NOVEMBER 2019 MBUMC FOCUS PRAYER
You are invited to join the Prayer Ministry team in praying this prayer.
Each one, as a good manager of God’s gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God. 1 Peter 4:10 GNT
The apostle Paul spoke to his dear brothers and sisters and also he speaks to us saying, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking–around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You will be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (Romans 12:1-2 MSG)
“Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life for good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.” (Romans 12:9-11 MSG)
In God’s word in Corinthians, Paul continues to speak saying, “God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do which shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7 MSG)
All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful: wise counsel, clear understanding, simple trust, healing the sick, miraculous acts, proclamation, distinguishing spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. All these gifts (and more) have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.” (1 Corinthians 12:8-11 MSG). You are Christ’s body—that’s who you are. You must never forget this. (1 Corinthians 12:27 MSG)
A steward or a manager is someone who decides how to use something (Merriam-Webster). Lord, as we receive the gifts you have given to us, and as we learn and decide how to use them, may we live alert to serve your children and to pray for one another. Let us gladly give back to God a portion of all he has given us, and to give God all the glory. May it be so, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still.
Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Search me and try me, Savior today!
Wash me just now, Lord, wash me just now, as in thy presence humbly I bow.
H382, vs. 1,2, words by Adelaide A. Pollard, 1902, music by George C. Stebbins, 1907.
