Skip to main content

God gave them up! January 2014 Prayer Column

Image
By
Does God really ever give up on anyone? In one place in the Bible it says three times that he does (Romans 1:18ff). It’s to do with attitudes to truth. If we suppress what we know about God, i.e., deny his existence when the evidence of his creation is all around us, his wrath is revealed from heaven. Our proper role as created beings is to honour the Creator God thankfully, and if we refuse to do so then he gives us up to spiritual blindness of hearts and minds. And when we exchange the truth about God for a lie, and worship the things he has made rather than him as Creator: e.g., the cult of celebrity; outward beauty (primping parlours); star signs; consumerism – then God gives us up to inner debasement, and a dishonouring of self and others. Those who choose to turn away from God are allowed to do so. It may seem a fine step of independence, but it does us no good at all: folly, futility, impurity, baseness, a downward spiral deserving death. Without Jesus there would be no hope at all.

So for what shall we pray in 2014?
  1. That we honour God as God: creator of all that is, including us.
  2. That we recognise his truth, and uphold and honour it in our lives.
  3. That we follow Jesus as Saviour and Lord:
    1. In his calling and purpose, that we may get our focus right;
    2. In his light and active rightness, that we may live richly;
    3. Honouring others as he honours us, hard as we may find it;
    4. In short, praying to find his true life, that he won for us, when he died on the cross in our place, which is why he came at Christmas.
Roy Lorrain-Smith

A prayer for each week

More suicides on January 8th than any other day, as post-festivity credit card bills come in? Father God forgive us for what we have made of Christmas. Please show us how to share the true life of Jesus. Amen.

‘Every day we wake up to a world we did not make.’ Creator God, who still keeps hold of the world when it totters, help us to marvel at your handiwork, and worship you as Creator, through Jesus the Word. Amen.

‘...every prospect pleases, and only man is vile.’ Saviour Lord, who sent Jesus into the world to re-enlist us into your cadre of creation carers, help us honour you by keeping your charge in Team Earth-manager. Amen.

What are you doing in Bradford North, Lord, among your people in all this ethnic mix? Shepherd God, who knows the way and leads, through Jesus, help us follow faithfully and honour one another in the going. Amen.

Your own prayers

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

April 2014 Prayer Column

By
Prayer for Bradford City and Surrounds What are we all doing for our contribution for the p4b Lenten prayer, on your chosen day – Monday or Tuesday 14-15 th April ? Here are some ideas Get a picture of the place, or the bit that matters most to you: ·          Look at a map: see where you are, and your neighbouring areas ·          Collect some photos: places, faces, events, memories ·          Stand at a viewpoint over the area you want to focus on ·          Take a walk through the area, or a bus, or even drive Listen to what’s going on in the area: ·          Scan the T&A or freebie local paper, Look North, Calendar, radio ·          Listen to what they’re saying  at bus stops, shop queues, etc. ·  ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Trinity Methodist Watchnight Service

By
Trinity Methodist Church on Lilycroft Road, Bradford held their annual Watchnight service at 11.30 on New Year’s E ve, led by Rev. Albert Gayle, minister of the Church. These services (as in past years) are of an ecumenical nature and we are able to welcome folks from other local churches in the area and not purely from the Methodist persuasion. Following the service, fireworks and refreshments were enjoyed by all. A lovely way to celebrate both the end of the old and the beginning of the new year. Ian B Trinity 
Post a Comment
Read more

Virtual Worship - 13 February 2022

By
Welcome to worship with the Bradford North Methodist Circuit this morning. This service will be shared this morning by Rev Nick Blundell and the members and friends at Bolton Methodist Church. Service Sheet   (pdf) Call to worship We are blessed to be here today. We are blessed to be together today. We are blessed to be a family. We are blessed that God is with us. Let us enjoy God’s blessing as we worship today. Lord, thank you that we are blessed. Help us to recognise all that you have given to us. We pray that not only will we reflect on your blessings we will also seek to be a blessing to others, with your help and in your name. Amen. Hymn You might like to sing, or reflect on David J Evans’ hymn at Singing the Faith 20, Be still. for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here. Prayers Father, we worship and adore you for the light you bring to this dreary time of year, when we long for spring. Thank you for the blessing of every shoot and bud, the reminders of your...
Post a Comment
Read more