NBA Prayers 5th July 2020

When Phillip shared the good news with an  Ethiopian eunuch,  he was reaching outside his comfort zone. The Holy Spirit was guiding him to someone of a different nationality and culture.

Today as we share 'church' through the marvels of modern technology, we are reaching people well beyond our usual frontiers. Let us pray as we prepare to return to our physical buildings that we are ready to welcome all who choose to join us, irrespective of age, colour, nationality or culture. Let us not be like one church deacon who when faced with several reborn Hell's Angels  many years ago remarked, "We were wanting converts Roger, but not that kind."

Rather, let us follow the example of Peter, who when the Holy Spirit first fell upon a group of Gentile believers asked, "What should prevent them being baptised?

We thank God  for:

•  the faithful witness of Thornaby Baptist Church.
• the servant heart that you have blessed Thornaby Baptist Church with.
• His faithfulness to us during these difficult times.

We pray;

• for the:finances to carry out essential repairs to the church building.
• for those members of our church who struggle with the restrictions on their movement.
• that you will prepare our hearts and minds for the changes we face in the way we 'do church'.

Prayers and devotional thought supplied by Roger M Daniel: NBA Prayer Coordinator.

NBA Church Prayers 28th June 2020

Westoe Road Baptist Church

Westoe Road

South Shields

Tyne & Wear

Our world is deeply troubled. Countless people are seeking peace and fulfillment. In a world that appears to be spinning out of control, where they seem to be little more than a statistic people need to know that their lives matter.
Many who would not usually attend, are turning to the online services put on by a number of churches during this lockdown. We as Christians are faced with an immense opportunity to present the gospel. We have a passionate God who longs to be intimately involved in each and every life. It is our task to convey this message, not in order to build our membership but to let people know that their lives count to God.

We thank God;

• for the faithful witness of  Westoe Road Baptist Church over the last 202 years..
• for the strong and supportive leadership team of Westoe Road Baptist Church

• for our several youth organisations and the witness, they provide in the wider community.

Please pray:

• that the leaders of Westoe Road Baptist Church will continue to.show by their words and actions, that all lives are precious to you.  

• that you will meet the physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of Westoe Road Baptist Church in this present climate.

• that you will instill in the heart of each member a conviction that they are loved by you, irrespective of colour or creed.

Prayers and text supplied by Roger M Daniel: NBA Coordinator

NBA Prayers 21st June 2020 Marsden Baptist Tabernacle

We serve an awesome God who is passionate about creation. He loves to build out of nothing. In this fact, we as His people can find great hope. The Bible story begins with His spirit hovering over an empty void. During this pandemic, many people are finding their hopes and dreams laid low. If as many fear, we face a second wave we are looking at a crisis of untold magnitude as many businesses face bankruptcy. The plans of many crumble, leaving an empty void. Yet over this emptiness, the spirit of God hovers, as in the space He begins to create something of untold magnitude and great beauty.

The Chinese term for 'crisis' is made up of two words, 'wei' and 'chi'. The first meaning 'danger' but the latter means 'opportunity'. There is the danger of lapsing into despair but there is the opportunity for our nation to turn to God and watch as he takes our emptiness and creates something of untold beauty in our midst. Let us carry this hope to the communities we serve.

We thank God:

•  for the leaders of Marsden Baptist Tabernacle to whom God has entrusted the task of steering the church through these difficult times.

• for the faithful witness of  Marsden Baptist Tabernacle over many years.

• for His faithfulness to this church since it was first founded.

Please pray:

• that the leaders of Marsden Baptist Tabernacle will respond positively to fresh opportunities that the Holy Spirit creates.  

• that  Marsden Baptist Tabernacle will be able to reach out to the local community at this time.

• that God will enlarge the vision of Marsden Baptist Tabernacle and provide its members with much-needed encouragement.

Prayers and text supplied by Roger M Daniel: NBA Coordinator

NBA Prayers for 14th June 2020

For years I was troubled by the statement in Isiah 53: 5 stating that 'by his stripes we are healed'. Having watched Rose Wayland, my mother-in-christ die of a painful brain tumour, it was not until I studied the original Hebrew text that I understood this passage clearly.

The word 'rapa' which we translate as 'healing' means so much more.

It conveys a sense of freshness, restoration, fertility, physical and spiritual healing plus wholesomeness.

With our finite minds, we have a limited understanding of all that God provides for us. Whilst we are concerned for our physical healing, God sees a far greater picture. He will not be satisfied until our broken mental, physical, spiritual and emotional beings are completely healed and we are transformed into the image of Christ.

At times He may choose to provide physical healing. On other occasions He plans something far greater and deeper than we can imagine.

 It is not then, that our expectations of God are too great, but that our grasp of all He offers is too limited.

 

Whilst God is not the author of our sufferings, He does uses them for our ultimate benefit. What the enemy intends for our destruction, He uses for our good. Whilst Rose Wayland was on her sickbed I asked if she was really pleased with God. I will never forget the look of joy on her face as gazing heavenward she stated, 'Oh yes!'

Clearly God used her suffering to draw her into a far deeper relationship and understanding of God's love than I have yet to experience.  

We thank God:

•  for the leaders of Gt. Asby Baptist Church to whom God has entrusted the task of steering the church through these difficult times.

• for the faithful witness of Gt. Asby Baptist Church over many years.

• for His faithfulness to this church since it was first founded.

Please pray:

• that God will inspire the leaders of Gt. Asby Baptist Church as they seek to serve His people in these challenging circumstances.

• that Gt. Asby Baptist Church will be able to reach out into the local community at this time.

• that God will enlarge the vision of Gt. Asby Baptist Church and provide its members with much-needed encouragement.

Prayers and text supplied by Roger M Daniel: NBA Prayer Coordinator

NBA Prayers for 7th June 2020

We serve a multifaceted and infinite God, who we will never fully comprehend with our finite minds. Yet due to our unique, individual personalities we will each grasp one facet of His personality better than another. We can see this clearly in the gospels.

Rather than providing us with an account of Jesus from one perspective, God gives us four. We see Matthew's understanding of Jesus from a Jewish perspective, Mark's sense of immediacy, Luke's concentration on healing, and John's grasp of His majesty. Had we only been left with one gospel we would have a far poorer understanding of Christ.

Thus, when we come together as a corporate body, we reflect a far truer picture of God, than we can ever do individua!!y.

This truth is reflected in today's NBA prayer requests.

We thank God:

•  for the leaders of Headland Baptist Church to whom God has entrusted the task of steering the church through these difficult times.

• for the members of Headland Baptist Church whom God has individually fashioned to become part of the corporate body.

• for His faithfulness to this church since it was first founded.

Please pray:

• that God will watch over, protect and inspire the ministry of Headland Baptist Church in these challenging circumstances.

• that we will recognise each member's unique gifts and the part they play in the corporate body of Headland Baptist Church .

• that just as the Holy Spirit spoke through His people to representatives of different nations, in their own language at Pentecost, He will now empower members of  Headland Baptist Church in reaching out to the sectors of community to which they are called.