MAY 2018 MBUMC FOCUS PRAYER

MAY 2018 MBUMC FOCUS PRAYER

You are invited to join the Prayer Ministry team in praying this prayer.

Peter said to them, “Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in
the name of Jesus Christ. Then God will forgive your sins, and you will receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you. It is also for your children and for the
people who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Acts 2:38-39 ERV

O God, we thank you for the holy day of Pentecost, which took place seven
weeks after Jesus’ resurrection. This event commemorates the descent of the Holy
Spirit upon the disciples and the followers of Jesus, and marks the shifting of your
redemptive purpose from the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to all people.
On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.
Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm,
and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or
tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was
filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit
gave them this ability. (Acts 2:1-4 NLT)

At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem.
When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered
to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These
people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native
languages! Here we are – Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia,
Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt and the
areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to
Judaism), Cretans and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own
languages about the wonderful things God has done!” (Acts 2:5-11 NLT)

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast
me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from Me. (Psalm
51:10-11 ESV) O God of hope, fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in you, so that
we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:3 NIV)
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Spirit of God, bright Wind, breath that bids life begin,
Blow as you always do; create us anew.
Give us the breath to sing, lifted on soaring wing,
Held in your hands, borne on your wings.
Alleluia, come, Spirit, come! Alleluia, come, Spirit, come.
TFWS 2117, v. 1, refrain, words & music by Steve Garnaas-Holmes, 1987.