Making Jesus known

During our day of prayer and fasting for March we want to focus on making Jesus known and knowing Jesus better. The bible tells us that Jesus is the exact representation of God’s being and in our prayers today we want to pray that our knowledge of Jesus will increase and that God’s Holy Spirit will illuminate our heart and eyes to see Jesus more clearly.
We want to focus on four aspects of Jesus journey as he fulfilled his greatest mission on the cross and our text for praying today is: Luke 23:34; Luke 23:43; John 19;25-27; John 19:30

6am – 9am

Session One – FORGIVENESS

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.” Luke 23:34 NLT

QUOTES

Forgiveness is a form of voluntary suffering. In forgiving, rather than retaliating, you make a choice to bear the cost. Tim Keller

PRAYER

• Pray for a grateful heart that celebrates God’s forgiveness of you and others
• Pray that the body of Christ here in Worthing will work to extend God’s forgiveness to the wider community
• Pray that in our homes, work, relationships and families we would forgive others quickly so all our relationship can be enriched
• Pray for a deeper understanding of God’s forgiveness within the church

Meditate

…For they don’t know what they are doing” Ignorance abounds in regards to sin and most people do not know its impact any more. Think of how you will help others see our need for forgiveness.

9am – 12 noon

Session Two – ASSURANCE

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

QUOTES

The great basis of Christian assurance is not how much our hearts are set on God, but how unshakably his heart is set on us. Timothy Keller

PRAYER

• Pray that God will guide us into a season of salvation fruitfulness
• Pray that God will deepen our assurance of salvation in Him
• Pray that the obstacles to salvation in our friends and families life will be removed.

Meditate

‘Today you will be with me in paradise’ Take time to think through what spending eternity with Jesus would be like and also remember that Jesus is the key to heaven

12 noon – 3pm

Session Three – CARE

Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home. John 19:25-27

QUOTES

Christ literally walked in our shoes and entered into our affliction. Those who will not help others until they are destitute reveal that Christ’s love has not yet turned them into the sympathetic persons the gospel should make them.” Timothy Keller,

PRAYER

• Pray that God will open our eyes to see the needs in our church and wider community and give us the grace to help
• Pray that the church will be courageous in stepping out and caring for the wider community around us
• Pray that as we care for those around us the love of Jesus Christ will be encountered through our care

Meditate

‘Here is your mother’ Jesus extended the boundaries of family – Ponder on how you can be intentionally in engaging with others within the body of Christ as family

3pm – 6pm

Session Four – IT IS FINISHED

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfil Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:28-30

QUOTES

After creation God said, “It is finished”—and he rested. After redemption Jesus said, “It is finished”—and we can rest. Timothy Keller

PRAYER

• Pray that God’s salvation that Jesus finished on the cross will continue to be the heart of our mission
• Pray that God’s community created after Jesus finished work, the church, will become all that God created it to be
• Pray that Godly fellowship created after Jesus finished work will open our eyes to see all the things we need to do so we can develop a healthy community

Meditate

Think of all the good things that came with Christ’s finished work i.e. salvation, forgiveness, Holy Spirit baptism, Holiness, love, community, scriptures etc – Let God guide you into Christ’s finished work in your life and celebrate.

Prayer Meeting

Join us at the elim centre for prayer time and an opportunity to encounter God’s presences and healing grace 7-8pm