Prayer of Encouragement, Voices of Youths, 2022

Encouragement and General Prayer for 26 July

Deacon Arlene Burton offers this Encouragement and General Prayer for 26 July 2020.

My Brothers, Sisters and Friends,

We are hoping that you are well. To those who have commented so far, we appreciate your words of support. Tell me something, how many of you do not drive in your shoes? I have never seen a man change his shoes to drive, only women. I do not drive in my shoes.

My problem is that I normally take them off before going inside the car, so I tend to drive away and leave them. I stopped doing so because it would require that I return to the spot and I may not find them; and that has happened to me, though once. It also wasted a lot of time.

The emergence of Covid-19 pandemic has alerted me to the need to sanitize so I started taking off my shoes outside of the car, again. Guess what, last night I left them and drove away because my passenger, I will not call her name, was very distracting. I prayed and asked God to ensure that I found my rubber shoes. They are Covid-19 friendly (washable with soap and water), and an unusual pair. I found them, thank God.

My thoughts started bubbling inside. I had just finished doing ministry when all of that happened. Why did God allow such a thing when I was tired, and had so many other things to do? Many explanations could be garnered but the most prominent was that there was too much noise, so I could not hear from God. Brethren, we can become distracted to the point where we do not connect with God in a way that pleases Him. In a moment, I lost my focus, and it cost me time, energy and fuel money. A loss of focus impairs our connection with God.

Remember our recent thoughts on the vine and branch? We are the branch and Jesus is the vine, and His Father is the gardener. Jesus is the centre of our existence. He gives us life; otherwise we will wither away, spiritually, in our walk with Him. He is our lifeline. Hence, there is the need for us to stay connected to Him. Yes, He gives us the breath we breathe, so that we can physically function. This is the norm for every human being but as His followers, we are called to connect as children and partners in kingdom building.

At the centre of our connection is love. Critical in all of this is God’s love for us, and our love for Him (Luke 10:27), as well as our love for each other. Jesus gave the instruction:

12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit — fruit that will last — and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”

John 15:12-17 (NIV)

I am hearing from the scripture that He will make things known to us. This is not based on an occasional connection that some of us maintain with each other. It runs deep. He is saying, look here man/woman, this is intimacy. It is about selflessness. This relationship with Him exposes us to a level of disclosure that is extraordinary and consistent. It is comforting but challenging. Yet it is eternally rewarding. It is one that takes us, empowers and endows us to do and achieve greatness, for His glory. Hallelujah! What a beautiful thought?  

The writer of 1 John 2 reminds the Brethren:

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)

There are many things, people and situations that can easily distract us. Here, the writer of 1 John is helping us to be alert to the fact that there are distractions that can lead us to wrong loving.

Does this mean that we can never become distracted? Does it mean that God will condemn us? I do not think so! Life’s journey is a process. Brethren, our key is to be properly connected to God. The thought of closure that is rolling over in my mind, is this; when we are really connected, we will know when we are disconnected. Just take a pause, and think about it.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we thank You for another day. Thank You for Your goodness, love, grace and mercy. Lord, thank You for keeping and sustaining us through life’s journey. All that is within us bless Your Holy name O Lord. Lord, we forget not Your benefits. It is You who hath forgiven our sins and healed our diseases. You save our lives from destruction and crown us with Your loving kindness and the multitude of Your tender mercies.

Righteous God, Saviour and Lord, we ask that You forgive all of our sins, cleanse us from all our transgressions and take away all of our iniquities. Create in us clean hearts and renew the right spirits within us. O God cast us not away from Your presence. Do not take Your Holy Spirit from us but restore unto us the joy of thy salvation. Out of the depths we cry to You, O Lord let Your ear be attentive to our cry for mercy. If You, O Lord, kept a record of sin who could stand? Lord, with You there is forgiveness, so we wait for You Lord, more than the watchman waits for the morning.

Lord, You are awesome. We magnify and glorify Your name. Be exalted on high. We adore You, O Lord for Your greatness we cannot imagine. You have provided, protected and kept us as individuals, families (church and biological), and country. Lord, we thank You. Lord, we are eternally grateful to You. Hallelujah! We place You in the highest place! We worship You O Lord! Hallelujah! Thank You Lord! Hallelujah!

Lord, we continue to present to You the leaders of our churches (especially those from our congregation), church associations and related institutions (especially MCA, JTS and Kendal Camp), businesses, voluntary institutions and nations. Father, without You we are like a ship without sail. We ask dear God that You have mercy on every leader in this country. We ask that You uproot from within us every work and thought that conflicts with Your will and way for this country. Let not evil rule over us. Lord, remove every selfish thought and attitude and replace it with selflessness. Lord, replace corrupt minds with integrity and a willingness to serve with humility and not for gain or self-promotion.

Dear God, enable each leader and our families with true wisdom, insight, knowledge, revelations and understandings, and obedience to think and act according to Your purpose, will and desire for us as churches and as a country.

Lord, help us not to be conceited in our attitudes and behaviours but cause it that we seek You in all things with the expectation that You will grant unto us your provisions, guidance, protection, favour and blessings in all that we think, say and do. Hear O Lord and have mercy.

Lord, You see the criminal activities in this country. Lord, the God who sees, we ask that You capture every criminal mind in this country and transform them for our good and Your glory. We ask that You arrest every criminal set-up in this country. Lord, You see and know exactly where each is located and the purpose that each serves.

Almighty God, Lord of Armies, from the east to the west and from the north to the south of Jamaica, we ask that You tear down the stronghold of crime and its enablers and dissolve their work. Lord, remove their power and nullify their works and hold them accountable for their actions. Grant us peace. Jehovah Adonai, You are the God of this country and the gates of hell will not prevail over us.

Lord, we remember our nation’s leaders at this time. 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, Karl Samuda, Leader of the Opposition Peter Philips, and their families; Jamaica Defence Force and Jamaica Constabulary Force personnel and Security Guards, all other leaders of government and their support staff.

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 remember the judges in our congregation; Paula Blake Powell and Grace Henry McKenzie

Lord, as we go through this hurricane season, we plead Your mercies and protection over us. 

El Shaddai, You are all sufficient. We ask for courage, wisdom, excellence and success among the youths of this country. We pray for integrity, love and peace among them. Cause it that each  will become an agent of change that enhances and not tear down. Therefore bless and cover them and the homes where they dwell, and the people among whom they dwell. We remember those who are sitting exams at this time:

We present to You those who are currently doing CSEC and CAPE exams. Lord, remember those in our congregation; Romeo Elliott, Jhada Graham, Nachkeemi Smith, Shane Brown Garvey, Travis Lawrence, Kimeka Facey, Renae Lindsay, Justin Grey, Taye-Vaughn Jones, Nigel Stewart, Alya Dyce, Parisa Martin and Carissa Heslop.

Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals, we thank You for Your healing power upon us. Lord, there are those of us who are in need of balance in our emotional and physical health. We ask that You pour into us Your healing oil. Remember those who are mourning, experiencing mental disturbances for differing reasons, physical ailments and chronic illnesses. So Lord, as Your angels encamp around us, deliver us and make us complete in You.

We remember at this time those persons on our usual prayer list, as well as: Sisters Iris Lawrence, Jennifer Nicholson, Virginia Muir, Claris Johnson (mother of Jehan Johnson), Marville (Cherry) Murray (Sister Iris Lawrence’s daughter), Janet Chen-Young, Joyce Bailey, Lucille Alexander, Jhada Graham, Ethlyn Atkins, Cherrie Lee, Brother George Gabbidon, and Andrew Robinson (Sister Claire Robinson’s son), Brother Danville Japp’s father, Mr. Isaiah Japp. 

We remember those who mourn, and their families; Elder Mary Clarke who lost a Sister, Brother and Sister Crooks who lost a relative, Brother Andrew Getton who lost his mother, and Sister Arlene Tomlinson who lost a brother (lived in the U.S.A); Sister Melva Knight who lost an aunt; Deacon Darlene Jones who lost her mother (thanksgiving service is scheduled for August 15, 2020) and Brother Orville Beckford and Sister Ann Beckford who lost a Sister and Sister-in-law respectively.

Lord, there are those of us who are quietly suffering because of one thing or the other, hear our cries O Lord, and attend unto our prayers.

Lord, from the ends of the earth, we cry unto You. Fill us with Your love and saturate us with Your presence, Your peace and Your power. Help us dear Father, and have mercy as we place our lives and requests in Your hands with expectations and thanksgiving.

In the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

Amen


Our Weekly Prayers 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.

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