Displaying items by tag: Friday Focus

Prayer happens when we have a challenge we can’t meet by our own resources. As none of us has the resources to bring someone to faith in Jesus Christ, we have to ask the Holy Spirit for help. Thy Kingdom Come is an invitation to do just that - so that through our witness others can come to know Jesus Christ.

(written by the Thy Kingdom Come team)

We’re constantly witnessing to hundreds of things as important to us (iPhones, Ford cars, Levi’s, etc). How much more, though, do we witness to Jesus as the heart of all we are? The question isn’t ‘Shall we witness?’, but ‘are we going to be good witnesses?’. If Jesus rose from the dead, every part of our lives should be different!

(written by Barry Hill, Rector of Market Harborough)

How amazing that the Lord chose Mary, possibly as young as 14 or 15 years old, to be the mother of Jesus. God in fragile human form in the hands of a teenager! In turn, Jesus himself mentored young people as his disciples. Amazing! We also must raise up young people as leaders, empowering them to fulfil their purpose in Christ.

(Written by Phil Timson, HOPE Youth Director)

After Jesus’ ascension the apostles returned to Jerusalem to pray, and ten days later at Pentecost the Holy Spirit was released and the church was born. ‘Thy Kingdom Come 2017’ invites Christians to make a lasting difference in our nations and in our world by responding to Jesus’ call to find a deep unity of purpose in prayer.

(written by Jane Holloway, World Prayer Centre; Thy Kingdom Come)

God has given you and me the privilege and responsibility of blessing people, communities and land in the name of Jesus, not interceding (although we must do that as well) but speaking out directly. This is powerful when done as part of everyday life. Where this biblical practice is being recovered, salvation and community transformation are taking place.

(written by Roy Godwin, The Ffald-y-Brenin Trust)

Our workplaces provide a unique opportunity to build relationships with nonbelievers. Every day they see the difference our faith makes to how we work, the way we relate, our resilience under pressure, and our attitude to success or failure. We need God’s wisdom and timing to ‘talk Jesus’ to our colleagues. So, like Paul, let’s ask for both words and courage.

(written by Bev Shepherd, LICC PrayerWorks)

As Jesus died on the cross, the thirty-foot curtain in the temple, which separated the ordinary people from the very presence of God, was torn in two. It’s a beautiful picture of God the Father saying ‘the way to me is now open’. He is no longer residing in a stone temple but in our hearts if we invite him in.

(written by Andy Hawthorne, The Message Trust)

The Apostle Paul refers to himself and his brothers and sisters in Christ as ‘co-workers’ with God. If communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ is a task, the team to accomplish that task is the Church. If the team doesn’t pull together the job won’t get done. Pray for the Church across Britain, that we will work together with great effectiveness to complete the task of sharing Jesus with every man, woman and child in this land.

(Lyndall Bywater, Salvation Army)

Loving your neighbour begins with sacrificing time to pray for them. Bringing five neighbours before God regularly, praying for them to become Christians, will lead to people getting to know Jesus for themselves. Neighbourhood Prayer Network can testify that this has already happened on a number of streets across the UK. Will you join many others praying for their neighbours?

(Rebekah Brettle, Neighbourhood Prayer Network)

Are we prepared, alert and ready to talk about Jesus? Are we living in a way that stirs people to ask us for the reason for the hope that we have? Together as God’s people, today and every day, we have God-given opportunities to share our faith. How can we live intentionally to make the most of every opportunity? Lord, thank you that out of Your great love for us, You sent Your son, Jesus, who in turn sends us.

(Phil Timson, HOPE Youth Director)