Partakers Christian Podcasts

Friday Prayers

Partakers Friday Prayers!

16th November 2012

We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together! Today we are praying an ancient prayer of Julian of Norwich... On the MP3 audio download, before the prayer, there is a short biography and a thought from her, about prayer and praying.Our pray-er today is Sammy...

A prayer of Julian of Norwich

In you, Father Almighty,

we have our preservation and our bliss.

In you, Christ,

we have our restoring and our saving.

You are our brother, and Saviour.

~

In you, our Lord the Holy Spirit,

is marvellous and plenteous grace.

You are our clothing;

for love you wrap us and embrace us./span>

You are our maker, our lover, our keeper.

~

Teach us to believe that by your grace

all shall be well, and all shall be well,

and all manner of things shall be well.

~

O God, of your goodness,

give us yourself,

for only in you do we have all.

Amen

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Think Spot

Think Spot 12th November 2012

Moving Home and choosing a new church ?

We will assume you have already prayed about the matter when you knew you were moving to a new location. If you had the choice of where to live then you would have prayed and then looked at the area noting where different churches were situated, Is that right? Maybe your prayer would have been along the lines of “Lord, where do you want my family and I both to live and worship? I personally want to serve you in a church where I can just sit back and listen to nice comfortable sermons that do not make me think too much where I have to change my life style. Somewhere, where the seats are comfortable, the people friendly, and where not too many questions asked as to what my past life has been like. Somewhere pleasant to go to from time to time.” Well I certainly do not hope you prayed in that way. The truth is new, genuine Christian people will be looking for a church where they can be assured Jesus Christ is central in the church ministry. A keen Christian, which I hope you are, will be wanting to attend a church where Jesus Christ is right in the centre of the church's teaching and (1) where a real sense of God's presence is surely sensed whenever a meeting is about to take place and this is confirmed to you as the service continues. (2) It will be a fellowship of God's believers where the ministry of God's Word is taught accurately, in language you can understand and where it is applied unreservedly, honestly and with understanding. (3)It will be a place where those who minister are competent. God called teachers. These men of God will not take God's Word lightly and certainly they are not full of jokes that have no relevance to the preached Word. These men will realise they are standing in God's holy place as they stand to preach. They preach “Thus says the Lord” Nothing flippant at all entering their vocabulary. (4)They will be fully aware of their responsibility of revealing to the people what they themselves have learned in the secret place as they have prayed over and painstakingly searching God's Word diligently for the richest of food for God's people. (5)They will be aware of the need to bring milk for the new believer as well as meat for the more mature from God's Word so that all who will attend will be catered for. New people will need to be sure they will be well fed regularly from God's Precious Word! In the scriptures we read of those who looked up and were not fed. That would be a travesty especially for those who have come a distance, or are weighed down with troubles at home or at work and need an uplift for the downcast or an encouragement into some new venture God has already planned for them. They will need the assurance of God's Word required for guidance into that new project. Yes, may well say “that's a tall order, isnt it?” You will see now that there is a tremendous responsibility upon the preacher and the church to fill the pulpit with such ministry where the people look up and are fed adequately, according to their various needs. Testimonies are fine especially at baptisms but they must never replace the preached Word. The new person to the church will be looking at its worship. Is its content doctrinally sound and words easy to see and sing? Is the focus centred on the music alone or the words also? All words of spiritual songs should be centred on God's precious powerful Word with Christ at the centre. Again may I be permitted to say that although many modern songs today are centred on God's Word they need to cover more than expressing the love of God. That is very important but what about God's holiness, His majesty and power, His mercy and judgement, His guidance and compassion etc. It is also a danger for songs to focus on man and man's love for God rather than God and His love for His people. God's power available towards man! God's wisdom! God’s power and strength! God's perfect peace! Glory to God means just that. “To God be the glory great, great things... HE HAS DONE!” We are to expect new people to be looking for such worship and so they should find it. The new person to a church will be looking for good fellowship! When they arrive they receive a warm friendly welcome. They could be shown to a seat also if possible. Following the meeting, over refreshments, is a further chance for them to be introduced to other different members of the church, being made aware they are there for the first or second time. It means such a lot to a newcomer to be thus welcomed. New families need to be easily directed also to the Sunday School and youth departments as well. Christianity is to be practised as well as believed. If they are interested in Home Groups at least by the second visit they should be made aware of a Group suitable and near as possible to their own new home. These are evidences then of a truly live evangelical church which should be in place. They have moved to one new home now they need a good spiritual home. Take your time looking and praying regarding both your home and new spiritual home. Prayer is of ultra importance for you but also make sure it is a church given to prayer about everything. You will experience Bible study and Prayer meetings and will be requested to help in Outreach. These are hallmarks of a lively evangelical church. Be prepared to be an active Christian in your new spiritual fellowship. Some while ago when I was looking for a church at one time I spent the best part of a year making sure it was the right one. It is so important to know you are where God wants you to be and to worship and serve Him. So pray continually and pray expectantly and don't forget to glorify and thank Him when you find your new spiritual home. Have your friends pray for you to that end. May God richly bless you, your family and the new church family where you settle.

Joys Prayer

Gracious God and loving heavenly Father, Please help people seeking for God as well as our brothers and sisters in Christ, to find their true spiritual home where their families , each member in particular, can find the church where they can settle down, to enjoy its church programmes activities. A place where they are all sensing that they are seen to be real assets to their new church through God's wonderful grace. Each church is like a jig saw with some pieces already in place but with enough spaces for those God wants to join where they will work together to complete the local body with its activities towards others in the fellowship as well as in the surrounding neighbourhood of the church. Please give clarity of the understanding of your will, in Jesus name! Amen.

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Friday Prayers

Partakers Friday Prayers!

9th November 2012

We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together! Today we are praying for all those grieving, regardless of the reason. Come! Let us pray for those in mourning...There is also space in the video for you to say your own prayers...

A prayer for those grieving

Father God,

be the strength for all those

who are grieving and mourning

the loss of loved ones.

~

Father God,

we pray that those in despair

will be helped and

where there is darkness

there will be light.

~

Amen

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Think Spot

Think Spot 5th November 2012

“For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1: 21)

“What do you mean we must be born again? Isn't this a Christian country?” These two questions plus a tug on my arm as I walked down the centre aisle after the mid week service were put to me by a lady who had been going to our mission church for a long while but never normally said too much. Mrs D had been diagnosed with cancer and was on a tablet system to hold back the cancer from spreading. The problem was that when she arrived in church on a Sunday or Tuesday evening she usually fell asleep especially during Bible teaching time. (The tablets had that effect on her.) This particular night she had looked sleepy on arrival but as i continued in my studies through the book of john. we had arrived at john3:3, a very important verse -“You must be born again, except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Jesus words were being addressed to a religious leader named Nicodemus. I had explained that just because you hold a high position in a church doesn’t mean you are a christian. Anyone, everyone must be born again to get into heaven. Everyone needs a supernatural work done in them by TheHoly Spirit to bring them to the new spiritual birth. Mrs D was angry as she said “Surely this is a Christian country isn't it? I sent up an arrow prayer quickly and then said calmly ”Mrs D what do you think?” She surprised me by saying' Well with all the horrible things going on here I suppose it isnt and Mr Allis please help me I want to become one. I was only too pleased to advise her as to the next step. “Mrs D, I will visit you in your home.“ Shortly after this her daughter rang me and told me her mum had been rushed into hospital and would have to have an operation. Whether she would pull through the operation or not was not certain. The next time I visited the hospital Mrs D had been operated on and was lying there unconscious. I approached the bed and prayed for her knowing she could hear me but could not respond. That was the last time I saw her alive. She died peacefully safe in the arms of Jesus. For her only a short life as a born again Christian on earth but now for her to die was gain. Death is but a doorway into a life eternal of bliss. The psalmist wrote “In your presence is fullness of joy and at your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Paul imprisoned under house arrest was chained to a guard. before he was sent for trial and ultimately died as a martyr he said while chained to a guard. “for me to live is christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1: 21. Paul had no doubt about his future eternal existence which he looked forward to so much. He loved serving his Lord on earth but if he were to die whether by force or old age he knew that through His Saviour he had the promise of eternal life. Do you have that same confidence as Mrs D and Paul the apostle? It is important that you can answer that question in the affirmative.

Joys Prayer

When we consider martyrs who have died for their faith they have marched towards the stake singing hymns of triumph and glory seeing only Jesus in their vision. We are sure Lord that Jesus draws near to the dying saint to encourage and make us ready for the big day. Amen

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Friday Prayers

Partakers Friday Prayers!

1st November 2012

We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together! Today we are praying for all those grieving, regardless of the reason. Grieving due to the destruction of life caused by Hurricane Sandy in the Caribbean and USA... Grieving because of personal loss of loved ones... Grieving for any reason... Come! Let us pray for those in mourning...There is also space in the video for you to say your own prayers...

A prayer for those grieving

Father God,

be the strength for all those

who are grieving and mourning

the loss of loved ones.

~

Father God,

we pray that those in despair

will be helped and

where there is darkness

there will be light.

~

Amen

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Think Spot

Think Spot 29th October 2012

“From the time the traffic lights took to change, God changed me forever”

As I entered the room at the invitation of a young couple eager to share their new faith with their close friends I was confident through God this would be a night to remember. I had that wonderful assurance that He was going to move in saving power that night as I explained the commandments one by one. Very quickly she made up her mind to repent and asked me how she could become a Christian. I spoke of the cross and its significance. How Jesus had kept the commandments and how he could remove our breaking of the law having suffered our consequences and forgiving us in the process. Also I explained about Him giving to us His robe of righteousness to wear as a gift when we stand before His Father. She knelt in submission and deep repentance and through faith received the joy of the Lord into her life. I looked towards her husband and he looked at me and said “That's not for me.” Strange as it may seem I knew this would happen so I said quietly to him. “I know you are not ready for this yet but it will happen soon.” I think to myself that maybe when he approaches any traffic lights now that are red if his mind does not go back to that eventful day when God spoke and he responded, “Now is the day of salvation if any man hear his voice and respond he will be saved” (2 Corinthians 6:2) Remember today is the day of salvation another day may not come like this one. Pharaoh, hardening his heart, thought he could keep putting the day off and kept changing his mind. Eventually the day came when he presumptuously thought he would come off best yet again but instead God hardened his heart and his opportunity was gone forever. When God sent the mighty wind to drive back the waters of the red sea to allow Israel to cross safely onto safe land he pursued as ever thinking “I am in charge here”. What happened? God caused the winds to change direction and as far as puny man was concerned “One puff was enough” and Pharaoh was finished forever. Joys Prayer You are the Almighty God who cannot be contained in anything or in any given place for You are far above all and have all power, all knowledge, you see everything and everybody. You truly are an awesome God, yet you think about us. You created us for your glory and although we have all strayed from your chosen pathway for us. Help us to recognise the moment when you are confronting us and drawing us by your love to respond and to see clearly the relationship you desire for us to have with yourself. That we are incomplete and unfulfilled apart from You. To say “NO LONGER” to the sin that draws us away from you such as the pride and stubbornness of Pharaoh. You have said “Humble yourself and in due season you will be exalted” May it be so for your name sake… Amen

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Glimpses 55

Glimpses 55 -

Life from the Faroe Islands

This is the story of Life, from the Faroe Islands sharing about her encounter with Jesus, how he saved her physically and spiritually and what she wants to do with the rest of her life after graduating from University - fighting injustice.

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Think Spot

Think Spot 22nd October 2012

Immediate Action required

David's words in Psalms 51 & 32( verse 4 especially) very clearly reveals to us the state or condition of his sinful heart as he goes into graphic details regarding his extreme pain and suffering he went through following his adultery with Bathsheba and making her pregnant. In addition, his evil plan to get Uriah her husband to come home on leave and arrange for him to spend time with his wife to make it appear he had made his own wife pregnant. (2 Samuel 11) When he couldn’t get Uriah to lie with his wife he then added to his wickedness devising a plan whereby Uriah would be placed in the hottest place in the next battle so he could easily be shot at and killed by Israel's enemies. Then he would have it said Uriah was the father of the child to be born to Bathsheba his wife. That was David's plan but he had reckoned without God. One year later God sent Nathan the prophet to convict him of his grievous sin with Bathsheba as well as against her husband Uriah. Nathan told David “God's eyes have seen your wickedness in murdering Uriah one of your soldiers making an evil plan to have him placed in the firing line of the enemy with the objective of him dying and then stealing Bathsheba to be your own wife and making her pregnant. You have forgotten God's omniscience in all you have said and done.” You and your family will suffer over this but you will be forgiven “ Nathan the prophet had come to David and David's sin's were laid out before him and he becomes convicted over his sin and is prepared to repent after a year of agony being under conviction. The psalms are graphic and explain the pain and suffering his soul goes through until he admitted his crimes before God and repentance takes place. The details in Psalm 32 and psalm 51 of David crying out to God and seeking forgiveness are frighteningly real and graphic and deserved hell. However he was promised forgiveness but there would be sad consequences which follow such sins. He had suffered for 365 days and nights of being bereft of Gods blessed presence , unable to sleep, but did not seek forgiveness at any stage during that year. Instead he suffered a grieving and angry God as he said “I felt His heavy hand upon me............day and night I was wasting away until I confessed my sins and you forgave me and the joy of your salvation was restored to me!” No doubt some nerves and remembrances in your own life have been touched of things we all have done and deeply regret and maybe also there have been consequences we have had to face up to. However we acknowledge it was our own fault and we cannot blame God. Others may have been involved with the error of our ways but it is so important for you to come clean and not try to hide your sins as David had attempted to do for such a long period. If you have been hiding sin remember the eyes of God are everywhere and He sees all. You cannot hide anything from God as Adam and Eve attempted to do . Loose words spoken are careless and can cause so much harm even before any wrong action takes place. Guard your mouth, your eyes, your ears and your feet from going where you should not tread. The same question may be applied to you today as Adam and Eve had to face. God after their disobedience. The Lord called to Adam “Where are you ?” Not, where are you hiding but Where are you spiritually with me? Why have you departed from our close fellowship we enjoyed when I came down and met with you each evening? “ Repentance is neither optional or easy but an essential action we must take. We live perilously until we do. The best and only way to a restored relationship is heart repentance with God. Immediate action must be taken! You will like David suffer indescribably soul discomfort if you continue in your sin until you turn back to God. Remember, God's pressure on you is in love He wants you restored. He is only a prayer away but it must be real, genuine and from the heart and mind repentance with a view to stay away from that temptation once and for all. . You cannot fool God and I can assure you that you will not sense that rest in God until you do it honestly. I speak with others from sad experience but I can tell you the relief that comes to you and the joy in restored service to God is far beyond describing. Oh what a wonderful understanding God we worship and adore, praise His wonderful name and the joy in knowing Him. Remember Immediate action must be taken!!

Joys Prayer.

Gracious God and loving heavenly Father, we all have sinned and come far far short of the glory of God but we are aware that sin separates us from the love of God and the beautiful fellowship we can enjoy with you when we walk in obedience to your will for our day to day lives. Wr pray for all who are walking in darkness and havn't seen the light of God in the face of Jesus Christ that they may see and believe. Also we pray for backsliding believers that they will see the foolishness in recognising your heavy hand upon them and not relenting. Lord break them down and bring them to that place of humility and repentance that they may enjoy one more that sweet communion with you Lord. In Jesus name, Amen

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Friday Prayers

Partakers Friday Prayers!

19th October 2012

We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together!

A prayer of Aethelwold of Winchester (908-984AD)

May God the Father bless us!

May Christ take care of us;

May the Holy Ghost enlighten us all the days of our life!

The Lord be our defender and keeper of body and soul,

both now and for ever, to the ages of ages.

Amen

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Think Spot

Think Spot 15th October 2012

"You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart" Jeremiah 29:13 Recently in our local church we discussed the subject of Commitment. It was interesting to note as people spoke what their idea of commitment was and the various hindrances to such an ideal relationship with God. Even more recently I was listening to a series on the Law of God and its place in our lives. I was pleasantly surprised to hear a seasoned pastor give his thoughts on what the law should mean to the christian today under grace. He said “we should not shrink away from the law saying Its too frightening, too high for me to attain but rather treat it like a friend.. “Really” you may say “I thought I was now under grace and do not have to look at the law anymore to attempt to be saved in the keeping of the law.” True, but wait a minute, “Hasn't it any other usage? Was it only given to shut our mouths from saying I can live perfectly (Romans 3) and keep the law to satisfy God and enter heaven that way” The Bible says “The Law is good” and if its good then we should be trying to live by the law for the glory of God first and foremost, our own spiritual health and the spiritual health of others shouldn’t we? We have received the Holy Spirit to strengthen and encourage us to do so. But to what degree will He help us? What standard do you set yourself each day? Are you really wanting to be fully committed or keep saying to yourself “well we cannot do it so I will just struggle along and keep on saying sorry when I fail trusting the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse me anew each time.” Today we find, there are countless enticements that pull us away from a fully surrendered life. It is my firm belief, that, second only to salvation, the fully surrendered life is the most important aspect of the Christian life...to truly know God: “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart” Note the word “all”.(Jeremiah 29:13). Sadly, very few of us ever experience this close relationship with God. This isn’t meant to discourage, but to convict. Conviction is a wonderful gift from God used to turn the heart back to Him. The puritans used the phrase, “The same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay.” In the same way, we can allow the word of God to soften our hearts, or we can resist and become hard as stone. How many can truly say like Jeremiah, “His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot” (20:9). How many have truly experienced Jesus’ words in John 7:38, “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’.” How many can truly relate to “times of refreshing” found in Acts 3:19, “Repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” How many really understand what John the Baptist was referring to when he cried, “After me will come One Who is more powerful than I, Whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize (overwhelm) you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11). Those who hold Christian beliefs often embrace one of two extremes when it comes to the power of the Holy Spirit. I read recently and its quite true “At one extreme are those who embrace pure emotionalism and hysteria—“if it’s odd it’s God” ... all weird behaviour is excused. The other extreme resembles a cemetery. There’s no living, vibrant spiritual life taking place. The church is dead, cold, and lifeless. Talk of the Spirit’s power is either dismissed or ridiculed. Both extremes are wrong and offer a false impression of genuine Christianity.” The writer is absolutely right isn't he? May we be encouraged from Scripture to seek the Lord with all our hearts and ask to be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit's “living water” so that we spill over and cannot keep it to ourselves to both proclaim Christ and to live lives which shine for Jesus. Think about it.

Joys Prayer

Gracious God and loving Heavenly Father ,we bow humbly before You The Lord God Almighty thanking you so much for putting up with us when we say 'more of self and less of You' in our lives. May we desire with all our hearts to want to live totally committed lives before You and live consistently to your praise and glory. Help us not to be nervously looking at the Law of God and help us to see it as a friend. If we say we are on the victory side then help us to show to others outside the church as well as new believers that we are truly victorious and that God is powerfully working in our lives. Help others to view us as different in such a way as to see we have a confidence in God and for us Jesus is surely alive! Our prayer is for them to desire to know God too. Amen

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