Lenten Meditation

Prepare your heart for prayer with the words to the hymn below.
HALLELUJAH, WHAT A SAVIOUR!Philip P. Bliss 1875

‘Man of sorrows,’ what a name, For the Son of God who came,
Ruined sinners to reclaim! Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude, In my place condemned He stood,
Sealed my pardon with His blood; Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

Guilty, vile and helpless we; Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement, can it be! Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

Lifted up was He to die, ‘It is finished,’ was His cry,
Now in heaven exalted high, Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

When He comes our glorious King, All His ransomed, home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing, Hallelujah! What a Saviour!

O God, this day I acknowledge and take to heart that You are God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.

Lord Jesus, I confess that You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God – Jesus Messiah! There is no way to God the Father except through You.

Holy Spirit, I confess that You alone can lead me and guide me into Truth, reveal hidden sin and conform me to the image of Jesus.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I invite You to change me from the inside out that I might walk in the power of the finished work of the cross!

Where there is doubt and unbelief, increase my faith.
Where sin is still holding on to me, or I’m holding on to sin – crush it I pray.
Where passiveness, apathy or laziness is defining my living, fill me with fresh passion for You and Your Word (Pause and pray into these themes).

Thank You Lord Jesus for cancelling my great sin-debt, through Your death on the cross! Hallelujah! What a Saviour! You alone are worthy Lord Jesus of my worship. You are worthy LORD Jesus! You are worthy! And I praise Your Mighty Name.

Lord Jesus, be exalted among us as we gather and worship, as we meet in homes, at our places of work, school and play. Be exalted, be glorified in our conversations, in the choices that we make, and the places we go. Whether we eat or drink or whatever it is that we might do. May we always be mindful that we belong to You, and do it all for Your glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).

May we as Your people praise You, O God. May all of us praise You, that the land in which we live might yield its harvest and we might experience Your great blessing (Psalm 67:5-6).

Father, I pray that those who are leading LIFE Groups will be empowered and anointed by Your Holy Spirit. Fill them with great joy and establish the work of their hands! Raise up others to lead Father (Pray for leaders that you know of by name) (Psalm 90:17)!

Father, may those who lead us, our pastors, elders and deacons have Your wisdom. Increase their discernment Father, and encourage them by the Holy Spirit.

Father, you are the God of all hope. I ask that You fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in You so that we might overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

May we as Your people not be lacking in zeal, but may our spiritual fervour in serving You increase! Strengthen us I pray that we might be joyful in hope (Pause and pray for those who are waiting on God for answers to prayer…), patient in affliction (Pause and pray for those who are experiencing trials of every kind…) and faithful in prayer (Pause and pray that we will increasingly become people of prayer…) (Romans 12:10-11).

Father, I pray for those who come to ECB seeking answers about who You are and what it means to follow Jesus, that they will be drawn by the Holy Spirit to salvation. May each of us extend the welcome of Jesus to those around us, and may Jesus be so seen among us, that many will come to faith in Him. May there be salvation in Your house this Sunday! Open the eyes of the spiritually blind!

Pray that resurrection power will infuse ministers of the Gospel around the world with fresh Spirit-life. Ask God to renew them by His Spirit, and give them His strength. Pray that there will be spiritual harvest from Passion Week services and events.

Father, You have said that the sacrifices that You are looking for are a broken spirit and contrite heart. Destroy pride among us Lord and give to us the gift of repentance I pray (Psalm 51:16-17).

Open the eyes of our hearts and reveal the hidden things, for You have said that You desire truth in our inmost parts. Show us Lord, show me, where I am still withholding my heart from You (Ephesians 1:18; Job 28:11; Psalm 51:6).

Father, make ECB to be a community of faith that truly lives by the Spirit and keeps in step with the Spirit. May we not in any way put out the Spirit’s fire, but rather, fan into flame the gift of God that is in us (Galatians 5:25; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 2 Timothy 1:6)!

I pray for my brothers and sisters at ECB Lord, and ask that we might all ‘run the race’ in such a way as to be found worthy of the prize (1 Corinthians 9:27). May our daily living display Christ in greater and greater clarity, and the imprint of Jesus left in our wake.

Increase our boldness in speaking Your Word, Father, and confirm Your Word among us with signs and wonders, that You Lord Jesus might be exalted and the unbelieving come to faith (Acts 4:29-30)!

Jesus, You said that we are to make disciples of all nations – show us this way!  Surely, You have put us here in Bangkok at this point in time for Your plans and purposes- may we as Your people enter in with joy to all that You have for us. Increase the harvest among us! May many come to Jesus! And yes Lord, give us the nations (Matthew 28:19)!

May we enter Your gates with thanksgiving and Your courts with praise tomorrow, may we be thankful for all that You have done for us and bless Your name – for You are good O Lord, and greatly to be praised (Psalm 100)!

Father, I pray that You give to each of us during this Lent season, a fresh realization of the magnitude of the finished work of Christ on the cross for our sins! May our hearts be gripped in fresh ways as we contemplate His great sacrifice.

May each of us come before you with songs of thanksgiving and joy – open our lips that we might declare Your praise – may our hearts be unleashed!

Speak powerfully through our Pastor, and may we as Your people have ears to hear what Your Spirit would say to us. Anoint our Pastor I pray – may those who lead us in worship be empowered by Your Spirit, and O God, pour out Your Holy Spirit on us! Renew us! Revive us! Change Us! Holy Spirit fall fresh on ME!