DIY SSK 03/09/23 - Purpose - Ephesians 1:23

 

Thanks for dropping by the DIY Sunday Service Kit for September 3rd., 2023.

Our summer seems to be drawing to a close, but there does seem to be a bit of an Indian Summer coming our way over the next few days.

But whatever the weather and whatever plans we have for the next few days, whatever the circumstances are that lie ahead of us, our Shepherd is always close and will keep shining the sunshine of His love on us ... let's celebrate that in this first song today.

Do you follow one of our social media accounts where you can see the (VERY short) Verse for the Day each weekday morning?

Why not follow the 

Grace Rural Wales Partnership page on Facebook, 

howchaplaingmail on Instagram (same on Threads), 

@WelshRev on Twitter or 

@revsimonbowkett1400 on YouTube 

and make sure you get our Verse for the Day ... and a lot else besides to keep you up to date?

Here's a taster from this week. Tap on the video below

This week we don't have just a few prayer points for today ...

This seven day prayer guide for the world is a slightly different sort of approach for us, with our prayers led today by Justin Long, a digital missionary with Act Beyond based in Texas.

Let's see how we get on with it day by day ... you can use one of these per day of the week:

1. We pray for the women and children in the Al-Hol refugee camp. As a result of the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, thousands of people are ‘detained’ here (and in other camps in Iraq). Many are (or were) IS sympathesizers—but also their families, displaced people under their sway, and tens of thousands of women and children with ‘ties’ to IS soldiers (often forced to marry). Some of the women are bought in to jihadist ideology and raising their children in it. The story of the place is horrific, and worse, no one wants to help resolve it. “Western governments have walked away. ‘They’re hoping for a cholera epidemic,’ says one consultant.” Yet the 42,000 or so in the camp are precious to our Father in heaven, and worth more than any sparrow (Matthew 10:29-31). Is God asking us to intercede for Al-Hol, as he went down to ‘talk with his friend Abraham’ about Sodom & Gomorrah? With so many in the camp, it is unlikely there are absolutely no believers. Many more are sitting in grave darkness. Pray for peace, and justice, and for redemptive light to dawn for them.

2. We continue to pray for the people across the Sahel, from Burkina Faso to Sudan, where coups, civil wars rage. Thousands are experiencing severe trauma. We lament the seemingly unrelenting violence of these months, and the wounding of men, women and children. I confess I cannot see a rapid end to it. Yet we know God can take what the enemy means for harm and use it for good. Pray for the many mission agency and aid agency workers who are laboring to help in the midst of this crisis (Psalm 126:5).

3. We pray for the women and girls migrating from Somalia via the perilous ‘Eastern Route.’ This leads from Ethiopia through Somalia to Yemen and thence to the Gulf States. In 2021, over 50,000 women migrated this way; in 2022, over 100,000. Many find themselves in terrible situations of abuse along the way. Read some of their stories here and here and pray for Kingdom workers who will labor to be a blessing to them (Matthew 25:31-40).

4. We pray for more workers for the harvest in China. China and the nations are ‘disconnecting’ from one another. China is closing in on itself, and other nations are pulling away from it. One recent example: Students in other countries don’t see the value in learning Mandarin. This period of government control and oppression is also a difficult time for the church, and there are some indicators the persecution and harassment has led to stagnant church growth. In this time, we pray God will raise up believers who are passionate for God’s heart for China, and will work on behalf of the church there, despite the many significant obstacles.

6. We pray that God will raise up workers and use us on behalf of North Korea. A number of stories this week highlight some small ‘cracks’ in the walls of this land—North Koreans abroad are returning to the country, regular air flights are being held, and trade between China and North Korea is resuming. Pray that God will raise up innovative individuals who will find ways to bring the Gospel into this land.

7. We praise God for the rise of spiritual hunger in Latin America, especially on the part of the youth. We know in the past many Latin American missionaries have done significant things for Gospel expansion in unreached parts of the world. We pray that out of this new hunger will rise a generation ready to pray, give, and go to the nations.

And so we pray 👇

Click the Bible below for today's reading

That's almost it for today folks, if we can pray for you about something in particular or if we can help with something please feel free to get in touch by email or by text / WhatsApp.

And if you'd like to join us in worshipping by giving please click on the offering bag to be taken to our giving link.

Thanks.

Let's pray

"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you 

before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy

—to the only God our Saviour be 

glory, majesty, 

power and authority, 

through Jesus Christ our Lord, 

before all ages, 

now and forevermore! 

Amen."