JANUARY 2020 MBUMC FOCUS PRAYER
You are invited to join the Prayer Ministry team in praying this prayer.
The (Christ) child grew and became strong; he was full of wisdom, and God’s blessings were upon him. (Luke 2:40 GNT)
An angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. The angel said, “Your Savior was born – Christ the Lord! Suddenly a great army of heaven’s angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God. (Luke 2:9,11,13 GNT)
Jesus was born a child; he grew up and became strong. He was full of wisdom, and God’s blessings were upon him. (Luke 2:40 GNT). Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favor with God and people. (Luke 2:52 GNT) Each of us are born as a tiny child; we grow and learn. Lord, we pray that we also may be growing both in body and in wisdom.
As an adult, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. While he was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you.” When Jesus began his work, he was about thirty years old. (Luke 3:21-23). Lord, we pray that we might be baptized too.
People kept coming to Jesus from one town after another; and when a great crowd gathered, Jesus told the parable of the sower. The sower went out to sow grain. Some seed fell in the field, some fell along the path where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground and some fell into thorn bushes. Some seeds fell in good soil, grew and bore grain. (Luke 8:4-8).
This is what the parable means: the seed is the word of God. The seeds that fell along the path stand for those who hear; the Devil comes and takes the message away from their hearts in order to keep them from believing and being saved. Seeds that fell on rocky ground stand for those who hear the message and receive it gladly. But it does not sink deep into them; they believe only for a while but when the time of testing comes, they fall away. Seeds that fell among thorn bushes stand for those who hear; but the worries and riches and pleasures of this life crowd in and choke them, and their fruit never ripens. Seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit. (Luke 8:11-15 GNT).
Lord, we pray that when we hear the message that we will retain it in a good and obedient heart, and that we persist until we bear fruit for the Kingdom of God. Lord, may we read your Word, hear your Word, and retain your Word. May your Word sink deep into our hearts and minds and souls and bodies. And then let us bear good fruits. We thank you for the Holy Spirit which teaches us the Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23 GNT) All this we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear;
Things I would ask him to tell me if he were here:
Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea, stories of Jesus, tell them to me.
H277, v. 1, words by William H. Parker (1885), music by Frederick A. Challinor, 1903.
