Thank you Jesus that you gave up all the riches of heaveb for my sake. Lord would you help me develop a lifestyle that builds up my Christian brothers and sisters. Help me avoid causing them offence and confusion by the simple, God centred life I want to lead.

Thank you for the rich diversity within Christianity. Lord help me please first of all to live by your standards. Help me avoid condeming those who appear not as confident in their faith. Lord you have gifted me with encourgement, help me to use it. Lord I pray you would give me wisdom to discern between what is and isn't important within the Christian life.

Lord I want to live completely for you. I want my future to reflect the change your love has brought about. Lord would you shape my concerns regarding money, ambition and the environment. I ask again for clear guidance as I meet Sir Peter and Hugh tomorrow.

Thank you for the peace we enjoy in our land. Thank you for the democratic system of rule we have. Lord this morning I want to pray for Christians throughout your world that live in countries with corrupt governments. I pray especially for those in Burmah, in China, in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. Help them live lives based on gospel principals. Give them strength to do what is right in your eyes.

Lord I ask you to help me live the kind of life described in Romans 12: 9-21.
Love sincerity
Hate evil
Cling yo good
Honour one another
Joyful in hope
Patient in affliction
Faithful in prayer
Bless those who persecute
Rejoice with those who rejoice
Mourn with those who mourn
Live in harmony
Don't be proud
Don't be conceited
Help Me!

Thank you Lord that you have blessed me with gifts - teaching, encouraging and leadership. I pray you would continue to develop these in me that I might be a blessing to my fellow Christians.

Thank you Father that Jesus gave his all for me. Help me to give every part of my life to you. I will offer up my life.

I will offer up my life
In spirit and truth,
Pouring out the oil of love
As my worship to YouIn surrender I must give my every part;
Lord, receive the sacrifice
Of a broken heart

CHORUS:
Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring
To so faithful a friend, to so loving a King?
Savior, what can be said, what can be sung
As a praise of Your name
For the things You have done?
Oh my words could not tell, not even in part
Of the debt of love that is owed
By this thankful heart

You deserve my every breath
For You've paid the great cost;
Giving up Your life to death,
Even death on a cross
You took all my shame away,
There defeated my sin
Opened up the gates of heaven
And have beckoned me in

Lord thank you for the team you have blessed me with at work. Help me to treat them with respect. Help me to value and encourage them. Lord I pray for all Christian Leaders that they may be secure in you and able to lead with wisdom, love and integrity. Lord help, bless and encourage Phil.

Lord what you think of me is more important than what others think of me. You have reminded me today that jealousy and resentment are fuelled by fear and insecurity. Lord I thank you that at the moment I am not expereincing jealosy or resentment, protect me I pray that I may continue to know your blessing.

Lord I pray that you would show me the battles you want me to become involved in. Help me to remember the battle is yours. Thank you already that whilst writing you reminded me that most of the battles I will have will be with myself, my attitudes, my desires and my sin. Cleanse me O God.

CALLED TO A BATTLE, heavenly war;
Though we may struggle, victory is sure.
Death will not triumph, though we may die;
Jesus has promised our eternal life.

By the blood of the Lamb we shall overcome,
See the accuser thrown down.
By the word of the Lord we shall overcome,
Raise a victory cry,
Like thunder in the skies,
Thunder in the skies.

Standing together, moving as one;
We are God’s army, called to overcome.
We are commissioned, Jesus says go;
In every nation, let His love be known.

Lord I will stand for you in Saltburn. Equip help and guide me I pray that I may contribute to your will being done.

1 Sam 16: 14-23
Thank you for this begining of the story of David. He was trusted and proved competant with small things and now was starting to fulfil the big things you havd called him to. Lord thank you for the equipping role Holy Spirit plays in this early account. Today I pray you would fill me with Holy Spirit that I may know your will and be obedient to it. Have your way with me at the King's interview.

'The Lord looks at the heart'
'Search me, O God and know my heart'
Lord I ask that in all my dealings with people you would help me look at thier heart, not their outward appearance or circumstance. Lord may I truly give each an equal opportunity.

Father thank you that I can know you personally, thank you that you're my God, not a god or somebody elses god. I pray that you would purify my heart, keep me close to you by the help and power of Holy Spirit, that I may fully know the joy that my salvation brings. Lord help my spirit be willing, I want to be compliant not reistant.

Lord help me to be obedient to all of your word. I want to follow you completeley and not just the bits that are either easy or pleasurable. Lord give me an undivided heart...

O LORD, GIVE ME AN UNDIVIDED HEART
To follow You.
O Lord, give me an undiminished love,
To see what You see, to do what You do,
O Lord, give me an undivided heart.

O Lord, give me an unrelenting mind
To seek Your face.
O Lord, give me an undefeated faith,
To see victory in all that I do,
To worship in spirit and truth.
To see less of me, and much more of You,
O Lord, give me an undivided heart.
O Lord, give me an undivided heart.

Father I pray today for those who have leadership over me, Ruth and Phil and those who share leadership with me. Help me respond to their leadership in a way that brings you glory.

Lord, help me to make prayer my first option rather than my last resort. Will you help me focus and remain close to you in the next few days especially. Would you please speak and guide me clearly upto and beyond my interview on Tuesday.

Lord, help me make the most of every opportunity. Lord I do want to deepen my prayer life, but I don't want prayer to become an excuse for not acting upon what you have said. Help me to hear you clearly and act in accordance to your will.

The pictures of Saul (cautious) and Jonathan (impulsive) are interesting. I guess Lord as I reflect I am more like Jonathan in this respect. I ask you to help me with my impulsiveness by developing my motives to bring you glory. Some cautiousness in my approach would help too.

Lord I thank you for this series in Joel - a reminder of your judgement and your mercy. I thank you again this morning Father God for Jesus who paid the price for my sin that I may approach yur throne of grace with confidence. Thank you Jesus that when you return there will be no more pain or injustice - Hallelujah!

Come Holy Spirit, let your fire fall. Help me to dream dreams of what you are calling me to do.

Lord again I am reminded of your grenerosity and your abundance - Thank you that you will repay for the years the locusts have eaten. A reminder once more that mercy has triumphed over judgement.

YOU ARE MERCIFUL TO ME,
You are merciful to me,
You are merciful to me, my Lord.
(Repeat)

Every day my disobedience
Grieves Your loving heart;
But then redeeming love breaks through,
And causes me to worship You.

(Men – Women echo))
Redeemer,
Saviour,
Healer
And Friend.
Every day
Renew my ways,
Fill me with love
That never ends.

"Mercy over judgement"
A reminder today Lord that you will judge everyone. But thank you that your word tells me that you are gracious, compassionate and slow to anger. Help me Lord to understand this difficult area of faith in you.

WE HAVE CALLED ON YOU, LORD,
And You have heard us.
We have called on Your name,
And You have answered.
Mercy has triumphed over judgement.
Mercy has triumphed over judgement.

You have stretched out Your hand,
And You have touched us,
Sent us Your holy fire,
And You have purged us.
Light has triumphed over darkness.
Light has triumphed over darkness.

We love You, and sing to You,
God of our salvation.
You’ve rescued us and we declare
Your glory to the nations.
We give our lives, a living sacrifice,
Empty and ready to be filled
With Your power.

Lord it is true that in times of great joy and times of great sorrow you appear to draw close. Lord I know that this is completely false - you are close all the time. Help me to recognise and expereince your closeness not just in times of joy or sorrow but all the time.

Lord, thank you that in Joel 1: 1-12 you remind me of the painful reality of life - Lord I pray today for the situation in Burma arising after the typhoon struck that nation. As Joel writes so today I mourn, despair, wail and grieve for that situation, in the midst of that particular darkness Lord I pray that you would shed your light of hope.

Father you are always there to support me in every situation, help me to 'cast my cares onto you'. Lord help me avoid thinking and believing that I have to do life on my own - You're there to support me - thank you!

Father thank you for the countless blessings you have lavished upon me both spiritually and physically. Would you continue to teach me to trust you and help me learn to be an intimate follower.

Lord I thank you that I have now an established pattern of study - will you help me now to develop a hunger to go deeper and gain more knowledge and wisdom. Lord help me to store up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Ps 119: 11

Lord would you open my eyes today that I might see what you're doing and my ears to hear what you're saying thorough everday circumstances of life.

Heavenly Father thank you for the guidance you offer through your spirit, your word and through daily circumstance. Help me embrace your guidance and be influenced by you and you alone. Guide me O thou great Jehovah

Lord the Ascension story reminds me today pf your complete involvement in your world. As Jesus was taken into heaven, he had power and still does to influence the entire universe. Lord, although taken from those first disciples through the sending of Holy Spirit you are now available to us all. Hallelujah

Lord you are indeed a great God, rich in wisdom and knowledge, you judge with all insight. I acknowledge I will not, in this life time, know you fully but help me day by day to know you more.