Month: October 2022

Seek God’s Will In Prayer

Just as Jerusalem has been the
center for Jewish evangelism,
so Syrian Antioch now becomes
the center for Gentile evangelism.
Peter who has played the leadership
role in the first 12 chapters, now
gives up the spotlight to Paul,
whose travels and trials dominate
the last 16 chapters of the book.
Acts 13 marks the beginning
of Paul’s missionary career.
Returning to Antioch at the end
of their first missionary journey,
Paul and his travelling companion
Barnabas report to their home
church and seek to resolve
the issue of including Gentiles in
the previously all-Jewish church.

Lord, we seek Your Will in Prayer:
As they ministered to the Lord
and fasted, the Holy Spirit said:
Now separate to Me Barnabas
and Saul for the work to which
I Have Called them. Then having
Fasted and Prayed and laid hands,
they sent them away (Acts 13:2-3)
They came to Antioch and went
into the synagogue on Sabbath…
On the next Sabbath almost the
Whole City came together to
hear the word of God (v14, 44).
(The Lord said): I have made you
a Light to the Gentiles, to bring
Salvation to the farthest corners
of the earth. When the Gentiles
heard this, they were very glad and
thanked the Lord for his message…
and became believers (v47-48).

Lord, we realize ministry calling
and purpose is revealed in prayer.
It is defined within the church, and
we can’t develop our full potential independently of other believers.
Grant us unity for it adds power
to our prayers and confidence
that God will answer in power.
Enable me Lord to be set apart
for the work You’ve for me. Amen.

Lord, we are created primarily
to worship and adore You.
So, let me not become overly
consumed with just good things
that I want to do for others and You.
And neglect the most important thing,
in worshipping You and seeking
Your direction for my life in prayer.
Lord, draw me into daily worship
and communion with You. Amen.

Lord, there are many people all
around us whom You are pursuing.
Show us those in our circle of friends,
loved ones and neighbours that You want us to pray & build relationships.
For they may be the very people
You have appointed to eternal life.
Equip us Lord to be lights to those
who don’t know You yet and to love
them for Christ Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Prayer for Boldness to Witness

With Jesus’ last instruction still
in their ears, the disciples go forth
speaking words of eternal life.
Visited by their resurrected Lord
and empowered by the promised
Comforter, they fearlessly follow
their marching orders in spite of
mocking, threats & physical abuse.
The advance of the gospel is soon
opposed by adversaries;but prompt
discipline & resolute commitment
only serve to enlarge the church.

Lord, we will Share the Gospel:
Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said:
Elders of Israel: This is the stone
which was rejected by you… which
has become the chief Cornerstone.
Nor is there salvation in any other,
for there is no other name… by which
we must be saved (Acts 4:8-12).
O Lord, hear their threats, and give
us Your servants great boldness
in preaching Your word. Stretch
out Your hand with healing power;
may miraculous signs and wonders
be done through the name of
Your Holy Servant Jesus (v29-30).
And when they had prayed, the place
where they were assembled was
shaken; and they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit and they spoke the
word of God with boldness (v31).

Father God, free each one of us:
From Timidity that worries more
about what others will think of us;
From Selfishness that doesn’t want
to invest time in other people lives.
From Indifference that affirms
truth but doesn’t act in them;
From the Busyness that dominates
our lives with non-essential things.
Replace these concerns with mindset
of one beggar pointing to another to
where bread may be found. Amen.

Lord, I ask that You would open
the eyes of my friends and loved
ones to see Your great salvation.
Give me the discernment to see
the opportunities as they arise.
And I pray that words be given me
that I may open my mouth boldly
to make known the mystery of
the gospel. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord, You seems to give Your servants
greater boldness in times of distress.
Perhaps because intensity of our
prayers increased with intensity
of circumstances.; and God gives
what we need to follow Him well.
Lord, we long for the boldness
and power of the early church.
And bless us with fruitfulness,
esp when we face hardships. Amen.

Seeking God thru Biblical Prayers

The purpose of the book of Acts
is to give an accurate account of
the birth and growth of the church.
On Monday, we learn from Acts 1
that Christ Made Us His Witnesses.
On Tuesday, we learn from Acts 2
that Christ Provides Power Source.
On Wed, we learn from Acts 4
on Prayer for Boldness to Witness.
On Thursday, we learn from Acts 6
to Be Devoted to Word and Prayer.
On Friday, we learn from Acts 9
that God Gives Divine Encounter.
On Sat, we learn from Acts 10/12
to Pray & Tap on the Power of God.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
to be disciples who purpose to
be devoted to Word & Prayer; and
be obedient to be Your witnesses;
for You Lord have loved, entrusted,
encountered and enabled us. Amen.

Pray to Tap the Power of God

Jerusalem… Judea… Samaria (1:8).
Now God sets the stage for the gospel advance to the end of the earth.
With the conversion of Cornelius,
the outreach of the church is
enlarged to include Gentiles as well.
But it takes an unusual vision,
a stubborn vessel (Peter) and
a well-timed visit to break down
centuries of deep-seated prejudice.
The enemies of the gospel are
also on the march, as seen in the
imprisonment of Peter – an attempt
to stem the growth of the church.

Lord, we will Tap to Your Power: 
The next day as Cornelius’
messengers were nearing the city,
Peter went up to the roof to Pray.
It was about noon, and he was hungry..
He saw the sky open and a large sheet
was laid down. In it were all sorts of
animals and birds… Then a voice said:
If God says something is acceptable,
don’t say it isn’t (Acts 10:9-15).
(Herod) arrested Peter during the
Passover celebration and imprisoned
him, placing him under the guard
of four squads of four soldiers each.
Herod’s intention was to bring Peter
out for public trial after the Passover.
While Peter was in prison, the church
Prayed very earnestly for him…
Suddenly, there was a bright light
in the cell, and an angel of the Lord
stood before Peter… And the chains
fell off his wrists (Acts 12:3-7).

Lord, thanks for the book of Acts
which records the growth of the
church, aided by the Holy Spirit.
We see that the Almighty God
can work through any challenge.
Help us to realise that hostility
may come about because we
have been faithful witnesses.
Help us to seize opportunities;
help us Tune In to Your Plan &
help us Tap to Your Power. Amen

Lord, we can’t expect to hear Your
messages if we are not in Your
presence which is such a privilege.
Open my eyes and ears O Lord
to what is on Your heart for me.
Although what You want to say
is sometimes hard to understand,
give me a heart of obedience to
what You want to impress on me.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord God Almighty, thank You
for Your wonder-working power.
We were once locked in a prison
of darkness to Your truth and light.
Thanks for shining the light of Your
truth into our heart & free us from sin.
Use us Lord to share the truth of Your
great power with others who need
to know the freedom in Christ.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

God Gives Divine Encounter

Two years after Commission, only
Jerusalem had heard the good news.
Then persecution hits, scattering
disciples into Judea and Samaria.
Phillip extends his witness to Africa
thru conversion of visiting dignitary.
And Saul encounters the risen
Lord on the road to Damascus,
transforming him from Saul the
Antagonist to Paul the Missionary.

Lord, we seek to Encounter You:
The Lord told (Ananias): Go to house
of Judas on Straight Street and ask
for a man from Tarsus named Saul
for he is Praying. And in a vision he
has seen you putting your hand on
him… Go for he is a chosen vessel
of Mine to bear My name before
Gentiles… Immediately he preached
Christ in the synagogues that He
is the Son of God (Acts 9:11-20).
When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he
tried to meet with the believers, but
they were all afraid… Then Barnabas
brought him to the apostles & told
them how Saul had seen the Lord
on the way to Damascus (v26-27).
Then the churches throughout
Judea, Galilee and Samaria…were
edified. And walking in the fear of
the Lord and in the comfort of the
Holy Spirit, they… multiplied (v31).

Lord, You gave Paul a dramatic
Encounter on the road to Damascus.
The encounter and the fruit of
Paul’s life validated his testimony.
An Encounter with You Lord can turn
anyone into a passionate believer
who will earnestly give You glory.
So step into our experiences in
powerful and life-altering ways
and show us Your glory. Amen.

Lord, You appeared to Saul, blinded
him to get his attention and then
turnaround his life. Likewise, You
may allow me to get to a dark place
where I can’t see without Your help.
At those times, help me to do as
Paul did and Pray fervently so that
my spiritual sight can be restored
and Your Will Be Done. Amen.

Lord, help me to see others with
Your eyes; and make me to be
an encourager like Barnabas.
Give me Lord the vision to see the
potential You’ve deposited in them.
Fill me with courage to stand with
those in trouble and need my help.
Make me an encouragement from
Your heart to the hearts of others.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Be Devoted to Word & Prayer

Visited by their resurrected Lord
and empowered by the promised
Comforter, the disciples fearlessly
follow their marching orders.
The advance of the gospel is
soon opposed by adversaries.
Attacks from without and within
threaten to fracture the body
of believers in Jerusalem. But
prompt discipline, wise leadership
and unflinching commitment
only serve to enlarge the church.

Lord, we Seek You In Word & Prayer:
But as the believers rapidly
multiplied, there were rumblings
of discontent. The Greek-speaking
believers complained about the
Hebrew-speaking believers saying
that their widows were being
discriminated in distribution of food…
Brothers, select seven men who
are well respected and are full of
the Spirit and wisdom. We will
give them this responsibility. Then
we apostles can spend our time
in prayer and teaching the word…
These seven were presented to
the apostles, who prayed for them
as they laid their hands on them.
So God’s message continued to
spread. The number of believers
greatly increased (Acts 6:1-7).

Lord, grant me grace for continual
readiness and devotion to prayer.
Open my eyes & heart to understand
the great privilege You have given
me in allowing me free access into
Your throne room. Give me a heart
that’s hungry to spend time with You.
And as I do, prepare my mind and
heart for the work You have for me
to do for You & Your kingdom. Amen.

Lord, we realise that each person
has a vital part to play in the life
of the church. For we are created
in Christ Jesus for good works;
which God prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them.
So, prompt and lead each of us to
offer our God-given gifts and talents
for service in church ministries
and so live a life of purpose. Amen.

Lord, we ask You to especially
bless all those in full-time ministry.
We pray first of all for our pastors,
that You would bless them
and their families in every way.
We pray also for the staff & leaders
of our church to be blessed by You
Lord and to be led by Your Spirit.
Keep them safe and protect them
from any attack of the evil one.
And help them to stand strong
against every temptation. Amen.

Prayer for Boldness to Witness

With Jesus’ last instruction still
in their ears, the disciples go forth
speaking words of eternal life.
Visited by their resurrected Lord
and empowered by the promised
Comforter, they fearlessly follow
their marching orders in spite of
mocking, threats & physical abuse.
The advance of the gospel is soon
opposed by adversaries;but prompt
discipline & resolute commitment
only serve to enlarge the church.

Lord, we will Share the Gospel:
Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said:
Elders of Israel: This is the stone
which was rejected by you… which
has become the chief Cornerstone.
Nor is there salvation in any other,
for there is no other name… by which
we must be saved (Acts 4:8-12).
O Lord, hear their threats, and give
us Your servants great boldness
in preaching Your word. Stretch
out Your hand with healing power;
may miraculous signs and wonders
be done through the name of
Your Holy Servant Jesus (v29-30).
And when they had prayed, the place
where they were assembled was
shaken; and they were all filled with
the Holy Spirit and they spoke the
word of God with boldness (v31).

Father God, free each one of us:
From Timidity that worries more
about what others will think of us;
From Selfishness that doesn’t want
to invest time in other people lives.
From Indifference that affirms
truth but doesn’t act in them;
From the Busyness that dominates
our lives with non-essential things.
Replace these concerns with mindset
of one beggar pointing to another to
where bread may be found. Amen.

Lord, I ask that You would open
the eyes of my friends and loved
ones to see Your great salvation.
Give me the discernment to see
the opportunities as they arise.
And I pray that words be given me
that I may open my mouth boldly
to make known the mystery of
the gospel. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lord, You seems to give Your servants
greater boldness in times of distress.
Perhaps because intensity of our
prayers increased with intensity
of circumstances.; and God gives
what we need to follow Him well.
Lord, we long for the boldness
and power of the early church.
And bless us with fruitfulness,
esp when we face hardships. Amen.

Christ Provides Power Source

With Jesus’ last instruction still
in their ears, the disciples go forth
speaking words of eternal life.
Visited by their resurrected Lord
and empowered by the promised
Comforter, they fearlessly follow
their marching orders in spite of
mocking, threats & physical abuse.
The advance of the gospel is soon
opposed by adversaries;but prompt
discipline & resolute commitment
only serve to enlarge the church.

Lord, we’ll Be Open to Holy Spirit:
On the day of Pentecost, seven
weeks after Jesus’ resurrection,
the believers were meeting in
one place… There was a sound
from heaven. And they were Filled
with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).
In the last days… I will pour out
of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons
and daughters shall prophesy…
and whoever calls on the name
of the Lord shall be saved (v17-21).
They devoted themselves to
the apostles’ teaching and to the
fellowship, to the breaking of bread
and to prayer… And the Lord
added to the church daily those
who were being saved (v42,47).

Lord Jesus, grant us the unity
and fervency in prayer that Your
followers had in the upper room.
We long to see Your kingdom
expand, Your Spirit Poured Out
in power and the accomplishment
of Your will & purpose in our time.
Give us hearts that take an active
role in laying the tracks for Your
Spirit’s work in our generation. Amen.

Spirit, reveal any obstacle between
us or any change that is needed.
Empower us & renew us, for we
are open to have Your way in us.
Fill us for we want to experience
the reality of Your presence. And
may Your character and Your ways
rub off on us so that our hearts
can become more like Yours. Amen.

Father, help us be diligent to the
study of Your Word and teach us
so that we understand it fully.
Help us to be in communion
and to encourage one another.
Help us make prayer priority by
setting aside time for it; for often
it gets set aside for other things.
Enable us to maintain that direct
line to You by praying constantly as
You bring things to our mind. Amen

Christ Made Us His Witnesses

With Jesus’ last instruction still
in their ears, the disciples go forth
speaking words of eternal life.
Visited by their resurrected Lord
and empowered by the promised
Comforter, they fearlessly follow
their marching orders in spite of
mocking, threats & physical abuse.
The advance of the gospel is
soon opposed by adversaries. But
prompt discipline, wise leadership
and unflinching commitment
only serve to enlarge the church.

Lord, we will Be Your Witnesses:
Jesus said: U Shall Receive Power
when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you; and you Shall Be
Witnesses to Me… (Acts 1:8).
Jesus has been taken from you
into heaven, but someday He Will
Return in the same way you saw
Him go. Then they returned to
Jerusalem from Mount Olivet. And
they went up into the upper room
These all continued with One
Accord In Prayer (V11-14). Amen.

Lord, thanks for giving us Your
Holy Spirit when we accepted
You, to Be Empowered and Be
Your Witness. Give me ears to hear
and teach me how to listen to You.
Enable me to better understand
virtues like grace, forgiveness,
eternity; and most of all You.
Keep me from the distraction
of busyness & draw me closer
to You more and more. Amen.

Lord, let it be settled in my heart
that You Are Returning. Help me
to be sensitive to changing seasons
both in my life & those around me.
Help me to share Your life with
others who are open to know more
about You. Open my eyes to the
signs around me so that I might
prepare for Your Return out of
gratitude for Your great love. Amen

Lord, Help me to be in communion
with other believers & be in prayer
together. When we think our
voices are small and don’t count,
help us remember we’re not alone.
Use our prayers rising from all
over the world and join them
to fulfil Your purposes. And
thank you for letting our prayers
be a part of your big plans. Amen

Seeking God thru Biblical Prayers

Over the last ten months, we’ve been
Seeking God through Biblical prayers.
Meditating on the prayers of scripture
helps us understand and emulate
how Biblical giants talked with God.
Praying Biblical prayers helps
us Praise Him more and reach
new depths of Thankfulness.
The Bible’s prayers also teach
us how to Intercede for others,
be Honest about our sins and
Commit more of ourselves to God.
They also show us how to Wrestle
with doubts & questions with God.

Friends, when we pray the
prayers of the Bible, we learn
Healthy Patterns in prayers,
instructed in righteousness,
equipped for every good work,
Drawn Closer to God and
receive help to Delight in Him.
May our loving Lord Draw us ever nearer to Him as we pray His Word.
In Jesus‘ precious name, Amen.

Before we continue into Acts,
here’s the key thots from the
four gospels which awaken
and strengthen faith in Christ.
Feb 20: Christ Looks for Faith (Mt 8)
F27: Christ Points to Faith In God(M17)
Mar 6: Trust & Obey (Matt 21)
May 29: Put the Lord In Priority(Mk3)
Jun 5: Be Sincere & Humble (Mk 7)
Aug 14: Respond to the Word (Lk 8)
Aug 21: Be Persistent In Prayer (Lk11)
Aug 28: Press On with Faith (Lk 18)
Oct16: Christ our Bread of Life(Jn 6)
Oct 23: Christ Sends Helper (Jn 16)
Navigation: Click PrayerThots.com
Scroll to Calendar, Select mth & day.