Coronavirus Prayer bulletin 3

Coronavirus Prayer bulletin 24/03/2020

Scripture: Psalm 27, A Psalm that is about calling on God for protection while remembering he is faithful and reliable

Prayer points for today

• Pray for those who struggle with lockdown. Pray that they will be comforted and reinforced with extra strength.
• Pray especially for the lonely and those who are extremely vulnerable that they will be helped and identified.
• Continue to pray for those who are worried about jobs and businesses.
• 8077 people now have been confirmed with the virus and 422 have died in the UK . Pray for the hand of God to push back the virus and pray that the
current measures in place for British citizens will slow this virus towards oblivion.
• Continue to pray for the healing of people with the virus and comfort for those who have lost loved ones.
• Pray for the flattening and downhill trend of this virus.
• Thank God for the positive stories coming out of this situation and I invite you to reflect on those stories.
• Thank God for the amazing setting up of a 2 ward 2000 capacity field hospital in London (The Nightingale Hospital), and pray for the recruitment of
250000 NHS volunteers to reduce the strain on the NHS.
• Pray directly for a vaccine to be developed as quickly as possible as well as the identification of drugs already in existence that may help in the
fight against Covid-19

Coronovirus Prayer Bulletin 2

Coronavirus prayer bulletin 21/03/20

Scripture today: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17: 22)
It’s not enough to love others with all our heart; make sure we love ourselves and look after ourselves to
Ready to pray?

Today’s Prayer Points
1. The government is discussing and thinking through the possibility of bringing in stricter policy on social distancing.
• Pray for discernment and for the Lord to guide their thinking.
• Pray for those who are minimising the advice given or even ignoring it that they would grasp the seriousness of this outbreak and take

responsibility for actions.
• Pray for those who are struggling with isolation and actions that they would receive strength and clarity.
2. The UK figures right now at time of writing are 281 deaths and over 5000 reported cases. The global death toll is now over 15000.
• Pray for comfort for those who have lost loved ones through this outbreak.
• Pray for healing for those who are fighting this virus after contracting it. Both those in Hospital and those at home.
• Pray for a downturn and flattening out of the spread of the virus in the UK and across the world.
• Thank God for signs of flattening and slowing down of the virus in countries such as Germany.

3. Other nations.
• Pray for those who are struggling in other countries
• Pray for their governments and decision makers that the right measures will be communicated and carried out.
• Pray for a pushing back of the virus globally

4. The economy
• Pray for that the effects of the business closures will be minimised and rapidly built back up.
• Pray for those who are losing jobs and livelihoods.
• Pray for company directors and business leaders that sensible decisions can be reached in order to cope with the losses.
• Pray that the self-employed will receive the appropriate help and quickly.

5. The NHS
• Continue to pray for NHS Staff to be protected from the virus.
• Pray that PPE will be adequately provided and distributed
• Continue to pray for creativity to try to ease over burdens.

Hey, Lord have your way in us and give us the strength to look after ourselves as well as others. Amen

Coronavirus Daily prayer bulletin 1

Hi everyone

Dawn and I are writing a daily prayer bulletin for our division with aim of giving a prayer template based on the governments daily advice. The aim is to connect people in praying to push back the advancement of the virus through prayer.

I thought I would also share it on my blog for the wider community of my readers who may find it helpful to centre their prayers, and of course to broaden it and add to it.

So here goes.


Coronavirus Prayer Bulletin 22/03/20

The government communicate daily Coronavirus advice via the media and the aim of our daily prayer bulletin for the Central North division is to take the main points and shape them into a valuable framework for a daily prayer rhythm. The prayer rhythm is designed to connect people of prayer in an effective onslaught against the rapidly progressing virus and help to ‘push back’ the advancement of its devastating nature through prayer.

A scripture for courage in prayer

‘Through you (God) we will push back our adversaries; through your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.’ (Psalm 44:5)

Are you ready to do battle?

Today’s Prayer points

1. The government and those leading the effort to physically push back the progress of Coronavirus and turn the tide of its advancement.
• Pray for the prime minister and his team of advisors that they will see ahead of the movement of the virus and make right decisions accordingly.
• Pray for the leadership’s desire for a collective national effort to take hold of the advice given and carry it out.
2. The most vulnerable members of society who will be contacted by text and letter tomorrow requesting them to isolate for twelve weeks. (Those with severe respiratory conditions, cancers and those who have undergone transplant surgeries amongst others)
• Pray for a positive response to this request.
• Pray for the protection of these people from the advancement of the virus.
• Pray for those who will help these people, especially the lonely and those with deep physical, mental and spiritual needs that they will be reached and befriended.
3. The businesses and self employed that are being affected by the lockdown of public gathering spaces and services.
• Pray that they can receive help from the government and that it arrives to them on time.
• Pray for a creative spirit on them to realign and make positive changes to aid the way forward for them.
• Pray that they will be strengthened and comforted in these times of big uncertainty.
4. The National health service
• Pray for all NHS staff that they will stay safe and well as they tackle this virus on the frontline of its advancement.
• Pray that vital protective equipment will be plentiful and available to them without delay or depletion.
• Pray for a greater understanding of the character of the Coronavirus
• Pray that the burden and overload caused by will be lessened.
5. The governments testing process
• Pray that their targets to increase and roll out testing will be achieved
6. The people who are at risk
• That people who can’t get essential things like shopping and medicines will be found and reached.

Pray, Pray, Pray!

And just before we close this bulletin today a reminder to be a part of the churches petition to light a candle in your window at 7pm as a symbol of the hope of Jesus in this crisis.

Massive blessing and rest in the safety of the Saviour.

Purpose perspective (A Word)

See, the storm of the Lord will burst out in wrath, a driving wind swirling down on the heads of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back until he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart. In days to come you will understand this. (Jeremiah 30: 23-24)

In the purity of the zonal space which is Holy ground today, as I rest in the presence of God, the Spirit of God compels to me to share this word with whosoever would read this and test it.

The time is now for turning our total focus on God.

He is accomplishing the purposes of his heart in these days.

Its time to step away from the boundaries of the principality and power of the bad side of religion. It is now that we must fully turn towards God and his purposes. Not our own purposes, but God’s.

It is a commitment.

A commitment to the spiritual things and not the show.

A commitment to the purposes of God both in us and through us, His church.

There are people in deep need of the love of a saviour, hey, every one of us is has that deep need.

But

Some do not see it.

Some won’t accept it.

Yet

Without those of us who are called the church, those who are called children of God, the purposes of God are hindered.

The Spirit of God says to all of us commit, recommit, connect, reshape, reform, regroup, rethink, embrace changes and perspective.

Focus on the things that are spiritual, do not focus on image or the exterior position of the church.

Look for the depths of grace that are being lavished on this world.

Search for the purposes of the heart of Jesus.

And.

Through a colossal realignment of our focus.

This world will be changed forever!

In Jesus name

Peace

The experience of living through the Coronavirus crisis for me is one of peace. 

Yeah peace. 

Coronavirus will be beaten in the end. 

It’s so sad for the families of lives cut short through this particular virus. 

And

For those who are affected by this and indeed those who have contracted the disease and those who are consequently isolated because of it, peace maybe hard to come by just now. 

But

The thing is, through every crisis, Hey God is with us. 

And this short word on my blog today is a simple one. 

And

A question came forward. 

What are we focusing on right now? 

Maybe it’s the fact you are using old news papers because large parts of the UK are hoarding loo roll? 

Is that taking your focus?

Maybe you can’t work or get to church or sit in McDonalds or whatever. Life is full of changes right now.?

Is that taking your focus?

Maybe your struggling with thoughts that this maybe the greatest overreaction in history or you think the other way that the government maybe not doing enough?

Is this taking your focus?

Here is what I put out today for you guys to think about. 

Hey

God is with us. 

Lately, through a crisis of a very different kind for me, I have for once in my life strongly kept my focus on God and his immense power. I have walked through a mega storm and focused on him and not the stuff going on around.  I’ve finally learned to draw on his power and not my own feebleness. 

The result 

Peace. 

So today. 

And please, I am not diminishing the dangers off Coronavirus by any stretch of the imagination. 

It’s a storm raging that pandemically is finding its way round the planet.

My little word is hot off the press from my own prayers and relationship with God and suggests this. 

Press into God especially through prayer. Focus on him. Trust his power. 

Look after yourselves and others. 

Blessings

Practicing listening to a positive inner voice

This week I saw an email from my boss saying we had to respond to a request to confirm our attendance at a business/mission day. I hate those things with a passion, I’m not a ‘let’s sit in groups and discuss something’ type of person. It never works for me. 

I reacted badly. 

And 

All kinds of thoughts came flooding in to my head through an inner voice that jumped into my thought processes furiously and ready for a battle. Why would I want to go to that? Look at the programme for the day the options are not really of interest to me. I don't want to sit through a discussion on a subject I couldn't be less interested in if I tried. All these things were spoken into my life immediately. 

This sent me into a feeling of dread. 

So much so I  wrote an email in reply saying I wouldn't be there. I had a genuine excuse not to be, but that excuse evaporated when someone cancelled a meeting with me. 

I got my kn----rs in a twist well and truly! 

Fortunately 

Every morning I sit and reflect 

On this day I was in In Morrison’s cafe, armed with a fry up and a coffee ready to seek God. I sat and reflected using a book I called ‘Be happy.’ In this book there is a chapter called practicing a positive inner voice.

After reading it I began to reflect on what my inner voice modus operandi was. 

I was instantly surprised. 

I found that on reflection a negative inner voice tended to get in first when dealing with the stuff of life. 

Then I found that my positive inner voice struggled to overcome the negative one. 

And

I mean really struggled to almost the point of defeat. 

Then I asked myself how did the negative inner voice get into my life?

I have been working on a series of articles on guilt and Shame lately. 

Especially the differences between them. 

And

I discovered my inner negative voice came from shame... 

The difference between guilt and shame is best explained like this. Guilt is a bad feeling when we have overstepped the mark with something and we know we shouldn't have. Shame is where we haven't stepped up to the plate as it were.  Shame is where we get a bad feeling about not doing enough or not being enough. 

And this feeling in me has been cultivated over a long period of time. Feeling like I am not quite good enough. That I don't live up to others expectations of me. That I'm not quite good looking enough, not quite intelligent enough, that other people seem to reach heights I don't seem to reach. That kind of thing. 

This shame comes from some roots of negative experiences going back to my childhood.

 

So what I've ended up with is a voice that speaks into my life a dearth of negativity that masquerades as a kind of protective mechanism.  

This voice has made sure my life has not felt quite successful, that my being is often insignificant and that my purpose in life is essentially futile. 

None of those things are true. 

But my negative inner voice convinces me they are. 

So

I've decided that since I have uncovered this almighty mess inside of me. I ought to do something about it. 

No, Let me give God glory here, he has positively ordered me to do something about it!

How do I turn this around so that the positive voice speaks first and blows the negative voice out of the water in my life? 

Wow

A difficult quest awaits me. 

The first thing in Scripture I read when asking God that very question was this. 

John 10:1-42

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” ..

On reading these words I immediately realised I am subconsciously operating in the opposite of this. 

Now, I know Jesus and am in a relationship with him. 

But

As I am one of these very sheep in the pen, I am tending to follow the strangers voice instead of the Shepherds voice. 

Which means this. 

I am open to being ribbed from or  stolen and even killed. 

But

What if I learned to recognize the Shepherds voice and follow him? 

Well, I will be led out of all kinds of situations unharmed and safe. Even enjoy a happier and more fulfilling life. 

So 

One nougat of lifestyle that I learned in my studies of Monasticism throughout the ages, is that monastics throughout history knew why and how practicing things brought about positive change. 

Practicing the presence of God, practicing prayer, cultivating peace and so on. 

So I thought what I need to do is practice listening to the positive inner voice in my being rather than the negative one. 

God is never negative. 

His example is always positive. 

So 

It feels important to realise that the positive inner voice we hear is the shepherd, and has the spirit of God laced into its mix. 

The negative voice is a strangers voice. 

A robber

A killer. 

The other day a guy I have been ministering to said he was driving through the City and he told me that he saw a sign saying adult books for sale. The sign was over a seedy little string of shops that were mostly tinned up.  He told me  a voice spoke up in his head  and said stop there and have a look. It was a strong voice. On this occasion he managed to keep on driving. Then I remembered a friend of mine telling me how he saw this guy every morning struggling up a hill with his shopping and I remember him saying how he felt so guilty because a voice was telling him to stop and help but he never did. 

These two examples show the strangers voice at work but also the Shepherds voice. 

Neither person responded to them. 

And this is where we have to learn to respond by saying no to the strangers voice and yes to the Shepherds voice. 

This is where the practice comes in

I’m on to it! 

What about you?

Is this blog resonating with you?

Join me in responding to the beautiful inner voice of the spirit of God and practice a none response to the inner negative voice. 

It may make all the difference. 

Minimize

Hey

I took the bull by the horns the other day and decided to clean up and de-clutter my office at home.

I stripped my desk down to absolutely nothing. No papers waiting to be filed, no wires ready for my devices strewn across the table, no books waiting to be put on a shelf of other books that maybe I might read someday.

And

I experienced something amazing!

I felt calmer and relaxed as I work in my minimized space.

In Josh Becker's book on simplifying your home and your life, he alludes to this concept and suggests that living in a minimized home helps to bring less stress to your life and a calmer existence.

I think he's right.

So

After writing a book on de-cluttering our life I have become really interested in the subject of minimalism as applied to our living.

And

I was reminded in my way less cluttered space at home, as I soaked in the calmness that I still have work to do in my own life, to make space for the important stuff like God, like family, like health, like work, and like play.

I need to spend less time on the computer still and make even more room for prayer. I still need to spend less and spend less time shopping on needless things.

I need less clothes in my wardrobe, I need less distracting things around the house that clutter the space and make it more busy and not a calm place.

I still need to keep working on my diary to create space for more focus on my priorities like God, health, work, play and family.

So in my prayer space this morning I was speaking with God about this subject he led me to seven scriptures on minimalism.

And

I Know for sure that less clutter in our lives brings less stress!

so, hey,

I thought I would share them with you today.
__________________
01. | Hebrews 13:5-6 (MSG)
Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote,
God is there, ready to help;
I’m fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me?

02. | 1 John 2:17 (MSG)
Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

03. | 1 Timothy 6:6-8 (MSG)
A devout life does bring wealth, but it’s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that’s enough.

04. | Matthew 6:19-21 (NASB)
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

05. | Luke 12:15 (ESV)
And he said to them, “Take care, be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.

06. | 1 Corinthians 7:30-31 (MSG)
I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple—in marriage, grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things—your daily routines of shopping, and so on. Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.

07. | 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (MSG)
Tell those rich in this world’s wealth to quit being so full of themselves and so obsessed with money, which is here today and gone tomorrow. Tell them to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.

Hey

I hope these inspire and speak to you guys today.

Blessings

Sovereign

Getting myself together would not have been possible without the king.

Getting my life back just wouldn't have happened. 

What is a king?

A king is the soveriegn ruler of a piece of geographical space and its inhabitants. 

The king is the ruler of the universe and its inhabitants forever.

So

He reigns over every inch of it both physically and spiritually.

He inhabits everything.

Every tree, every blade of grass, every drop of water, every breeze. 

The inhabitants?

Well

He amazingly gives us the gift of choice. 

The choice is a straightforward one. 

Recognize the king and allow him to inhabit and rule over your life. 

How did I get from the pit of despair to the beauty of balance?

I chose to recognize the king and allow him to inhabit my life. 

And 

What a difference it has brought to my once rapidly fading existence. 

Joy, peace, contentment and purpose have replaced the rubbish life I had fell into. 

So

Here is my recommendation to those who have no joy, peace, contentment or purpose.

Use the gift of choice 

Declare God as King of your existence right now through Jesus the ultimate Saviour. 

I guarantee now that things WILL change. 

Starlight

My phone is my mate.

When I bought it the advertising bumph stressed that the camera or cameras, 5 of them, were so good in low light that it would reveal the secrets of the night!

Wow

I was hooked!

And

As it happens, this camera is brilliant especially when it comes to astrophotography, photography involved in the imaging of the night sky.

The secrets of the night!

Hey

That started me thinking.

And

Started me reflecting.

I saw in my mind's eye the days where I was walking in darkness, in fact more than that, walking in the black of the night, the kind of thick darkness that depression and melancholy bring. I couldn't see where I was going, I didnt know what was in front of me, I was constantly in danger of falling and longed for some kind of light.

Anyone relate to that?

Yeah

Life

Life can be affected by all kinds of stuff

I didn't see the darkness coming. it crept up on my existence like a ghost from the depths of nowhere.

While in the depths of despair, the darkness helped me to resign from the Salvation Army, the darkness also took my liberty, my self esteem, my confidence and my trust in anything. I was left lifeless and cold.

And

Alone.

I have written and spoke many times since my healing and restoration about the role that hope played in my resuscitation.

And

This morning I feel compelled to write this for someone today.

Really listen to this scripture. Isaiah 9:2

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in darkness a light has dawned."

I want to say to that person who is shrouded in that lurid and hopeless darkness this morning, that there is a light.

look for it right now.

look at it right now.

it is found in the face of a Saviour.

Who's birth we will soon be celebrating.

The light has come

Wow

Listen

There is a fresh start in that light, a new beginning.

There is healing and fixing in that light.

No amount of brokeness cannot be reconstructed in that light.

Hey

You are devoid of strength right now, you are broken and shattered, you are locked into a feeling that you feel will never leave you.

But.

For those living in darkness the light has come.

And

That means there is hope, a very real hope.

There are, as my phone camera promises, secrets of the night. I love it when I take a photo of the stars, and the sheer detail and illumination my camera gives.

There is sheer beauty in starlight

But it is no secret that there is a far greater light.

The light of a different way, a new beginning and a fresh vision of life.

God light!

Come on, you can change this.

Letter to hope

Dear hope

I love you.

You only have positive expectations

You accompanied me into my darkest moments even though I didn't hear, see or feel you.

But

You were definitely there.

And

I have to say thank you for offering me your outstretched hand in my time of need.

I noticed some other things about you too.

You hold all the good things that are locked into my future. You carry strength like I have never seen. You have a steadiness and a calmness that exceed anything the world could ever offer up.

I should have believed in you quicker, I wish I had taken a hold of you sooner, but I didn't.

Yet

That's the thing

you still stayed close and promised to never leave no matter what.

and

You never left and never will

You offer another way, another approach, another chance always.

The healing properties you carry are boundless and are medicine to the sickness darkness causes.

you offer me a way out of the darkness.

You show me opportunities not despair.

You are my companion for life and I never realised

But

Now I know

And

I know you are real and present

Forever

You are so real

I love you.

Thank you

X

The best and worst of times

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Hey I have been on one heck of a journey the last five years. 

From the day I left Officership back in April 2015, I set about deepening my relationship with God, with the aim of being strengthened and healed.

And

I started back last week in Ministry in the Salvation Army a completely different person, with a new outlook on life, and a perspective that has shifted considerably. 

I guess the quote from Dickens magnificent book, Tale of two Cities, really describes the battle to be healed and restored I have been enmeshed in over the last few years. 

I have experienced the deep power of Jesus that changes everything, I've had help from some experts and some deeply spiritual help from trusted people. Then on the other hand I battled to allow healing to come to the wounds I had recieved. During the last few years I lost my mum and my brother. I've worked in a few jobs that were a blessing and helped with the restructuring of my inner persona. I have experienced highs and lows with massive extremes. 

These are just a couple of things. 

I will go into some of the amazing things that I have been humbled and blessed by as I resume my blogging now. 

So

As you can probably guess. 

It has been the best and the worst of times. The spring of hope and the winter of despair. 

Yet

My goodness, I have learned so much about myself and how important changing my attitude towards life and ministry actually is. 

And

It has been undoubtedly the most important time of my life.

So during the coming weeks, I will share some of my experiences and victories I have received and achieved in the hope it will help someone else out there to understand totally that hope is real.  

Looking forward to it

Gaz