Heavenly Father I praise You for the 9 years now that I have been praying scripture prayers over pastors, families, churches, the sick, the dying, the lost and friends. I praise You for the gift to listen to Your Holy Spirit and pray through my written words so that I honor You, whether others join me or not. I praise You for all the faithful people who have prayed alongside me with a uniting voice in prayer seeking You above all other things. Holy Spirit I praise You for inspiring the people who would put to pen what is now our Bible. I am grateful to claim that my God is big enough and powerful enough to make sure that the words written are from Him and for us, so that we can know him, see examples and read testimonies of those before us who followed him. I praise You that You are not a God that hides truth but leaves it out in the open so we can see the failures as well as the successes.
Holy Spirit You inspired Paul to write a letter to the Corinthians and in this letter he wrote, “There are various gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. There are various operations, but it is the same God who operates all of them in all people. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone for the common good.” [1Cor. 12:4-7] I feel these words apply to people but also to churches. There are many churches in our country who serve many people and all fall under Your umbrella.
Holy Spirit we continue to lift up to You, Sherwood Free Methodist, Roswell Church of God, Vassar Victory Center Church, Millington Nazarene, Radiant Church, Valley Creek Church, Edgett’s Wesleyan church, Radical Impact Ministries, Big Rapids Salvation Army Corps, Lenoir City First Church of the Nazarene, Fairfax Church of Christ, Calvary Free Methodist Haitian Church, Trinity Fellowship of Big Rapids and Newaygo, Light and Life Free Methodist in Lakeland, Florida, Compassionate Life, El Shaddi the Orphanage and the Church there in Eswatini. Holy Spirit we ask that You would bless the ministries connected to these churches such as West Michigan Prayer Center in Kentwood, Homes for Hope, Celebrate Recovery, Set Free Movement, Covenant Hearts, Prime Timers, Foster Closet, Youth for Christ in Millington and the Thumb Region, Inner Varsity at Michigan Technological University, Haitian Mission Fund, Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Alma College, Parker Street Ministries, the Iris Centers in Africa and Asia, Family Life Ministries through Cru based in Orlando, Florida, Braking Cycles in Oregon and Valley Creek in North Texas. For the Youth for Christ in Alma and Mt. Pleasant. Help these various churches and ministries continue to have impact on communities all over the world and be a blessing as they continue to build Your kingdom. Help me and the people who choose to pray with me to always keep all these ministries as a central focus of our prayers. Holy Spirit Remember the all the Free Methodist Churches in the East Michigan Conference. Help Superintendent Brad Button as he leads them, give them a vision they all can get behind and help each church to be a beacon to its community and a house of prayer.
I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times. I long to impart on you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. For in the gospel righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith. Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore, I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. [Romans 1:8-17; Romans 16:17-20] church