Apostolic Church of PentecostApostolic Church of Pentecost"If you love me, keep my commands"—John 14:15
"If you keep my commands you will abide in my love"—John 15:10
Let's make 2023 A Year of Obedience to Jesus!
We are going to launch “40 days of Obedience to Jesus” during the season of Lent. Each day during Lent you will find a scripture verse and a prayer focus for the day on the theme of obedience.
Violence will disappear from your land; the desolation and destruction of war will end. Salvation will surround you like city walls, and praise will be on the lips of all who enter there." —Isaiah 60:18
Prayer Focus: Salvation is a beautiful gift and the reason we believe in sharing the gospel. What would God have you do for one of our Global Workers?
"From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God. Long-lost families are falling on their faces before Him. God has taken charge; from now on He has the last word."—Psalms 22:27-28
Prayer Focus: What a beautiful picture of God's saving grace; a grace we understand! Pray for families (from the four corners of the earth) to fall on their faces before Him.
"What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people He has chosen as His inheritance." —Psalms 33:12
Prayer Focus: Cry out for your nation, and the nation that is on your heart—He choses people for His inheritance!
Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave His charge: "God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."—Matthew 28:18-20
Prayer Focus: You are not alone in living out the commission Jesus gave! Delight in that truth today and be renewed in the call God has on your life!
"...I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, 'Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!'"—Revelation 7:9-10
Prayer Focus: Meditate and catch His vision as it is here in these verses—every nation, tribe, people, and language. Look up an obscure language and pray for those people!
"Surrender your anxiety. Be still and realize that I am God. I am God above all the nations, and I am exalted throughout the whole earth."—Psalms 6:10
Prayer Focus: Sometimes the mission seems too big, and that we need more (of everything). Read the verse again. Surrender, take a breath, and then extend grace and ignite hope where you can today.
"Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm."—Colossians 3:2
Prayer Focus: Jesus prayed, "on earth as it is in heaven." When your heart is full of heavenly realities, guess what happens where you live? Ask...
“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.”—1 Timothy 2:1-3
Prayer Focus: God wants everyone saved—so we pray! Who are you believing for? Spend time in His presence and renew your prayers for the precious souls in your life.
"You must love your friend* in the same way you love yourself."—Matthew 22:39
*As translated from the Aramaic word kareb, which means "one who is close to you" (emotionally or by proximity). The Greek is "neighbour."
Prayer Focus: We prayed for our neighbours in week two, lets expand to include the neighbours of our Global Workers all across the world!
"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it give light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." —Matthew 5:14-16
Prayer Focus: Sometimes we forget that we have a light to shine. The world seems so dark, but, it's the little things that bring light to the world around us. A smile, a hug, food for a neighbour, shovelling the walk, a text...
Pray for the opportunity to do a good deed today!
"Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody." —Romans 12:14-16
Prayer Focus: Who needs your friendship today? Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see someone's need today.
"Every person must submit to and support the authorities over him. For there can be no authority in the universe except by God's appointment, which means that every authority that exists has been instituted by God." —Romans 13:1
Prayer Focus: Our leaders in government. Pray for your Mayor, your MP, and your Prime Minister.
"They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord's Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity..."—Acts 2:46
Prayer Focus: Your Church family! You are part of a special community—maybe it's time to invite someone over to share a meal.
"For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day." —John 6:38-39
Prayer Focus: He wins—and you are His! We carry great hope, pray that the Hope of Jesus would be known to all those around you.
"So guard yourselves and God's people. Feed and shepherd God's flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders."—Acts 20:28
Prayer Focus: We get to set the table; creating the environment and space for people to be known and loved. Where do you need to be serving in your home church? Do you need renewal in this area? Pray into it!
"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near."—Hebrews 10:24-25
Prayer Focus: There's a lot of good stuff in that scripture: encourage, good works, church family, His return! Pray for those in your church family, your Pastor, your congregants, those who've come and gone from your fellowship...
"Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts."—Colossians 3:16
Prayer Focus: The Church in a verse—pray that the richness of the message about Christ affects the lives of your community.
"When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there."—Matthew 18:20
Prayer Focus: Today, find a partner to pray. You can be sure that He'll be there!
"He is the Head of His body, which is the church. And since He is the beginning and the firstborn heir in resurrection, He is the most exalted One, holding first place in everything."—Colossians 1:18
Prayer Focus: Jesus holds first place—in our churches. Honour and invite His presence in today.
"For His 'body' has been formed in His image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one. And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively through the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love."—Ephesians 4:16
Prayer Focus: We reflected on the 'head' yesterday; today it's you and me! Surrender your gifts to the Holy Spirit again—align your heart with His desire to see the growth of all.
"Obey your spiritual leaders and recognize their authority, for they keep watch over your soul without resting since they will have to give an account to God for their work. So it will benefit you when you make their work a pleasure and not a heavy burden."—Hebrews 13:17
Prayer Focus: We all need accountability and each of us should lean into the spiritual authority over our lives. Pray for the person who holds that place in your life. Maybe it's time to meet for coffee again?
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.”—1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Prayer Focus: Who is on your heart today? Who has God placed in your path? Send a little love their way!
"So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing."—1 Thessalonians 5:11
Prayer Focus: You've got encouragement inside of you! Listen to the whisper of His voice—who needs some of what you've got today?
"Children are God's love-gift; they are heaven's generous reward." —Psalms 127:3
Prayer Focus: Pray for our kids and grandkids, pray for our parents, pray for those family relationships—bless them!
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and live with his wife. And the two will become one flesh. From then on, they are no longer two, but united as one. So what God unites let no one divide."—Matthew 19:5-6
Prayer Focus: Marriage is a gift—pray for the marriages around you—yours, your children's, and maybe the one in trouble.
"Who could ever find a wife like this one—she is a woman of strength and mighty valor! ...Her husband has entrusted his heart to her." —Proverbs 31:10-12
Prayer Focus: If you have a wife, pray for her. If you are a wife pray for the strength/valor you need. Pray for your son's wife or his future wife...God knows!
"Husbands have the obligation of loving and caring for their wives the same way they love and care for their own bodies, for to love your wife is to love your own self."—Ephesians 5:28
Prayer Focus: If you have a husband, pray for him. If you are a husband—renew your love/care for your wife. Pray for your daughter's husband or her future husband, because you love and care!
"For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: Love your neighbour as yourself."—Galatians 5:14
Prayer Focus: Your neighbours—sometimes, you don't even know them. Pray for them, bless them and lift them up to our Heavenly Father—He knows everything about them!
"We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters."—1 John 3:16
Prayer Focus: You are Jesus' passion! The real love that you know—makes Him your passion. Tell Jesus how much you love Him today.
Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."—John 6:35
Prayer Focus: Whoever comes to me. Are you going to Jesus? Are you eating and drinking from His table? Let Him be your source today.
"Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."—John 8:12
Prayer Focus: You don't have to walk in darkness—His light brings a fullness of life. How can you follow today? What steps has He asked to take—today's the day!
"If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?"—Luke 15:4
Prayer Focus: The Shepherd in search of His lamb—a passion for the forgotten. You know someone who needs to be found—let's pray for their salvation today!
"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things."—1 Chronicles 29:11
Prayer Focus: The one who is over all things—at times we default to our own strength and abilities. Let's worship today and refocus on His greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty.
Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."—Matthew 11:28
Prayer Focus: Rest for our souls—the part of you and me that's always going. Take time today to give Him your burdens, worries, and stresses.
He pressed them, "And how about you? Who do you say I am?"—Matthew 16:15
Prayer Focus: Maybe you answered that question years ago...
Today, focus on Christ the Messiah, Son of the living God. Feels big doesn't it?