The Prayer of Encouragement for 29 October
Deacon Arlene Burton offers the Prayer of Encouragement for 29 October 2021 for our country, businesses, frontline and other workers. Deacon Burton owns the copyright to this post. We reprint here with her permission.
Hi Everyone! I pray for God’s favour and sustenance in your life as you continue on this journey during these unusual times. May God’s hand of comfort and love permeate your spirit and cause you to transcend peace. If you or anyone you know has a prayer request, please let us know and we will include you in our prayers. You may post your prayer request here on our website.
You know, I have been thinking and writing along the line of false prophecies with an incisive approach. I have been meditating on the way our minds function. The mind is vulnerable, yet it is strong. The mind can be controlling, yet it can be easily controlled. It can lead people to destruction, yet it can cause a person to self-destruct. The mind is described as the element, part, substance or process that reasons, thinks, feels, wills, perceives, judges etc. It is considered to be the totality of conscious and unconscious mental processes (dictionary.com).
Then I started thinking about conscience. It is described as the inner sense of what is right or wrong in one’s conduct or motives, impelling one towards an action (dictionary.com). A biblical writer described conscience as that faculty by which we apprehend the will of God, as that which is to govern our lives. It is part of our thought process that makes the difference between morally good or bad, commending the good and condemning the bad resulting in an inclination to do the good and avoid the bad (Vine, 1999). Yet, another writer said the conscience is a person’s inner awareness of conforming to the will of God or departing from it resulting in a sense of approval or condemnation (Nelson, 2015).
Holman (2015) made reference to the apostle Paul’s defence of his ministry in looking at the issue of conscience. Paul was dealing with the issue of boasting in his second letter to the church in Corinth. “Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace. For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you on the day of the Lord Jesus.” (2 Corinthians 1:12-14, NIV).
Holman (2015), in reference to the Corinthians passage, explained that the conscience examines one’s behaviour, as well as motives. The writers looked further at Paul’s writings referring to the First Corinthians. Paul made a critical point that set the pace for his disposition by saying, “Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.” (1 Corinthians 8:6, NIV).
Paul spoke of one God but acknowledged that not everyone is aware of such knowledge. He mentioned that their consciences are weak, unclean or impure This led people to conduct themselves in ways that are not right according to the will of God.
Hear what the passage said. “But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.” (1 Corinthians 8:7, NIV).
However, when we read the entire passage (1 Corinthians 8), a conclusion could be drawn to say that he was not speaking of a less sensitive conscience. He refers to persons who may intellectually know that there is one true God, so when they eat meat in a temple that worships an idol, for example, they are made to feel like it is idol worshipping. Yet they still partake of it. Therefore, the conscience does not act in accordance with the knowledge.
It is believed that C.S.Lewis gave this explanation in determining the difference between the mind and conscience. “Suppose you hear a cry for help from a man in danger. You will probably feel two desires — one a desire to give help, the other a desire to keep out of danger. But you will find inside you, in addition to these two impulses, a third thing which tells you that you ought to follow the instinct to help, and suppress the impulse to run away. Now this thing that judges between two instincts, that decides which should be encouraged, cannot itself be either of them. And it is usually telling us to side with the weaker of the two impulses.” Part of what Lewis seemed to be saying is that the desires are there which forms a construct of the mind but the conscience helps in determining the actions.
One may say that the mind is a construct of thoughts, perceptions, beliefs, desires, wills, whereas the conscience pulls them into action. The way thoughts are constructed and beliefs are formed through experiences and knowledge become critical to the functioning of one’s conscience.
Recently I gave someone an item to place on my car. The person called me to say it was the wrong one but I was in the midst of a meeting and presenting. I took the call because I thought it was urgent. At the time, in my mind, there was none other so I insisted that it was the only one I had. I had to abruptly close off the call because I was monitoring the presentation for the meeting.
Somehow the Lord reminded me that I had securely put aside the correct item in a particular place. I went and saw it. So I called the person back and tried to explain my position. The Lord kept telling me to apologise, and I did. Truth is that I was in a meeting with two people who have strong personalities and it was a difficult time to sit through.
I thought about what Paul said. “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” (1 Corinthians 4:3-4, NIV). I topped it with what Martin Luther said, that the conscience must be obeyed, but it must be captive to the word of God.
I did not respond in the best way so an apology was required regardless of the fact that the call was going on for longer than I would have liked or the fact that I was dealing with two really interesting people. My conscience is necessary and critical to my functioning so it needs to be held captive by the Holy Spirit, and the truth is, I cannot judge myself. Our mind can lead us into a good or bad place so it is good when the Holy Spirit becomes our conscience. Otherwise, we may cause problems for others or ourselves.
Think bout it, chat bout it, Decide what you are going to do about it.
Let us pray:
Almighty, most Holy God, we give You all of the praise, honour and glory. We magnify Your name. Lord, God, You are exalted above all else. We extol Your name on high. Worthy are You, Lord, to receive honour, glory and praise. Lord, we thank You for this another day, which gives us another opportunity to honour You. Hallelujah! Lord, we thank You for Your continued mercy on us.
Lord, we have sinned and done wrong in Your sight as individuals, families, communities, businesses, a workforce, political representatives, Churches, leaders, government and our country as a whole. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ that You have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy!
Lord, forgive all of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Create in us clean hearts and renew the right spirit in us. Out of the depths of our hearts, Lord, we cry to You. Let Your ear be attentive to our cry for mercy. If You, O Lord, kept a record of sin who will stand? Lord, with You there is forgiveness. Forgive all of our sins and help us to forgive those who sin against us. Let not evil rule over us but rescue and deliver us in Your righteousness. Turn Your ear to us and help us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from all forms of evil.
Listen to our words, Lord, and consider our lament. Hear our cry for help, our King and our God, for to You we pray. In the morning, Lord, You hear our voices. In the morning we lay our requests before You and wait expectantly. For You are not a God who is pleased with wickedness. The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence. You hate wrongdoing, you hate lies. Bloodthirst and deceit You, Lord, detest.
Lord, we come to You in reverence, we bow down and worship You. Lead us, Lord, in Your righteousness because of our enemies. Not a word from their mouth can be trusted. Their heart is filled with malice.
Lord, there are those people who rebel against You, falsely use Your name and Your word. Turn their stony hearts to flesh. Cause it so that they become obedient to You and not allow the works of evil to control them.
Lord, let all who take refuge in You be glad. Let us ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over us, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You. Surely, Lord, You bless the righteous. You surround us with Your favour as with a shield.
Lord, we pray for Your continued provision, protection and guidance in every area of our lives and that of our country. We ask that Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Lord, we ask for special protection and provision for the vulnerable people in our country, the children, youths and the aged. Guard and guide their lives and cause it that, as a nation, we will be good stewards to them.
Lord, we pray especially for our church leaders, the Honourable Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness, Minister of Health and Wellness, Christopher Tufton, Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Nigel Clarke, health workers and support staff, Minister of Education, Youth and the Environment, Fayval Williams; Minister of National Security, Horace Chang and his team, Minister of Justice, Delroy Chuck, and the leader of the opposition Mark Golding and his team. We also remember the judges in our congregation, Paula Blake Powell and Grace Henry McKenzie. Lord, grant them wisdom, knowledge, creativity, strength, courage and understanding to conduct their work in the best interest of those they serve. Help them to act with accountability and transparency. Provide for and protect them and their families.
We lift up to You those among us who are in business: Ewan and Maxine Oliver; Lanna and Desmond Bennett; Warrick Bogle, Carol and Leroy Blake, Marcia Leair, Robert and Bevelin Smith, Paulette Dixon, Kemorine and Karl Henry, Ava Comrie, Catherine Barkley and husband, Cornel Richards and family, Everton Lewis, Pauline and Mark Garvey, Brother Astley Hall, Maxine and Benedict Ranger, Melva Knight, Nicole Fender, Sharon Baldie, Karl Jones and others. Lord, cause it that they are sustained even in these deserted times. Let Your blessings and mercy be upon them.
We also pray for the frontline workers connected with GMC: Medical Doctors: Asana Anderson Wilks and Rohan Wilks, Kahlete Falloon, Tina Kong, Vernon Jones, Leighton Logan, Emily Reynolds; trainee doctor (, Gabrielle Channer); Dentists: doing emergency cases; Jhenelle Black, Dania Jones, Eleanor Reynolds; Pharmacists: Sandra Bucknor-Jones, Viveen Watson; other doctors and nurses from GMC or in connection with members and adherents of GMC who are working on the frontline (for example Dr Richard Reynolds) and their families. Lord, grant them physical and mental strength. Protect them from all forms of diseases and fill them with extraordinary bowels of compassion as they carry out their daily tasks. Lord, we also lift up for Your healing and restoration of those hospitalised or experiencing physical and mental hurts.
Lord, guard our thoughts, speech and actions. Cause it that we are careful to honour You as the only true God. Help us as we take this journey of life to understand the times. Lord, saturate us with Your peace and strengthen our minds in you. Hear, O Lord, and answer in Jesus’ name we pray with thanksgiving.
Amen.
Our Prayers of Encouragement are for everyone. Therefore, please contact us with your request if you also need prayer or comfort. We would be so very happy to share with you.
Grace Missionary Church is a member of The Missionary Church Association in Jamaica.
