The Lord’s high priestly prayer in John 17 was a prayer for unity — one He is still praying for us today. As we pray together toward General Conference let’s honor our Lord and His desire for the church to seek unity by positioning ourselves before Him, corporately, in prayer.
As we start this week’s foci, read John 17:20-23. Ask the Lord to unite us as we come together in prayer, whether in our prayer closets, small groups or churches.
Note that the days’ prayer foci are titled “prayer task.” This heading is to purposefully reinforce to us that we are engaging in the main, vital work of the kingdom. Without prayer we cannot be what we are called to be or do with empowerment the other tasks we are called to do.
Monday, January 31 – Sunday, February 6
Using some of the basic doctrines and beliefs of the Free Methodist church, we pursue together the admonition of our bishops that we would, as a church, “embrace the good news of Jesus in its entirety.”
We can better achieve this if we approach the daily prayer tasks by:
- asking the Holy Spirit to direct our thoughts but also those of us as a church — that we would be united in prayer
- reading the Scriptures with a heart of thankfulness for the written and living Word — aware that what He calls us to is the very nature of who He is
- allowing the Spirit to give us new thoughts and to fill our hearts with His prayers as we listen and engage in the day’s prayer task.
Monday – January 31st Prayer Task:
“Infallibility of Scripture”
Our Articles of Religion states that the Bible is “uniquely inspired by the Holy Spirit” and is “the trustworthy record of God’s revelation, completely truthful in all it affirms.” It has “authority over all human life.”
Pray: Think about what it means to be a people entirely committed to the truth and authority of Scripture and pray for those things to come true in our church.
Tuesday – February 1st Prayer Task:
“Revive Sanctification”
Modern evangelicalism has weakened its grip on the hope of the gospel message of sanctification. Do we know too much about what makes people tick to believe in God’s power to rework our tickers? Through crisis and process, sanctification “enables believers to love God” fully and love neighbors freely.
Pray: Think about what it will take to strengthen our grip on this great doctrine and pray for those things to come true in our church.
Wednesday – February 2nd Prayer Task:
“Ministries of Freedom”
Our classic Wesleyan viewpoint sees salvation as so much more than getting sins forgiven. We see salvation as being set free from the power and ravaging effects of sin. God’s work is not just judicial; it is therapeutic.
Read: 2 Peter 1:3-4
Pray: Think about what it will take for our churches to offer freedom and healing from sin and pray for those things to come true in our church.
Thursday – February 3rd Prayer Task:
“Gospel to the Poor”
At the very heart of our origin as a denomination is the passion to bring the gospel to the poor. Our membership covenant calls us to “respect the worth of all persons as created in the image of God.” Are we looking hard for ways to move this passion from our hearts into our hands and feet?
Pray: Think about what it takes to place the poor in the center of our vision and pray for those things to come true in our people and churches.
Friday – February 4th Prayer Task:
“Promote Orthodox Faith”
Do we still believe in Jesus’ bodily resurrection or the virgin birth? More and more evangelicals doubt the importance or relevance of the Apostle’s Creed. There is a strong undertow of disbelief that threatens to pull us into the sea of relativism and religious pluralism.
Pray: Think about what it will take for our people to stand firm in their faith and pray for those things to come true in our church.
Saturday – February 5th Prayer Task:
“A Passion for Purity”
Our Membership Covenant says that we should commit ourselves to be free from activities that defile the mind, yet we are a lax people living in a very lax culture. Think about all the evils we are exposed to voluntarily and involuntarily.
Read: Philippians 4:8
Pray: Think about the repentance and cleansing we need and pray for those things to come true in our church.
Sunday – February 6th Prayer Task:
“A Passion for Wholeness”
Our Membership Covenant says we should commit ourselves to be free from activities that harm the body. Yet we pursue lifestyles of busy-ness and indulgence that take their toll on our physical and emotional health.
Read: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Pray: Think about what it will take for our people to hunger for wholeness and pray for those things to come true in our church.
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