Thursday 13 November 2008

PRAYING SCRIPTURE

These Scriptures have been a great tool in helping me focus my prayers and speak God's Word and blessings over Nigel's life...

1st
May he be a righteous man, a man of prayer, mature in the Lord, growing in his knowledge of the Lord.
I Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
Colossians 4:12
We always pary earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God.
Ephesians 1:18-19
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those he called- His holy people who are His rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him.
Ephesians 3:16-19
I pray that from His glorious unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Ephesians 6:18
Pray in the Spirit at all times. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers.

2nd
May he grow in all ways as a man who will not be shaken- may he stand firm forever!
Psalm 15
Who may worshp in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip, bring no harm to their neighbours, and speak no evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honour the faithful followers of the Lord, and always keep their promises. Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.

3rd
May he be a man of contentment and peace.
Proverbs 15:16:
Better to have little with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure with turmoil.
Philippians 4:11
I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.
I Timothy 6:6-8
True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can take nothing with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.
Hebrews 13:5
Do not love money. Be satisfied with what you have, for God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”

4th
May he learn to take every thought captive- not being conformed to the world’s thinking, but being transformed by the renewal of his mind to think scripturally.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to the ways and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by the renewal of your mind through Christ. Then you will learn to know God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will for you.
II Corinthians 10:5
We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

5th
May he continually seek God with all his heart, walking in the Spirit daily, always growing in grace and dependence on God.
Psalm 119:1-2
Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Seek His will and acknowledge Him in all your ways, and he will direct your paths.

6th
May he ever be captivated by my love. May I always be a fountain of blessing to him.
Proverbs 5:18-19
Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. She is a loving deer, a leaping doe. Let her breasts satisfy you always. Be ever captivated by her love.

7th
May he be a man of great boldness, courage, and conviction.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will persoanally go ahead of you. He will not fail you or forsake you.
II Chronicles 19:11
Take courage as you fulfil your duties. The Lord be with those who do what is right.

8th
May he receive Your wisdom and understanding to lead our family physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
Ephesians 1:17-19
I ask God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called- His holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for those who trust in Him.

9th
May he have the grace to deal to the plank in his own eye before worrying about the specks in others’.
Matthew7:1-5
Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. And why worry about the speck in your friends eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hyprocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

10th
May he be a called man- not driven, with well prayed-through goals in life.
I Corinthians 9:24-27
Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified!

11th
May he be a man of prayer, guarding his heart and mind, putting into practice what he has learned, full of thankfulness, joy, and the peace of God.
Philippians 4:4-9
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again- rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received, and the God of peace will be with you.

12th
May he be strong in the Lord, standing firm against the schemes of the devil, and resisting Satan in all circumstances.
Ephesians 6:10-18
Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armour so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armour of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on the helmet of salvation, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
James 4:7-9
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honour.
Job 1:22
In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.

13th
May he grow in spiritual maturity, putting away childish things and cultivating, understanding, and striving after the Christ ideal by partaking of the deeper truths of God, and by overcoming temptation.
I Corinthians 3:11-14
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials- gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. His work will be shown for what it is, because on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, that builder will receive his reward.
I Corinthians 14:20
Don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.
Ephesians 4:13
Continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be maure in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
Hebrews 5:14
Solid food is for those who area mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
1 John 2:14
I have written to you who are God’s children because you know the Father. I have written to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one.

14th
May he make me holy, cleansing me by the washing with water through the Word.
Ephesians 5:25-26
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.

15th
May he learn to not depend on his circumstances for happiness, but on God alone.
Hebrews 6:17-19
God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.
Job 2:10
But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.
Job 5:17-18
But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin. For though He wounds, He also bandages. He strikes, but His hand also heals.

16th
May he enter into spiritual warfare with purity, power, and discernment.
Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
I Thessalonians 5:8
But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armour of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

17th
May he be infused with Your mighty power and strength!
Isaiah 40:28-31
The Everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth, He never grows weak or weary. No one can search His understanding. He gives power to the weak, and strength to the powerless. Even youths become weary, and young men fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength! They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Ephesians 3:14-19
I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him.

18th
May he have a burden to see the lost come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

19th
May he always be kept safe from and untainted by evil men and women, and may his friends be wise men who walk with God.
Proverbs 13:20
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

20th
May his self-image be a reflection of the Lord's thoughts toward him.
Romans 12:3
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Ephesians 1:17-19
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Psalm 139
O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise, you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down- you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in—behind and before- you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. For you created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, You are with me. Search me, O God, and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

21st
May he willingly take responsibility for (and receive power to build) our family’s spiritual growth.
Proverbs 4:2-14
Get wisdom, and gain understanding. Do not forget my words or swerve from them. Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you- love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honour you. She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendour. I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, and do not let it go. Guard it well, for it is your life. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.

22nd
May he be protected from all deception, unbelief, and sin. May his roots grow deep in Christ so that he becomes fruitful and produces a crop that glorifies God.
Matthew 13:19-23
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. He who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. He who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is he who hears the Word and understands it. He produces a crop.

23rd
May he learn to serve others with the gifts and grace given him, and to love others as God has commanded.
Romans 12:5-10
In Christ, we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves.
I Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Ephesians 5:25-30
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 2to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church- for we are members of his body.
Galatians 5:13-15
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature! Rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in this single command: "Love your neighbour as yourself." If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out- or you will be destroyed by each other.

24th
May he be strengthened to grow daily in character, and may the fruit of the Spirit be exhibited more and more in his life.
Galatians 5:16-23
Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
John 15:1-8
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
II Peter 1:5-8
Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, kindness; and to kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things you will never fall.

25th
May he be a willing shepherd: eager to serve, leading by example, growing in humility, alert, self-controlled, steadfast and compassionate.
I Peter 5:2-8
Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers- not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. Young men, in the same way, be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

26th
May he always keep a clear conscience.
I Peter 3:14-18
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.

27th
May he cry out for wisdom, and may the Lord protect Him and guard his course.
Proverbs 2
If you store up my commands within you, turn your ear to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding, call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright. He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for He guards the course of the just and protects the way of His faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair- every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Wisdom will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in the dark, who delight in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways. It will save you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with seductive words who has left the partner of her youth. For her house leads down to death and her paths to destruction. None who go to her return or attain the paths of life. But you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.

28th
May the Lord enable him to manage his time well, and to know the will of the Lord.
Ephesians 5:14
"Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Be very careful, then, how you live- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.

29th
May he be filled with the Spirit, cultivate a grateful and joyful heart, and may the Lord put a song in his heart!
Psalms 33:1-3
Sing joyfully to the LORD you righteous, for it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. Praise the Lord and make music to Him. Sing to him a new song. Play skilfully and shout for joy!
Psalms 40:2-4
He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
Ephesians 5:18-20
Be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Job 35:10
Men cry out when they are under a load of oppression. They groan beneath the power of the Mighty. Yet they don’t ask, ‘Where is God my Maker, the One who gives songs in the night?”

30th
May he always have a holy fear of God. May the Lord encamp around him and provide all his needs, filling him with wisdom and understanding.
Psalms 34:7-11
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Fear the LORD, you his saints- for those who fear Him lack nothing they need.
Psalms 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. All who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise.
Proverbs 9:9-10
Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

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Statement of Belief

Bible: We believe the Bible, consisting of 66 books, to be the inspired Word of God, without error, the revelation of His will for the salvation of men, and the divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life.

God: We believe in one God who exists and operates as three: the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The Father: We believe the Father created all things in heaven and on earth. He created human beings and desires a personal relationship with each of us.

Jesus: We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life and died on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead and ascended into heaven.

Holy Spirit: We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to convict men, making them aware of their sin and the salvation available through Jesus. He regenerates, guides, instructs, and empowers the believer for godly living and service.

Man: We believe that man was created in the image of God and sinless, but fell into sin and is therefore lost and subject to judgement. There is nothing man can do to save himself from this judgement, but he can accept the death of Jesus as punishment in place of his own eternal death by acknowledging God and accepting the free gift of salvation.

Salvation: We believe that the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ provides the only way of justification and salvation for all who believe. Any who attach additional works of man as a requirement for salvation are false in that they infer Jesus' death is insufficient in and of itself to save and that human beings somehow have the capability to save themselves.

Grace Plus Nothing: We believe that it is only by grace through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus that one is justified and receives salvation. It is heretical to add any additional requirements to God's grace, or to claim that certain prayers, water baptism, baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, or any other human work is essential for salvation.

Accepting the Sinner, Denouncing the Sin: We believe that no sin is too big for God to forgive. Therefore, as Christians we should be open and eager to share the Gospel with everyone regardless of their sin or affliction. However, making Jesus Lord of our lives means striving towards holiness and turning from our sinful ways. Therefore, while being open to all sinners, Christians ought not accept, ignore, or promote any sin as permissible.

Non-Essential Elements: We believe the above tenets make up the basis of Christian faith on which all Christians believe and agree. We also realize that many aspects of God's nature including His omnipotence, omniscience, holiness, and tri-unity are beyond human understanding, and have therefore intentionally omitted any statements regarding areas of legitimate disagreement (i.e., baptism, predestination, end times) on which agreement is not essential for salvation.