WEEK OF PRAYER. 6 th to 13 th November Praying for every generation with hymns and songs

Transcription

1 WEEK OF PRAYER 6 th to 13 th November 2016 Praying for every generation with hymns and songs

2 This week we are praying for every generation. Every day the hymn or song has been chosen by someone in the church from that generation. And there are suggestions for your prayer. Some of these will be relevant for every generation. One way you might like to pray: Come into God s presence. Read through the words of the hymn slowly, thinking about its truths and meaning. Listen to the hymn or sing it. Pray through the words again bringing the day s generation before God those in the church, in Haslemere and in our area, your family, neighbours and friends. Pray nationally and globally. Imagine what life is like for the generation in another context - a city, in Syria, Malawi, Haiti, in a conflict zone, as a refugee Let the prayer points guide you but also allow God to bring specific areas into your mind and heart. Note them down. Ask God for compassion, understanding and love for generations different from your own. Close by praying God s blessing and by asking that our church might be a community where all ages feel welcomed, loved and valuable. Extra notes Use your own choice of hymn or song to pray with. Or write a song. Have a conversation with someone from a different generation this week.

3 MONDAY PRAYING FOR CHILDREN Bless the Lord O my soul O my soul Worship His Holy name Sing like never before O my soul I ll worship Your Holy name The sun comes up It s a new day dawning It s time to sing Your song again Whatever may pass And whatever lies before me Let me be singing When the evening comes You re rich in love And You re slow to anger Your name is great And Your heart is kind For all Your goodness I will keep on singing Ten thousand reasons For my heart to find And on that day When my strength is failing The end draws near And my time has come Still my soul will Sing Your praise unending Ten thousand years And then forevermore Matt Redman Our God is a great big God Our God is a great big God Our God is a great big God And he holds us in his hands He's higher than a skyscraper He's deeper than a submarine He's wider than the universe And beyond my wildest dreams He's known me and he's loved me Since before the world began How wonderful to be a part of God's amazing plan PRAY FOR CHILDREN: To make strong, long lasting friendships in church For God to meet all the needs of different age groups and for their faith to grow as they learn how to pray and follow Him For those being bullied, suffering stress, anxiety or pressures at home and at school. For joy in their lives. Those in conflict zones throughout the world where they are being robbed of their childhood

4 3 List Praying for every generation with hymns and songs TUESDAY PRAYING FOR YOUTH I was lost with a broken heart You picked me up now I'm set apart From the ash I'm born again Forever safe in the saviour s hands You are more than my words could say I'll follow you for all my days Fix my eyes follow in your ways Forever free in unending grace You are, you are, you are my freedom We lift you higher, we lift you higher Your love, your love, your love never ending You are alive in us Nothing can take your place You are all we need Your love has set us free In the midst of the darkest night Let your love be the shining light Breaking chains that were holding me You sent your son down and set me free Everything of this world will fade Pressing on till I see your face I will live that your will be done I won't stop til your kingdom come PRAY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE: As they discover their unique identities to find security and affirmation in God To continue to grow in authenticity for Jesus and to be secure in their faith To become world changers committed to justice and transformation For strong, healthy friendships with their peers You are, you are, you are my freedom We lift you higher, we lift you higher Your love, your love, your love never ending You are alive in us Nothing can take your place You are all we need Your love has set us free You are, you are, you are my freedom We lift you higher, we lift you higher Your love, your love, your love never ending.a pl Alexander Pappas and Aodhan King (Hillsong)

5 WEDNESDAY PRAYING FOR YOUNG ADULTS My past embraced My sin forgiven I'm blameless in Your sight My history rewritten You delight in mercy Mercy triumphs over judgment Oh Love, great Love Fear cannot be found in You There will never be a day You're uncertain of the ones You choose You delight in mercy Mercy triumphs over judgment So I will wake And spend days Loving the One Who raised me up From death to life From wrong to right You're making all things beautiful PRAY FOR THIS GENERATION: For hope for the future - job and career opportunities and their unique place in the world For strong relationships, rooted in God For those struggling with addictions, mental health issues To dream God s dreams For labourers to reach out to this generation for God You delight in mercy Mercy triumphs over judgment Amanda Cook

6 THURSDAY PRAYING FOR 30s AND 40s In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song; This Cornerstone, this solid Ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, When fears are stilled, when strivings cease! My Comforter, my All in All, Here in the love of Christ I stand. In Christ alone! - who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe. This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save: Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied - For every sin on Him was laid; Here in the death of Christ I live. There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain: Then bursting forth in glorious day Up from the grave He rose again! And as He stands in victory Sin's curse has lost its grip on me, For I am His and He is mine - Bought with the precious blood of Christ. PRAY FOR THIS GENERATION: For integrity and love in work and home life to be salt and light To embrace a holistic lifestyle finding creative, healthy and godly ways to deal with the stresses and demands of work and family life For clarity of vision in following Jesus For those in positions of leadership of any kind No guilt in life, no fear in death, This is the power of Christ in me; From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand: Till He returns or calls me home, Here in the power of Christ I'll stand. Stuart Townend & Keith Getty

7 FRIDAY PRAYING FOR THOSE IN MIDDLE YEARS You are holy (You are holy) You are mighty (You are mighty) You are worthy (You are worthy) Worthy of praise (Worthy of praise) And I will follow (I will follow) I will listen (I will listen) I will love you (I will love you) All of my days (All of my days) (Men) I will sing to And worship The King who is worthy I will love Him, adore Him And I will bow down before Him I will sing to and worship the King who is worthy I will love Him, adore him I will bow down before Him PRAY FOR THIS GENERATION: The sandwich generation caring for both children or grandchildren and ageing parents For those who are lonely following family break up or bereavement To continue growing in their faith and to embrace the new challenges of this stage of life with God - to grow into wisdom (Women) He is Lord of Lords He is King of Kings He is mighty God Lord of everything He's Emmanuel He's the great "I AM" He's my Prince of Peace Who is the Lamb He's the living God He's my saving grace He will reign forever He is ancient of days To become parents and mentors to those younger in the faith He's the Alpha, Omega, Beginning and End He's my Saviour, Messiah, Redeemer, and friend (Both:) You re my Prince of Peace and I will live my life for you. Michael W. Smith

8 WEEKEND PRAYING FOR SENIORS Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways! Re-clothe us in our rightful mind, in purer lives thy service find, in deeper reverence, praise; in deeper reverence, praise. In simple trust like theirs who heard, beside the Syrian sea, the gracious calling of the Lord, let us, like them, without a word, rise up and follow thee; rise up and follow thee. O Sabbath rest by Galilee! O calm of hills above, where Jesus knelt to share with thee the silence of eternity interpreted by love! interpreted by love! PRAY FOR OLDER PEOPLE: To feel part of the church family, especially those who have lost partners and friends, for those who are on their own or are less mobile For purpose and good health For the church family and society to place importance on the wisdom of their years and to find ways for them to share with us Confidence in God, especially as eternity approaches Drop thy still dews of quietness, till all our strivings cease; take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of thy peace; the beauty of thy peace. Breathe through the heats of our desire thy coolness and thy balm; let sense be dumb, let flesh retire; speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, O still, small voice of calm; O still, small voice of calm. John Greenleaf Whittier