The Prayer of Encouragement for 22 November
Brother Marcus Dinald offers the Prayer of Encouragement for 22 November 2020 for our country, businesses, frontline and other workers.
My Brothers, Sisters and Friends we hope that you are well. However, if not, please let us know.
We continue to look at the life of Jeremiah and his emotional response as it relates to certain experiences. In our last writing we looked at the Lord’s object lesson for Jeremiah concerning the linen belt and some prophecies that came from the Lord concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
When we looked at the response of Pashhur, a priest who was the manager of the temple, to what Jeremiah said, one may infer that the reaction was distressing. He had arranged for Jeremiah to be beaten and locked up. This resulted in him receiving a name change and prophecies against self, family and friends. Interestingly, he thought that Jeremiah was disrupting the place of the Lord but the Lord knew that he was disrupting what Jeremiah was sent by Him to do. What a conflict!
Jeremiah was not happy with God at first. He seemed to have let go a steam of emotions. Remember that Pashhur, his friends and family were to face punishment because of the way he responded to Jeremiah and the prophecies. Yet, Jeremiah still had a lot of emotions raging in him. He had to become normalised, so he went to God and expressed self. He started by saying to the Lord, “You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed.
I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me” (Jeremiah 20:7, NIV). You may say that Jeremiah was bluntly honest. Was he honouring God by responding in that way? Was he angry with the people? Or was he angry with God for letting that happen to him? What do you think?
Jeremiah lamented on that his obedience to God brought on a lot of problems, even an attack of his person that was emotional and physical in nature. “Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long” (Jeremiah 20:8, NIV).
He also recognised that if he did not do what God required, there would be no peace, which meant that he still had a choice. Yet, it is not the peace that the world speaks of. It was a peace that he had to find in God amidst the turmoil in the world and the responses of the people around him. He said “But if I say, ‘I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name’, 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” (Jeremiah 20:9, NIV). He spoke of the people’s response. Even those he considered to be friends were against him. What a lonely life?
I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.”
Jeremiah 29:10 (NIV)
Jeremiah seemed to move into a different mood. I suppose the steam of emotions had escaped. He acknowledged God.
But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten.”
Jeremiah 20:11 (NIV)
Jeremiah’s mood gradually changed and he wanted revenge! “Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have committed my cause” (Jeremiah 20:12, NIV).
His mood changed again to one of rejoicing; “Sing to the Lord! Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked” (Jeremiah 20:13, NIV). Then he cursed the day that he was born and questioned his existence (Jeremiah 20:14-18, NIV). Wow! What a life! What do you think?
Today’s prayer is led by our own Marcus Dinald. Marcus is twelve years of age. He is a member of the Youth in Praise Ministry.
Let us pray:
Dear God,
We come again to just praise You for all You have done for us. For You are the most high God and there is none other like You. We all just want to praise You for being an amazing and loving God.
Lord, we come to You in the name of Jesus Christ confessing all of our sins to You, for You do not like it when we have sin inside of us. We all ask for forgiveness from You, O Lord. Please, wash us and make us whole again. Make us vessels that You can use.
We thank You for everything we have today. Our life, health, food, water, air, homes, clothing, family, friends, energy, money, electricity, entertainment, we thank You for it all. You provide for all our needs and we are grateful to You Lord.
Lord, we present to You our leaders, our Prime Minister and other ministers of government. We ask You to give them knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, for they are our leaders who need to make wise decisions for Jamaica. So, Lord, we call by name, The Honourable Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness, Minister of Health Christopher Tufton, Minister of Finance Nigel Clarke, health workers and support staff, Minister of National Security Horace Chang, Minister of Education, Mark Golding leader of the opposition, and their families; Jamaica Defence Force and Jamaica Constabulary Force personnel and Security Guards, all other leaders of government and their support staff.
We present to You the churches in Jamaica. As a result of Covid-19, churches had to reduce the number of members who attend worship service every week. This meant that less people are able to participate in some of the church’s activities. We ask, Lord that You provide the resources needed to ensure that the various ministries will go on at this time. Now more than ever there are souls to be saved, needs to be met so Your church needs to be there for the people. Help the various churches to comply with the social distancing rules so that the government will allow full worship services and reopening of the churches soon. We miss the fellowship Lord, and worshipping together.
Lord, we present to You the issue of crime and violence in Jamaica. Crime and violence is now back on the rise and we ask that You, God, will help the security forces stop the criminals. We also ask that You cause the citizens to participate in stopping crime by doing things like reporting any spotted criminals to the police. Lord, we place before You, Minister of National Security, Horace Chang and his team, as they fight the good fight to overcome the challenges we face each day. Lord, we put to You and ask for Your blessings on the Minister of Justice, Delroy Chuck. We also remember the judges in our congregation, Paula Blake Powell and Grace Henry McKenzie
Lord, we present to You all the families here at Grace Missionary. We ask that You will protect us and keep us safe from Covid- 19. Some in our families are high risk members, Lord, so help us to be vigilant and careful. The social distancing is difficult for some members, Lord, especially the youth, so we ask that families will become closer at this time and help each other to cope. Help us to be understanding and supportive of not just our immediate families but our extended church family and neighbours.
We present to You the sick and shut-ins. These people have to stay home, or at hospitals because they are ill (not necessarily from Covid-19). We ask that these people will be treated correctly and will come out as healthy people again. Also help us to remember them daily and visit with them or call them where possible. Let them know Lord that they are not forgotten, that even when we don’t remember to call them, You remember them and are there with them. Lord, we now mention our families who are ill. Sisters Iris Lawrence, Jennifer Nicholson, Virginia Muir, Marville (Cherry) Murray (Sister Iris Lawrence’s daughter), Janet Chen-Young, Joyce Bailey, Lucille Alexander, Jhada Graham, Ethlyn Atkins, Cherrie Lee, Brother George Gabbidon, Brother Cornel Richards and Andrew Robinson (Sister Claire Robinson’s son), Brother Danville Japp’s father, Mr. Isaiah Japp. So comfort them and grant them speedy recovery.
We thank You Lord for hearing and answering our prayers, in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
Our Prayers of Encouragement are for everyone. Therefore, if you are also in need of prayer or comfort, please contact us with your request. We would be so very happy to share with you.
