“Return to your first love”
As we begin the new year, what better way to start than to focus on God’s love for us and our love in return, so that all we do in 2022 is a response to that love.
5 churches are joining together to pray continuously for a week, covering our local community and the wider world in prayer: Pendennis Good News Church, Resound, Downend Baptist Church, Badminton Road Methodist Church and Christ Church Downend. The week is divided into hour long slots which you can book online using this link:
https://pray.24-7prayer.com/signup/4bf6ec
if you can’t use online booking please call Anita Dobson on 07753233950 or email at anitadobson@christchurchdownend.com
You can pray at home, or with others, or go on a prayer walk. You can use Scipture, music, creativity, silence, intercession, however you wish. you can take an hour slot every day, or a few over the week, or just one. If you have never prayed by yourself for an hour then do try it! There is a guide below to help.
http://christchurchdownend.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/How-to-pray-for-60-minutes.pdf
Here are daily guides with a particular theme for each day:
http://christchurchdownend.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Guide-for-prayer-Sat-1-Jan-2022.pdf
http://christchurchdownend.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Guide-for-Prayer-Wed-5-Jan-2022.pdf
http://christchurchdownend.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Guide-for-prayer-Thurs-6-Jan-2022.pdf
http://christchurchdownend.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Guide-for-Prayer-Sat-8th-Jan-2022.pdf
http://christchurchdownend.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Guide-for-Prayer-Sun-2-Jan-2022.pdf
http://christchurchdownend.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Guide-for-Prayer-Friday-7th-January.docx
http://christchurchdownend.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Prayer-guide-Tues-4-Jan-.pdf
http://christchurchdownend.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2022PrayerWeek-LoveYourNeighbour.pdf
You can also join us for 2 prayer and praise times together on Zoom. The first one starts off the week of prayer: Sat 1st Jan at 7pm to 8pm Join using the link below:
Topic: Prayer and Praise Opening meeting for 24/7 week
Time: Jan 1, 2022 06:45 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/7932129946?pwd=Yk4zUVUwZTNRZnZxOXpaMXVYTWQyZz09
Meeting ID: 793 212 9946
Passcode: 523901
The closing Prayer and Prasie link is here:
Closing event:
24/7 Prayer – First Love – Prayer & Praise Together
Time: Jan 8, 2022 07:00 PM London
Meeting Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84105598447
Meeting ID: 841 0559 8447
Reflections for Saturday 1st January:
I was struck by three scriptures during my quiet time today: Genesis 3:17-19, Matthew 27:27-31, Revelation 19:11-16.
Part of the curse on Mankind leading to the spiritual fall of Mankind was that hard toil with constant resistance in the form of ‘thorns and thistles’ would be the lot of Mankind. The soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and then beat it mercilessly on Jesus’s head before leading Him forth to His crucifixion. Jesus took the full weight of all curses placed on Mankind onto Himself during the crucifixion. Thankfully, His death on the cross in the stead of Mankind was not the end of this History. One day, He will return as the resurrected and ascended King of kings in all His glory bearing many crowns on His head. Instead of an humiliating crown of thorns, He now bears many crowns of gold, silver and precious jewels. He is so worthy of our steadfast turning or returning to Him as our first love because of who He is and because of all He has done for us. Thank You Adonai that You did it all to remove and break off all curses from our lives. You are worthy of all our praises. Thank You for all that You are now, Lord Jesus; the soon-to-return all conquering King bearing many crowns on Your head. Amen.
Reflections for Sunday 2nd January:
This morning, I woke up and I saw rocks rolling off the slope of the side of a lake. A question popped into my mind at the same time: ‘Will My body let Me shift the lake?’ I had a clear sense that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37).
I spent the time interceding that God would shift, move the destinies of people’s lives, the lives of families, churches, communities, cities and nations. He has moved, He is moving, so powerfully in many people’s lives in many nations. “More, more, more, more, Lord!” we cry out. Please Adonai, radically change and cause a shift in the way that we relate to You. Work powerfully in the life of Your people to cause a fundamental change in the way that Your Body works in the world. May many lost be saved and be redeemed into Your kingdom, Lord Jesus. Amen.
Reflections for Monday 3rd January:
Woke up this morning with the phrase ‘inner healing’ on my heart. I saw many of God’s children with a broken heart in their chest. In conjunction with prayer guides for this week so far, I interceded Psalm 23 and Job 11:13-19 over people. I prayed until I felt a sense of breakthrough.
Adonai, we are all unlovely and unworthy. But Your love for us is so great, that You sent Your Son as the only true way (John 3:16) by which we may be made holy and blameless (Colossians 1), and spotlessly clean (Isaiah 1), in Your sight. You have so much cause to reject and to discard us but instead You made the perfect way by which we are fully restored and redeemed. May this perfect way be revealed to those in the body of Christ and outside the body of Christ. Amen.