer today, focusing on the next 4 weeks, and fixing our eyes on the one who will be unchanging through it all, and who has plans to continue to bless us and help us grow in our faith during this time.

Some key prayer points to help you are listed below.

1. Worship God! It is always crucial to begin times of prayer by reminding ourselves just who it is that we are coming to! We pray to a God who is mighty and more powerful than anything in the universe, he is our creator, our Father, our protector, our peace, our firm foundation. He is greatly to be praised! Before you start to present your requests to God, make sure you first and foremost give him the glory he is worthy of, and in the process stir your faith for what he might do over the coming weeks.

2. Pray for God to grow your personal faith during this time. Pray for the Holy Spirit to be at work in you, to help you establish disciplines of prayer and reading scripture over lockdown. Pray that God would continue to speak to you as you join us for our online services.

3. Pray for your fellow members of the Redeemer family. Pray that God would continue to sustain them during this difficult time. Pray especially for those who might be dealing with loneliness. Pray for opportunities to build community with others in the Redeemer family, be that through one on one outdoor exercise, or calling, texting and meeting together on Zoom. Pray that God continues to move powerfully in our midweek Ephesians meetups! Pray for protection for the vulnerable and healing and rapid recovery for those who contract the virus

4. Pray for those around you that don’t yet have a personal relationship with God. Pray that this time might stir them to ask questions and begin to seek God. Pray for opportunities for gospel conversations with your neighbours and colleagues over the coming weeks. We believe that Jesus will continue to build his church, regardless of the circumstance, so let’s be expecting him to include us in that process even during this time. Pray for healing for those who contract the virus, and for the NHS who are treating those who are critically ill.

There are of course many other things that we can be praying for over the next 4 weeks of lockdown, and I would encourage you to make prayer a priority in this time! I will leave you with a few verses which I feel are a great starting point for us all right now.

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:4-7

Wednesday Prayer - Peace

Over the past several months, we often met as a church community on a Wednesday to pray together. As meetups have started, and many of us are now meeting regularly to study Ephesians together, we are no longer meeting together as a church to pray. This doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop praying! So over here on the blog we’re starting a new series on Wednesdays, giving you a few ideas of what you could be praying for today and for the rest of this week.

Today we’re praying for…..

Peace

The last couple of Wednesday Prayer blogs have focused on a specific group of people, or area of church life. Today we are focusing on a broader concept, which though it may be more of an unorthodox focus for a blog like this, is still something which it is important to pray for.

I am sure it will not come as a surprise to hear that when we choose to follow Jesus, he gives us no guarantee that our lives will suddenly become easier! Even if you were thinking that going in, if you are someone who has been a follower of Jesus for any length of time, you will now have realised that it is not the case. Though Jesus does not promise us an easy life once we choose to follow him, he does promise that the way we deal with the situations of life will change.

He speaks to this directly in Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

That brings us to our topic of prayer for today, despite the fact that we may feel weary and burdened, we are called to come to Jesus, seeking peace. 


Below are some ways you can focus your prayers on peace today.

1. Pray for diplomatic peace, across the UK and the nations.
   We are in a time of global turmoil in many different ways, and this is putting pressure on political leaders and governments across the world. Please pray at this time for wisdom to prevail, for the Holy Spirit to be at work amongst our political leaders, and that we as the people of God might honour him in the way that we respond to the actions of politicians.
   

2. Pray for peace within our communities.
   London is a diverse city full of people of different nationalities, classes, and religions. These are some of the reasons it is such an incredible city in which to live, however in times of pressure these differences can result in tension within communities. Pray that during this time we would be ministers of peace in our local communities, and that those who live around us would take this opportunity to build bridges rather than walls, and embrace that which unites us rather than focus on what could divide us.

3. Pray for peace in our homes.
   As we experience tighter lockdown restrictions, we are spending more and more time at home, and therefore more and more time in close proximity with those we live with. However much we love spending time with those we love, we all know that concentrated time with others can lead to a less than peaceful environment! Pray for peace in your home, that the Holy Spirit would be present and obvious in the conversations we have and our interactions with one another, especially on the difficult days!

4. Pray for the peace of God to be present in YOU.
   For this final point, I’ll defer to the apostle Paul.

   Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
   Philippians 4:6-7

Amen.

Wednesday Prayer - The Church in the UK

Over the past several months, we often met as a church community on a Wednesday to pray together. As meetups have started, and many of us are now meeting regularly to study Ephesians together, we are no longer meeting together as a church to pray. This doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop praying! So over here on the blog we’re starting a new series on Wednesdays, giving you a few ideas of what you could be praying for today and for the rest of this week.

Today we’re praying for…..

The Church in the UK

At Redeemer we have been blessed in many ways over the past several months, especially in the way we have been able to continue gathering on a Sunday, at first online, and then over the past month in person. Though it has looked different to what we expected, 2020 has still been a year where church on Sunday has been a regular part of our lives.

But this is not the case for all churches in the UK. Whether it be lack of available technology, local lockdowns or unusable venues, many churches have struggled to continue meeting during 2020. So today we are encouraging you to pray for the church in the UK, see below for some suggestions on specific topics to pray for.

1. Pray for financial provision

2020 has been a year in which many people and businesses in the UK have struggled financially, and the church is not immune to this. As many churches depend almost entirely on the faithful giving of congregations whose personal finances had been hit by the pandemic, there have had to be difficult and painful financial decisions made across the country over the past several months. Please pray for miraculous provision for those churches who are struggling financially at this time, we know that God promises to build his church, so pray that churches will be able to trust that he will continue to do this even through tough times.

2. Pray for spiritual strength

Times are tough right now, in some areas times seem to be getting tougher rather than easier. In situations like this we are reminded how crucial it is that we don’t rely on our own strength to make it through, but that we seek God. As Psalm 46 says, he is our refuge and our strength! Pray for the church in the UK, that at this time we would know the truth of that verse more than ever, and that across this nation the church would be a place of strength, strength that comes from God.

3. Pray for renewed church community

During the past 6 months our worlds have got smaller. Less social interaction, the cancellation of large events, and significantly reduced ability to meet in each others homes have all contributed to a distinct lack of community. For many people, especially those in more isolated parts of the UK, the church is a key part of their community which they haven’t been able to enjoy the benefits of recently. As you pray for the church today pray for the community it brings, for opportunities to renew that sense of community again, whether it be in person or by taking advantage of technology. Pray for those in London and further afield who feel distant from what was once close knit church community, pray for boldness for them to step back into church community, and for a clear vision for the church community as we seek out those on the fringes and welcome them back into church family.

We believe in the power of prayer, and that God not only hears each and every one of us as we pray, but that he loves to be at work in our lives as a result of what we pray! So let’s pray together this week, and be expectant that things will change as a result!

Wednesday Prayer - A New Blog Series

Over the past several months, we often met as a church community on a Wednesday to pray together. As meetups have started, and many of us are now meeting regularly to study Ephesians together, we are no longer meeting together as a church to pray. This doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop praying! So over here on the blog we’re starting a new series on Wednesdays, giving you a few ideas of what you could be praying for today and for the rest of this week.

Today we’re praying for…..

Our neighbours!

The first few weeks and months after lockdown began back in March gave many of us more opportunity than ever before to connect with those closest to us geographically! Without the need to travel to work, or the ability to spend our free time further afield, we got to know our neighbours, whether that be through a community WhatsApp group, shopping for those who were isolating, or clapping together in the street on a Thursday evening. This was brilliant, but….

As lockdown went on, and more of us were able to travel further, see old friends again, and generally spend less time at home, we became less connected with our neighbours and our conversations and interaction became less frequent again.

As we enter into a time where lockdown measures may become more strict, there may be more opportunities to connect again in future, but we can be praying for our neighbours right now! Below are a few prayer points to help you out.

1. Pray for good health.

   Many of us will have neighbours who are vulnerable or elderly, and may already be shielding or self isolating in their homes. Pray for their continued protection from the virus, and for healing miracles to happen in their lives, be that a healing from covid-19, or another existing health issue. 

2. Pray for peace of mind.

   One of peoples biggest concerns about the recent pandemic is the unknown nature of the regulations. No-one quite knows what is going to happen and when. This creates pressure within families, in relationships, and gives rise to panic and insecurity. Pray for those who live around you, that they might receive peace in a stressful time, and that the Holy Spirit might be at work in them to reassure them and bring hope when fears about the future come to mind.

3. Pray for opportunities to witness!

   More than ever before, those around us are seeking answers, and though we may not know the answer to every practical question, we do know one who has the capability to fill every spiritual need! As our lives and the way we live our lives become more visible to our neighbours there is opportunity for us to display the peace, the hope, the reassurance about the future that comes from being a follower of Jesus, in the way we go about our daily lives. Why not be bold and pray today that you have an opportunity over the next few weeks to chat to a neighbour about your relationship with Jesus, and the way it helps you to deal with your current situation.

We believe in the power of prayer, and that God not only hears each and every one of us as we pray, but that he loves to be at work in our lives as a result of what we pray! So let’s pray together this week, and be expectant that things will change as a result!