Prayer Station 3
We Are All in This Together
What shall we do in the midst of this pandemic storm? Look up! PRAY! And don’t just pray. Take this time to create an intentional prayer time in which you truly visit with God. What can we learn from God during this challenging time? Remember that we are all in this together.
Remember that we are all in this together.
Prayer Devotional:
We are truly all in this together. Two lessons to draw from this pandemic storm are to:
a)Set aside prejudices and…
b)Maintain relationships during isolation.
Lesson 1
Set aside prejudices
Covid-19 does not discriminate. Neither should we.
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” – Romans 12: 4-10
As we battle this common enemy/virus, minor differences between us no longer seem as important. Prejudice was in the world over two-thousand years ago. We see it in the Bible. The Samaritans and the Jews disliked each other. That is what made the Good Samaritan’s kindness, found in Luke 10: 25-27, even more incredible. Women were less than second-class citizens, so Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4: 1-26) was an unusual extension of love and acceptance; a confirmation that God’s love is for everyone who accepts Him. Conflict existed between the Greeks and Jews. Even after Jesus resurrection, some leaders of the early church expected Gentiles (people who are not Jews) to become a Jew first before they could be a Christian. But Paul’s letters to the early Christian communities in Galatia has a message for us as well:
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” - Galatians 3: 28
God’s ancient book of wisdom, the Bible, maintains a theme of love and servitude throughout. We are all one in Christ Jesus. It is my prayer that when our pandemic storm calms, we will continue to set aside our differences and prejudices; that we will remain in this life together, realizing that we are still “one body with many members” (1 Corinthians 12: 12-27).
Lesson 2
Maintain relationships during isolation:
Aw we weather the storms of life, we need each other more than ever. But, we can’t visit. We can’t worship together. We can’t eat together. On top of everything else, our community literally weathered a storm recently. Now, more than ever before in our lives we need each other. So how can we maintain relationships? Though difficult it is important that we maintain relationships, even in isolation. The Bibles tells us so. How can we do that? One way is to pray for others. The Bible shows us, in John 17, that Jesus prayed for Himself, His disciples and us:
“1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you… I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours… Holy Father, protect them by the power of[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one… My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” -John 17: 1, 6-9, 11b, 20-23
Jesus prayed that His followers (which includes us), “may be as one”. Scripture tells us that because God loves us so, we should in turn love each other.
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” - 1 John 4: 11
As you isolate here are some suggestions to keep us all as one:
Reach out to others. Fortunately we have phones, internet, media and social media to maintain interaction with one another. Use your devices to reach out to people each day. Call and check on friends and family. Call and check on neighbors. Touch base with friends at church. Call someone and pray with him or her. Remember that others are feeling as isolated as you are right now.
Praise God for the technology and the people who were able to bring you to church via Facebook this week. If you missed it you may find it on www.corydonmissionarybaptistchurch.com. Some of you may remember that a little over a decade ago, our church had no instrumental music during our services and now we are broadcasting! The music was awesome! Pray for our Music Minister and Instrumentalist at church and the Choir Members at home. Pray for the Pastor and those who are running the all-important technology to facilitate the virtual church services. Pray for those isolating to maintain safety.
Pray for others. Pray for the health-care folks that you know or that you don’t know. I recently saw a television interview with an ICU nursing supervisor from New York City. She described the brief time at home with her family and the lack of ability to escape stress by going out to dinner with friends. But, she only became emotional when she described not having enough time or resources for her patients. Her words literally brought tears to my eyes. Jesus spoke about the importance of us coming together. “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18: 19-20
Do a Prayer Walk. One pretty evening during Porchlight and Prayer time (8:00 p. m. each night), my husband and I had an impromptu prayer walk. We turned on our porchlight and decided to walk around the block. As we walked, we prayed for our neighbors, both the ones we knew by name, their struggles and illnesses, and the ones we did not know by name. For example, as we walked by one home, he said, “Lord, for the nice people who live in that house.” We’ve since made the prayer walk a habit, weather permitting. As we walk we do a “popcorn prayer” meaning we take turns praying as someone comes to mind. We pray for neighbors, family, our church members, and church staff. We pray for friends. And we get a little exercise.
The Bible instructs us to… “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” –Galatians 6: 2
Simply call and check on folks you know or get creative. See in the link below how a choir in Nashville came together in a vocal praise, singing “It is Well with My Soul.”
Click here for: Prayer Station #2
Use the ACTS Prayer Structure, or the PRAY Prayer Structure, to worship and talk to God in prayer today.
Don’t forget Porchlights and Prayer time at 8:00 p. m. each night. “Porchlights and Prayer” is the practice of turning on your porchlight on each night at 8:00 p. m. and praying about the pandemic storm that we are in. (Find more details on Prayer Station 1.)
Musical Praise Ideas (Links to praise and worship music videos that are very uplifting):
This one is really neat. The isolated singers are brought together via technology to sing as a virtual choir. Follow the link below to hear/see the video, “It Is Well With My Soul,” by the Nashville Studio Singer Community Virtual Cell Phone Choir (It is amazing!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDIJz6zzHNU
Follow the link below to hear/see the video, “People Need the Lord,” by Steve Green
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uZcGaixMhg
Follow the link below to hear/see the video, “And All the People Said Amen,” by Matt Maher
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9ifzzMD7zk
Follow the link below to hear/see the video, “Days of Elijah,” by Robin Mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca9LnzJnpjQ
Follow the link below to hear/see the video, “Come to Jesus,” by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8-7jDXENK0
What shall we do in the midst of this pandemic storm? Look up! PRAY! And don’t just pray. Take this time to create an intentional prayer time in which you truly visit with God. What can we learn from God during this challenging time? Remember that we are all in this together.
Remember that we are all in this together.
Prayer Devotional:
We are truly all in this together. Two lessons to draw from this pandemic storm are to:
a)Set aside prejudices and…
b)Maintain relationships during isolation.
Lesson 1
Set aside prejudices
Covid-19 does not discriminate. Neither should we.
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” – Romans 12: 4-10
As we battle this common enemy/virus, minor differences between us no longer seem as important. Prejudice was in the world over two-thousand years ago. We see it in the Bible. The Samaritans and the Jews disliked each other. That is what made the Good Samaritan’s kindness, found in Luke 10: 25-27, even more incredible. Women were less than second-class citizens, so Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4: 1-26) was an unusual extension of love and acceptance; a confirmation that God’s love is for everyone who accepts Him. Conflict existed between the Greeks and Jews. Even after Jesus resurrection, some leaders of the early church expected Gentiles (people who are not Jews) to become a Jew first before they could be a Christian. But Paul’s letters to the early Christian communities in Galatia has a message for us as well:
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” - Galatians 3: 28
God’s ancient book of wisdom, the Bible, maintains a theme of love and servitude throughout. We are all one in Christ Jesus. It is my prayer that when our pandemic storm calms, we will continue to set aside our differences and prejudices; that we will remain in this life together, realizing that we are still “one body with many members” (1 Corinthians 12: 12-27).
Lesson 2
Maintain relationships during isolation:
Aw we weather the storms of life, we need each other more than ever. But, we can’t visit. We can’t worship together. We can’t eat together. On top of everything else, our community literally weathered a storm recently. Now, more than ever before in our lives we need each other. So how can we maintain relationships? Though difficult it is important that we maintain relationships, even in isolation. The Bibles tells us so. How can we do that? One way is to pray for others. The Bible shows us, in John 17, that Jesus prayed for Himself, His disciples and us:
“1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you… I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours… Holy Father, protect them by the power of[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one… My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” -John 17: 1, 6-9, 11b, 20-23
Jesus prayed that His followers (which includes us), “may be as one”. Scripture tells us that because God loves us so, we should in turn love each other.
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” - 1 John 4: 11
As you isolate here are some suggestions to keep us all as one:
Reach out to others. Fortunately we have phones, internet, media and social media to maintain interaction with one another. Use your devices to reach out to people each day. Call and check on friends and family. Call and check on neighbors. Touch base with friends at church. Call someone and pray with him or her. Remember that others are feeling as isolated as you are right now.
Praise God for the technology and the people who were able to bring you to church via Facebook this week. If you missed it you may find it on www.corydonmissionarybaptistchurch.com. Some of you may remember that a little over a decade ago, our church had no instrumental music during our services and now we are broadcasting! The music was awesome! Pray for our Music Minister and Instrumentalist at church and the Choir Members at home. Pray for the Pastor and those who are running the all-important technology to facilitate the virtual church services. Pray for those isolating to maintain safety.
Pray for others. Pray for the health-care folks that you know or that you don’t know. I recently saw a television interview with an ICU nursing supervisor from New York City. She described the brief time at home with her family and the lack of ability to escape stress by going out to dinner with friends. But, she only became emotional when she described not having enough time or resources for her patients. Her words literally brought tears to my eyes. Jesus spoke about the importance of us coming together. “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18: 19-20
Do a Prayer Walk. One pretty evening during Porchlight and Prayer time (8:00 p. m. each night), my husband and I had an impromptu prayer walk. We turned on our porchlight and decided to walk around the block. As we walked, we prayed for our neighbors, both the ones we knew by name, their struggles and illnesses, and the ones we did not know by name. For example, as we walked by one home, he said, “Lord, for the nice people who live in that house.” We’ve since made the prayer walk a habit, weather permitting. As we walk we do a “popcorn prayer” meaning we take turns praying as someone comes to mind. We pray for neighbors, family, our church members, and church staff. We pray for friends. And we get a little exercise.
The Bible instructs us to… “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” –Galatians 6: 2
Simply call and check on folks you know or get creative. See in the link below how a choir in Nashville came together in a vocal praise, singing “It is Well with My Soul.”
Click here for: Prayer Station #2
Use the ACTS Prayer Structure, or the PRAY Prayer Structure, to worship and talk to God in prayer today.
Don’t forget Porchlights and Prayer time at 8:00 p. m. each night. “Porchlights and Prayer” is the practice of turning on your porchlight on each night at 8:00 p. m. and praying about the pandemic storm that we are in. (Find more details on Prayer Station 1.)
Musical Praise Ideas (Links to praise and worship music videos that are very uplifting):
This one is really neat. The isolated singers are brought together via technology to sing as a virtual choir. Follow the link below to hear/see the video, “It Is Well With My Soul,” by the Nashville Studio Singer Community Virtual Cell Phone Choir (It is amazing!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDIJz6zzHNU
Follow the link below to hear/see the video, “People Need the Lord,” by Steve Green
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uZcGaixMhg
Follow the link below to hear/see the video, “And All the People Said Amen,” by Matt Maher
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9ifzzMD7zk
Follow the link below to hear/see the video, “Days of Elijah,” by Robin Mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca9LnzJnpjQ
Follow the link below to hear/see the video, “Come to Jesus,” by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8-7jDXENK0
