Opbc Week of prayer
Praying for my church DECEMBER 31, 2017JANUARY 7, 2018 VISIT WWW.PASTORBRADRUSSELL.COM FOR DAILY PRAYER GUIDES AND DEVOTIONS
DAY 1: DECEMBER 31: Praying that I would use my gifts well: Read Romans 12:1-9 “Father God, Please help me to…” SERVE SACRIFICIALLY– How will you offer your life as an act of “true and proper worship “ to God? SERVE HUMBLY– Confess your pride and ask God to humble you to make you willing and able to serve in any capacity. VALUE THE GIFTS OF OTHERS– Think of people serving in various ways in the church and thank God for their giftedness and willingness to serve. USE MY GIFTS– Ask God to show you how to use the gifts He has given you to serve the Body of Christ in 2018 LOVE SINCERELY– Pray that you would serve not to receive love but to give love to others. DAY 2: JANUARY 1: Praying that my church would remember what we are in Christ Jesus: Read 1 Peter 2:9-10 Father God, help my church family to remember that we are… A HOLY NATION– Pray that we would act like the holy, set apart people that we truly are as new creatures in Christ A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD– Pray that we would be faithful as representatives of Christ to pray for each other and those in our community and world, as well as proclaiming His truth. HIS SPECIAL POSSESSION– Pray that we will have confidence and security and boldness because we belong to Jesus. CALLED– Thank the Lord for calling you out of darkness and into His marvelous light. Thank Him for calling others in your life RECIPIENTS OF MERCY– Pray that just as we have received mercy, that we would be merciful to those around us. DAY 3: JANUARY 2: Praying that my church would love and serve one another: Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Father God, as you have loved us, help us to love with... PATIENCE AND KINDNESS– Thank God for His patience and kindness and ask for the same for each other. KEEPING NO RECORD OF WRONGDOING– Ask God for grace to repent quickly, forgive quickly and move on quickly. HUMILITY– Pray for a humility that would love without pride REJOICING WITH THE TRUTH– Thank God for those that God has brought to salvation in the Truth of Jesus recently. TRUST, HOPE, AND PERSEVERANCE
DAY 4: JANUARY 3: Praying that my church would give gener-
ously: Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 Father God, help us all to give… CHEEFULLY– Not under compulsion, but with thankfulness and cheerful hearts because of what God has done for us. TO GROW IN RIGHTEOUSNESS– Thank God that giving is an opportunity to grow in Christlikeness as He is GENEROUS… Pray that we would give, not just to keep the lights on, but to grow in righteousness. TO POINT PEOPLE TO CHRIST– Praise God that others have been faithful so that you could hear… and pray that you would give so that other my hear the Good News DAY 5: JANUARY 4: Praying for People in My Church: Leaders Read Malachi 2:5-6 Thank God for the Gift of eternal life given to your leaders and for the peace with God through the New Covenant of Jesus… Thank God for the giftedness of your leaders and the time given to serve the church… Then Pray for your leaders to… REVERE GOD– Pray that your leaders would always stand in awe of God’s name, not sidetracked by the daily grind. WALK UPRIGHTLY– Pray for your leaders as they are not immune to temptation. Ask God for strength to fight the daily fight against sin. GIVE TRUE INSTRUCTION AND TURN MANY FROM SIN DAY 6: JANUARY 5: Praying for People in My Church: The Young and the Elderly: Read 1 Timothy 4:10-13; Joshua 14:6-15 Pray for Our Young People to be… DEVOTED TO GOD’S WORD– Pray that they would walk closely with God through His Word by His Spirit. EXAMPLES OF LOVE, FAITH, AND PURITY– Pray that God’s Word would take root and produce love for others and lives that are set apart by faith and in action. Thank God for the Older Folks in our Church and pray for… HEALTH AND VIGOR– Thank God for their service and pray for spiritual health and energy to continue to serve. CONFIDENCE IN GOD– Pray that the elderly would have present and future confidence because of the past faithfulness of God in their lives and in our church WISDOM AND HONOR– Pray for our church to listen and learn
DAY 7: JANUARY 6: Praying for People in My Church: My Small Group: Read Colossians 3:15-17 Heavenly Father, please help us to… BE AT PEACE– Repent of your selfishness or bitterness and thank God that we are part of one body in Christ. TEACH AND ADMONISH ONE ANOTHER– Pray for a willingness to listen and learn from one another and the humility to take instruction and correction from one another. Praise God for the wisdom of others in your group. LOVE ONE ANOTHER– Pray that your group would not be just a group of people that gathers together once a week, but would be a group that loves on another in words and deeds. And if you are not a part of a small group, pray that God would impress on you the need for this type of opportunity to love others. DAY 8: JANUARY 7: Praying for Believers Around the World: Read Philippians 1:3-11; 1 Peter 4:12-19 Heavenly Father, we pray for our sister churches in Powhatan to HOLD TO THE GOSPEL AS PARTNERS ABOUND IN LOVE AND DISCERNMENT– Pray that churches in Powhatan to grow in love for God’s people and for His truth. Loving Father, we pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who are persecuted to… REJOICE IN CHRIST– Pray that they would not be surprised by their suffering, but would find confidence in Christ’s love . LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY OF CHRIST JESUS– Pray for Hope to abound with joy, for this persecution will not last, but God will make all things right. NOT BE ASHAMED– Pray for boldness in the Gospel for churches in the midst of persecution and for boldness in the Gospel for us in our freedom.
This prayer guide is adapted from portions of 5 Things to Pray for Your Church by Rachel Jones; The Good Book Company Press, 2016 For more ideas on how to pray for OPBC, Several copies are available in the Book Nook or online at www.thegoodbook.com